Pavan Kirpalani: Was trying to make 'Bhoot Police' for almost a decade

Saif Ali Khan and Arjun Kapoor in Bhoot Police

Pavan Kirpalani's fascination for the horror genre is evident in his previous offerings, Ragini MMS (2011) and Phobia (2016). But the filmmaker has turned the genre on its head with his recent horror comedy Bhoot Police. "I wanted to make a horror-comedy way before it became a viable genre," begins the director, who wanted to kick off his career with a film in the genre. "The first film I ever wrote, as an aspiring filmmaker, was Bhoot Police. Before Ragini MMS, I had made another horror comedy that got shelved because of the recession then. If things had gone according to the plan, Bhoot Police would have been made a decade ago."

Pavan Kirpalani

The Disney+ Hotstar offering sees Saif Ali Khan and Arjun Kapoor as ghostbuster brothers. The project was announced in 2019 with Khan, Ali Fazal and Fatima Sana Shaikh. However, the cast underwent a change in 2020, with Kapoor, Yami Gautam and Jacqueline Fernandez coming on board. "I was trying to make this movie for almost a decade. I met Saif with this idea about four to five years ago. I knew this character was tailor-made for him, and he realised it too. Earlier, we had other actors, but we had to recast because of date [issues]. Arjun has brought a lot to the table."

Even before the film dropped online, the makers hinted at the possibility of its sequel. Kirpalani too believes that the premise and the genre lend themselves to a franchise. "It was always written as a franchise. So, you can expect many parts. We will think about it."

Also read: 'Bhoot Police' director calls Saif Ali Khan-Arjun Kapoor 'formidable pair'