At the Screen Preview for Raaz 3D,actors Bipasha Basu and Esha Gupta and director Vikram Bhatt talk about how comic situations can be part of making a horror film Famous people die twice the first time when they lose fame and the other when they pass away. But it is the fall from fame that usually hurts more, these pearls of wisdom from filmmaker Vikram Bhatt explain in a nutshell his next film,Raaz 3D. Flanked by his leading ladies Bipasha Basu and Esha Gupta,Bhatt was part of the Screen Preview held on Friday at Express Towers,Nariman Point,to talk about his forthcoming film,which releases on September 3. Being the first one to arrive,Basu,in a display of banter and camaraderie,chides both Bhatt and Gupta mockingly. But the trio does not steer too far from the topic. It is the story of an actor,Shanaya (Basu) who loses both her standing in the industry and her lover (Emraan Hashmi) to a newbie (Gupta). In order to reclaim all that she has lost,Shanaya veers into the dark side and starts using black magic. One day,writer Shagufta Rafique and I were talking about how everyone in the the film industry is superstitious and some are rumoured to rely on rituals to ensure others downfall. This became the starting point for the film, Bhatt explains. Basus character,therefore,borrows from the reality of the film industry as she portrays an insecure actor. The film,which marks the return of both Basu and Bhatt to Vishesh Films after nearly a decade,is Guptas second with the production house. Apart from some gruelling scenes,admits Gupta,she needed to also shoot a scene where she is being attacked by 800 cockroaches. Vikram had warned me about the sequence several times during the films shoot,but I presumed he was joking. It was the night before we were to film the scene when he affirmed that I would have the insects crawling all over me. Only when I broke down did he tell me that the cockroaches will be created using special effects, recounts the model-turned-actor who made her screen debut with Jannat 2 this year. A newcomer,Gupta admits to being nervous about performing such a demanding role. I had to give many takes while shooting for Jannat 2,thus keeping Emraan waiting. I didnt want a repeat of that this time,so Id come in early and be ready well in time, says Gupta. But both Bhatt and Basu dismiss Guptas doubts and commend her performance in the film. Bhatt adds,Both the girls had to do well because the film does not work unless their rivalry is convincing. Esha has to be that good for Bipashas character to use black magic on her. For Bhatt,the challenge was to stop Mahesh Bhatt from tweeting the pictures taken on the sets. Its a horror film,but he had no qualms about giving away the suspense. I would ask him to stop tweeting but Bhatt saab is like a kid,he would do it anyway and then stick his tongue out and apologise, says the director. No discussion about a Hashmi film is incomplete without touching upon the on-screen kisses of the actor. Bhatt claims that Raaz 3D will have the longest kiss by the serial kisser at one minute. Basu adds that her biggest challenge while working on Raaz 3D was the dubbing of the kiss. Who dubs for a kiss? But Vikram insisted on it and at the dubbing studio,I just didnt know what to do and how to create the sound of a kiss, she rues,adding,Someone suggested that a teddy bear be brought in and I try kissing it. With so many comic incidents happening around us,it is a miracle that a horror film got made. For detailed coverage grab your copy of Screen dated August 31,2012. Catch the session on youtube.com/ ScreenWeekly.
