Mumbai, Nov 9: Actor Shiney Ahuja, who was convicted in a rape case, is making a Bollywood comeback almost after three years with a horror film ‘Ghost' that releases on December 16.
The horror film, produced by Bharat Shah and co-produced by Puja Jatinder Bedi, hits cinema houses on December 16. ‘Ghost', written, edited and directed by Puja, who had earlier co-produced films like ‘Mangal Pandey', ‘Guru', stars, Shiney and Sayali Bhagat in the lead roles.
“The film revolves around the city hospital as it witnesses a chain of blood curdling chilling murders…uncanny happenings at the hospital. Today, audiences are intelligent and mature and they need to see some real horror. I aim to scare them,” Puja said.
Sayali essays the role of Dr Suhani, while Shiney plays an officer Vijay Singh from the investigating agency.
“I am surprised with the increased and growing appetite for horror films. I am looking forward for a great response I hope the audience love this film,” Veteran producer Bharat Shah, said.
Earlier this year, Ahuja was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment on charges of raping his domestic maid, but was granted bail by the Bombay High Court. Ahuja, who made his presence felt in Bollywood with films like ‘Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi' and ‘Gangster', but was convicted in a rape case earlier this year, says he was eager to start working again for supporting his family and expressing himself as an artist.
In March this year, Ahuja was sentenced to seven years in prison by a Mumbai fast track court for raping his maid in 2009. Currently, the actor is out on bail after he challenged the sentence in the Bombay High Court.
“I think God does everything for a certain reason and it is not about what happens to you in life it is about how you react to those things and how do you take it. I think by whatever that happened did happen because there are bad times in life. People who have gone through tough times in life will be able to relate to it. There is always learning,” Shiney told PTI.
“I would say I was very very eager to start work due to financial reasons as I am the only earning person in my family to support them. It was important for me. But besides that there is greater need for any artist be it musician or an actor to want to express themselves...to be able to express what you feel,” Shiney said.
“I am grateful to Bharat Shah to give me this chance and to have faith in me as an actor, as a person and as a professional...to give me opportunity and to live my dreams and express myself,” he said.
Shiney had made his debut with Sudhir Mishra's critically-acclaimed film ‘Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi' (2005). His roles in films like Mahesh Bhatt's ‘Gangster', ‘Woh Lamhe', ‘Life in a Metro', ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa', ‘Khoya Khoya Chand', were appreciated.
Shiney was last seen in ‘Hijack' (2008) opposite Esha Deol. The film had failed at the box office. In his upcoming film ‘Ghost' by producer-turned director Puja Jatinder Bedi, Shiney would share the screen space with actress Sayali Bhagat.
When asked what he missed the most when he was not working, Shiney said, “Nothing much, as I was in a state of shock for a very long time. After I recovered from it, I spent lot of time with my family, as earlier, due to my work schedule and my routine it had never happened.”
“Earlier, I did not have much time to be with them. I do feel maybe God wanted me to spend time with my daughter. And I am happy that I got to experience the best part about her childhood...I was with her all the time from the time she was two-year-old. Even for the shoot of this film, she was with me in Lavasa.”
The film releases on December 16.
