📌 Key Points
- Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Bhoot’ was filmed in a Mumbai apartment.
- The apartment used for filming has been vacant since the film’s release in 2002.
- RGV cast Urmila Matondkar after being struck by her expression in ‘Rangeela’.
- ‘Bhoot’ was a box-office success, earning Urmila Matondkar several awards.
Ram Gopal Varma’s iconic horror film ‘Bhoot’ continues to fascinate. Varma recently shared that the Mumbai apartment used for filming has remained vacant since 2002, fueling the film’s eerie legacy. He also revealed the unique reason for casting Urmila Matondkar.
The ‘Bhoot’ Apartment’s Eerie History
It has been over two decades since Bhoot, Ram Gopal Varma ’s chilling horror film starring Ajay Devgn and Urmila Matondkar , first hit the screens, yet it continues to hold a special place in the filmmaker’s heart. Recently, Ram Gopal Varma shared an intriguing detail about the film’s shooting location, revealing that the apartment where the movie was filmed has remained vacant ever since, as people still refuse to stay there.
He shared that once the decision was made to set the film in Mumbai, he opted to shoot inside an apartment rather than a bungalow, believing it would feel more relatable to the audience. The filmmaker went on to reveal that Bhoot was filmed in just 30 days, largely within a single apartment.
Interestingly, he added that the very apartment used for the shoot has remained vacant since 2002. According to him, no one has been willing to move in since then.
RGV’s Casting Choice: Urmila Matondkar
The filmmaker said, “I completed the film in just 30 days as I had shot a bulk of the film in one apartment. I want to tell you an interesting titbit. The film was shot in 2002. It’s been more than 20 years and even today, that flat is still vacant! It became quite famous after the film was released and nobody wants to stay in that apartment. It’s in the Lokhandwala Complex. I forgot the name of the building.”
Talking about getting Urmila Matondkar for the project, RGV shared, “ I decided to cast Urmila in the role because of one expression she did in another completely different film of mine. The expression in the Hai Rama song from Rangeela struck so strongly in my head, like when she is wearing a red dress and looking intensely at Jackie Shroff. That close-up is what actually convinced me she could pull off this role in (Bhoot).”
A Box-Office Hit and Its Lingering Impact
Bhoot was a box-office hit and the actor-politician won several awards for her performance as a possessed woman. The film was also directed Ram Gopal. The filmmaker made a sequel in 2012, titled Bhoot Returns, which starred actor Manisha Koirala.
The original Sarkar film was released back in 2005, featuring Amitabh Bachchan in the lead as Subhash Nagre. Abhishek Bachchan was also part of the film, playing his on-screen son, Shankar. The film’s sequel, Sarkar Raj, was released in 2008, expanding the universe with the addition of Aishwarya Rai as Anita Rajan. The last film in the franchise, Sarkar 3, came out in 2017.
The enduring impact of ‘Bhoot’ extends beyond its box-office success. The vacant apartment serves as a chilling reminder of the film’s ability to capture and reflect real fears, solidifying its place in Bollywood horror history.
