Bhoot

Although the film had no songs, for the first time for a Hindi film a separate soundtrack album was premiered to promote it. It did not work, however, and despite the film's success the soundtrack sales were disappointing.

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The film broke many rules of Bollywood formula films and was still successful. There were no songs, it ran only two hours, it was centred on a female protagonist, and it was a horror story rather than a love story.

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Abhishek Bachchan had previously been offered Fardeen Khan's role but turned it down because it clashed with his schedule for LOC 2003.

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Rekha, Urmila Matondkar (as a child actor) and Victor Banerjee had all appeared in Kalyug 22 years before this film's premiere.

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The film had many similarities to Ramgopal Verma's earlier film Raat (1992): the possession of the lead actor, a theatre scene, a violent killing by a twisted neck, the eerie old woman in the neighbouring house, a psychiatrist trying to help the family, in-house help's suggestions about past events in the house, the spirit of a dead person still roaming the house, the bringing in of a tantrik, and the conflict between the psychiatrist and the tantrik.

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The film was also a great success because of its background score, which chilled audiences in cinemas.

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The theatre scene in the film was inspired by RGV's earlier film Raat (1992).

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The cremation scene at the beginning was inspired by Ram Gopal Verma's Telugu horror film Deyyam, released in 1996.

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Ajay Devgn appeared with a new look, sporting a French beard and a different hairstyle for the first time. He worked with Nana, Rekha and Fardeen for the first time.

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Ajay Devgan's real name, VISHAL, was used in the film. He changed his name before taking roles in Bollywood films.

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After Bhoot's success in 2003, Ram Gopal Varma planned to remake the film with Hollywood actors. The film, titled Inside, was to be released in late 2006. It was to be set in a Manhattan apartment in New York instead of a Mumbai apartment. There would be no Indian actors, but Ram Gopal refused to reveal details of the cast. Percept Picture Company was to make the film with a budget of 6 million US dollars, and it was to be released in 2006. The film was eventually shelved.

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Ram Gopal Varma and his assistant saw Victor Banerjee in a restaurant. He had ordered some French fries and was eating lunch. Ram Gopal had been a great fan of Victor's since seeing his work in Kalyug years earlier. He had searched for him for years without success. Ram Gopal approached Victor and introduced himself. He told Victor that he was a great fan of his work in Kalyug. He then went on to describe scenes and specific details of Victor's performance. Victor was astonished because he had even forgotten most of the scenes in the film. That was how Ram Gopal Varma signed Victor and brought him back to Hindi films.

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Ajay Devgan shared screen space with his mother-in-law, Tanuja Mukerji.

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The film was promoted with many eerie messages on posters.

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Urmila Matondkar won the Star Screen best actress award for the film, and after receiving it she said that everyone thanked God but no one thanked Bhoot.

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Ram Gopal Varma had discussed Bhoot with Manoj Bajpai. A disagreement later arose between them, and Ajay Devgan was signed.

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After Bhoot in 2004, Nana Patekar was to direct a Ram Gopal Varma production titled "Jumman". Nana was playing the role of a butcher and was to shave his head. It was to be a musical film, with the focus on Maharashtra's folk music. The project was cancelled for unknown reasons.

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Ramgopal Varma said, "Many people tell me the sound in Bhoot is very scary. But in fact, what makes any sound effective, especially in the horror genre, is the silence before it. Apart from the camera work and background music, sound clearly plays the most important role in creating a state of high tension."

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This was Victor Banerjee's return to Bollywood 20 years after Doosri Dulhan.

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The film was initially planned with Urmila and some newcomers, but Ram Gopal Varma later managed to sign Ajay Devgan and Nana Patekar, and the project grew larger.

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The film they watched on the theatre screen was Spider-Man (2002), which was released during the shooting of Bhoot.

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Ram Gopal Varma also made 12 O'Clock with a similar concept.

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After the success of his 1992 film, his second horror film following Raat, Ram Gopal Verma made many horror films, but none were as successful as Bhoot.

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It was Fardeen Khan's first negative role.

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The theatre scene was shot at the Imax Dome theatre.

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Urmila Matondkar and Fardeen Khan worked together for the fourth time, but this time they could not face each other. In fact, they do not meet until the climax.

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Nana Patekar and Ram Gopal Verma worked together for the first time. Nana later became part of many RGV projects such as Ab Tak Chhappan, Darna Mana Hai and others.

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Ajay was also working on Qayamat and had a similar look.

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Nana and Rekha appear after the interval.

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The concept was initially planned as a Haveli, but it was later changed to a modern apartment.

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According to director Ram Gopal Varma, after the film's release no one dared to live in the apartment where it was shot.

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Ram Gopal Varma chose Urmila for the character. One of her expressions in Rangeela (1995) had stuck with him for years: when she gives Jackie Shroff a terrified look in the song Hai Rama.

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The film was not screened in cinemas in British Columbia, Canada.

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