Anand Pandit: “Very Few Filmmakers Understand ‘Fear’ Like Vikram Bhatt”

"A director who truly understands horror goes beyond predictable thrills to tap into human psychology," says producer Anand Pandit whose film 'Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past' is all set to release this month. The supernatural horror film stars Mimoh Chakraborty and Chetna Pande and is directed by Vikram Bhatt. "Few filmmakers showcase 'fear' and horror like Vikram does. He works with the entire gamut of human emotions to reveal the primal fears we all harbour. He also uses technology, sound, music, lighting and cinematography very well to tell stories that truly linger in our memory," adds Pandit.

He recalls Vikram's directorial touch in hits like 'Ghulam' and the 'Raaz' franchise to say, "Being from the Mahesh Bhatt school of cinema, he also extracts very good performances from all his actors. He understands how to mount and execute modern supernatural thrillers and this is why 'Haunted 3D' recorded the highest opening ever for an Indian horror film in 2011."

The 'Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past' team has decided to promote the film through a series of short-format promotional videos titled 'Screamers.' These shorts and reels, aimed primarily at social media and smartphone users, invite audiences to take a brief but unsettling glimpse into the eerie world of the movie.

This idea is as unique as the film and Pandit concurs, "Yes, young audiences nowadays need to glean information about a film quickly and so Vikram proposed the idea of giving them a clear cue about what is in store through these 15 to 20 second videos."

Pandit is also excited about the music of 'Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past' and says, "Vikram has a great ear for melody and right from his debut film 'Jaanam' to 'Raaz', he has always tried to include excellent songs in his films, irrespective of genre. Equally noteworthy is his clever use of background score and I am sure, the music as well as the BGM of 'Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past', will be remembered for a long time."