IS the celluloid ghost a metaphor for fear, for all that is ideal, or, for unfulfilled wishes of the characters in the film?

The much-hyped release of B.R. Chopra Films' Bhootnath, starring Amitabh Bachchan as the filthiest ghost in the history of Indian cinema, calls for a throwback to ghosts in Bollywood films down the years. The ghost, in films and in real life, is an enigma for all of us.

The very intrigue it raises in our mindset, making us vacillate between belief and disbelief, between the reality of science and the unsubstantiated illusion of fairy tales are made of, makes the ghost a very attractive proposition for the mainstream filmmaker.

However, it needs a lot of talent, imagination and technical skill to create a very good 'ghost' film. It calls for a rare skill that may elude even the best of filmmakers who try their hands at it and fail miserably.

In the photograph: A still from the movie Bhootnath