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Pooja Bhatt Celebrates 23 Years of 'Jism', A Film That Redefined Desire

Pooja Bhatt marked the 23rd anniversary of her 2003 erotic thriller 'Jism' with a reflective social media post. She described the film, starring John Abraham and Bipasha Basu, as one that "changed the times" and reshaped conversations around desire in Hindi cinema. The plot follows an alcoholic lawyer ensnared in a dangerous, obsessive relationship that leads to a murder plot. A sequel, 'Jism 2', was directed by Bhatt in 2012 and marked Sunny Leone's Bollywood debut.

Key Points: 'Jism' 23 Years: Pooja Bhatt on Film That Changed Bollywood

  • Celebrated 23 years since release
  • Called a film that mirrored and changed its era
  • Explored desire, obsession, and betrayal
  • Featured a hit and enduring music album
2 min read

Pooja Bhatt reflects on 23 years of 'Jism': A film that changed the times

Pooja Bhatt reflects on 'Jism' 23 years later, calling the John Abraham-Bipasha Basu thriller a film that reshaped conversations on desire and music.

Pooja Bhatt reflects on 23 years of 'Jism': A film that changed the times
"A film that changed the times. A hero that represented the times. A song & album that endures through time. - Pooja Bhatt"

Mumbai, Jan 17

Filmmaker Pooja Bhatt looked back with gratitude as her 2003 film "Jism" completed 23 years since its release in Hindi cinema, calling it a work that mirrored its time and quietly reshaped the conversation around desire, vulnerability and music in Hindi cinema.

Pooja took to Instagram, where she shared two pictures of actor John Abraham, who starred in the erotic thriller along with Bipasha Basu.

The filmmaker, who had produced the hit movie, wrote in the caption section: "Jism (2003) A film that chaged 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."

"Jism" was inspired by Body Heat by Lawrence Kasdan which was based on Billy Wilder's 1944 film Double Indemnity, an adaptation of James M. Cain's novel of the same name.

The film follows Kabir, an alcoholic lawyer whose lonely life changes when he meets Sonia, a stunning and mysterious woman married to a rich businessman, Rohit. As Kabir falls deeply in love with her, he is pulled into a dangerous relationship driven by desire and obsession. Slowly, Sonia pushes him towards a plan to kill her husband and claim his wealth.

But as events spiral out of control, Kabir begins to see her true intentions. What follows is a dark and gripping tale of passion, betrayal, and the heavy price of bad choices.

The second installment was directed by Pooja, and it hit the big screens in 2012. The film marks the Bollywood acting debut of Sunny Leone. Randeep Hooda and Arunoday Singh co-star alongside her.

The followed Izna, an adult film star, who is hired by an intelligence agency to entrap Kabir, a dreaded assassin who used to be her lover. Things get complicated when officer Aayan Thakur falls in love with her.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As someone who watched it much later, I can see its impact. It definitely paved the way for more adult-oriented thrillers. John Abraham and Bipasha Basu had incredible chemistry. It felt more sophisticated than the typical "item number" approach to sensuality.
R
Rohit P
Honestly, the second part was a letdown. It felt like a forced sequel trying to cash in on the brand name. The original's strength was its subtle tension and character study. Jism 2 was just... loud. Sunny Leone was fine, but the story was weak. 🙄
P
Priya S
It's interesting how it's an adaptation of a Hollywood classic (via Body Heat) but felt very rooted in its own space. The Mumbai setting, the characters' dilemmas... it worked. It showed that Indian audiences were ready for more complex, morally grey narratives. Kudos to the team!
K
Karthik V
23 years! Feeling old now 😅. I remember the buzz around this film. It was a talking point in college. Some called it bold, some called it vulgar. But it definitely got people discussing cinema beyond just entertainment. It had a certain "cool factor" back then.
M
Meera T
While I appreciate its place in film history, let's be honest, the female character was still the classic "femme fatale" trope—a beautiful woman leading a man to ruin. I wish the conversation had evolved more towards nuanced female agency rather than just being about "boldness." A respectful critique from a longtime viewer.

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