Mumbai, Jan 17 (NationPress) Filmmaker Pooja Bhatt expressed her heartfelt appreciation as her 2003 film “Jism” celebrated 23 years since its debut in Hindi cinema. She described the film as a piece that not only reflected its era but also subtly transformed the dialogue surrounding desire, vulnerability, and music in Indian cinema.

Pooja shared two images of actor John Abraham, who starred alongside Bipasha Basu in this erotic thriller, on her Instagram account.

In her post, she wrote: “Jism (2003) A film that changed the times (sic). A hero that represented the times. A song & album that endures through time. Released on January 17, 2003. 23 years ago. Gratitude.”

The film drew inspiration from Body Heat by Lawrence Kasdan, which itself was based on Billy Wilder's 1944 film Double Indemnity, an adaptation of James M. Cain's novel.

It narrates the story of Kabir, an alcoholic lawyer whose solitary existence changes when he encounters Sonia, a beautiful and enigmatic woman married to a wealthy businessman, Rohit. As Kabir falls for her, he becomes entangled in a perilous affair driven by desire and obsession. Gradually, Sonia manipulates him into devising a plot to murder her husband and seize his riches.

As events begin to spiral out of control, Kabir starts to uncover her genuine motives. The narrative unfolds into a dark, captivating tale of passion, betrayal, and the steep cost of poor decisions.

The sequel, directed by Pooja, was released in 2012, marking the Bollywood debut of Sunny Leone. Co-starring Randeep Hooda and Arunoday Singh, it follows Izna, an adult film star, who is enlisted by an intelligence agency to entrap Kabir, a notorious assassin who was once her lover. Complications arise when officer Aayan Thakur falls for her.