Vikram Bhatt on 'Kasoor': How he foresaw Bollywood's erotic-thriller era
Synopsis
Vikram Bhatt says making 'Kasoor' right after 'Ghulam' was a calculated call — he had already sensed that erotic thrillers with strong music would dominate Bollywood for a decade. Speaking during 'Haunted 3D' promotions, he explains why the film still lives in public memory even though 'Raaz' outperformed it commercially.
Key Takeaways
Vikram Bhatt made 'Kasoor' immediately after 'Ghulam' , defying expectations of a big-star follow-up.
He predicted that erotic thrillers with strong music would define Hindi cinema for the next decade.
Bhatt described shooting 'Kasoor' with Lisa Ray and Aftab Shivdasani as 'a joy' and called it one of his favourite films.
Despite being commercially outperformed by 'Raaz' , 'Kasoor' continues to be widely remembered, largely due to its music. 'Haunted 3D' , his current release, stars Mimoh Chakraborty and is running in cinemas now.
Director Vikram Bhatt has revealed that it was a deliberate creative bet — not circumstance — that led him to make 'Kasoor' right after the commercial success of 'Ghulam'. Speaking during the promotional run of his latest release 'Haunted 3D' in Mumbai, Bhatt said he could clearly sense a shift coming in Hindi cinema and chose to ride it early.
The Making of 'Kasoor'
Bhatt recalled that industry insiders were puzzled by his decision to step away from big-star productions after 'Ghulam'. 'Kasoor', which starred Lisa Ray and Aftab Shivdasani, was seen as a risk at the time. But the director was confident in his read of where mainstream Hindi cinema was heading.
'Kasoor is one of my favourite films. Shooting it was a joy — with Lisa, with Aftab. I have very fond memories,' Bhatt said.
Bhatt's Prediction: Thrillers and Erotica Would Define the Next Decade
Bhatt explained that he identified erotic thrillers — backed by strong music — as the coming formula for commercial Bollywood. 'We could see a change in the horizon in films. We could see that thrillers, and at that time let's be honest erotic thrillers and films with erotica and good music were going to be the recipe for the next decade,' he said.
He was, by his own account, convinced of the shifting undercurrents in the industry. That conviction directly led to 'Kasoor', and later to 'Raaz' — another erotic thriller with a defining soundtrack that went on to become a bigger commercial success.
Why 'Kasoor' Still Resonates
'The music reflected that passion and that intensity. So I think that's why — I mean 'Kasoor' didn't do as well as 'Raaz' but people remember 'Kasoor' a lot,' Bhatt noted. The film's emotional recall, he suggested, owes as much to its music as to its narrative. This is a pattern Bhatt has returned to across his career: using music as a vehicle for mood and memory rather than merely as a commercial hook.
Notably, 'Kasoor' arrived at a moment when multiplex culture was beginning to reshape audience expectations in India, making space for genre films that might have struggled in an earlier era of single-screen dominance.
About 'Haunted 3D'
'Haunted 3D' features Mimoh Chakraborty, Chetna Pande, Shruti Prakash, Gaurav Bajpai, Praneet Bhatt, and Hemant Pandey. The film promises an upgraded 3D experience using the latest technology to intensify its horror elements, aiming for a more immersive theatrical experience. It is currently running in cinemas across India.
Point of View
While 'Kasoor' earned the deeper cultural recall, says something interesting about how memory and box office diverge in Indian popular cinema. His current return to horror with 'Haunted 3D' suggests the same instinct: bet on genre before the crowd arrives.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Vikram Bhatt make 'Kasoor' after 'Ghulam'?
Vikram Bhatt made 'Kasoor' after 'Ghulam' because he believed Hindi cinema was on the verge of an erotic-thriller wave. He sensed that thrillers backed by strong music would become the dominant commercial formula for the next decade, and chose to act on that instinct rather than make another big-star production.
Who starred in 'Kasoor'?
'Kasoor' starred Lisa Ray and Aftab Shivdasani. Bhatt has described the shoot as a joyful experience and called the film one of his personal favourites.
How does 'Kasoor' compare to 'Raaz' commercially?
By Bhatt's own account, 'Kasoor' did not perform as well commercially as 'Raaz', which followed a similar erotic-thriller-with-music template. However, he noted that audiences continue to remember 'Kasoor' strongly, crediting its music for sustaining that emotional recall.
What is 'Haunted 3D' about and who is in it?
'Haunted 3D' is Vikram Bhatt's latest horror release, featuring Mimoh Chakraborty, Chetna Pande, Shruti Prakash, Gaurav Bajpai, Praneet Bhatt, and Hemant Pandey. The film uses updated 3D technology to deliver a more immersive scare experience and is currently in cinemas.
What genre shift did Vikram Bhatt predict in Bollywood?
Bhatt predicted that erotic thrillers — combining suspense, erotica, and strong music — would define mainstream Hindi cinema for roughly a decade. He made this assessment before 'Kasoor' went into production and later validated it with the success of 'Raaz'.
