This erotic Bollywood thriller was inspired by Body Heat, Double Indemnity; wasn’t directed by Mahesh Bhatt, Pooja Bhatt

The father and daughter duo of Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt are credited with making films that don't shy away from exploring women's sensuality and erotic themes. One such film, written by Mahesh Bhatt and produced by Pooja Bhatt, was released in January 2003, starring Bipasha Basu as the lead alongside John Abraham, making his Bollywood debut. 

We are talking about Jism, an erotic thriller film directed and edited by Amit Saxena, produced under the banner Fish Eye Network [P] Ltd and Shreya Creations.

Jism was one of its kind not only for its hot title but also an ample amount of eroticism. In 2011, Channel 4 ranked Jism No. 92 in its Top 100 sexiest movie scenes poll. Jism was especially appreciated for its erotic scenes, shot between Bipasha Basu and John Abraham. Their chemistry made the film a hit among the audiences. 

Made on a budget of Rs 3.8 lakh, Jism earned Rs 15 lakh at the box office. It was a sleeper hit. The music was composed by M. M. Keeravani under the pseudonym M. M. Kreem, with lyrics by Neelesh Misra and Sayeed Quadri. As per Box Office India, around 1.5 million units of this soundtrack were sold. 

A sequel of Jism titled Jism 2, starring Sunny Leone, Randeep Hooda, and Arunoday Singh, directed by Pooja Bhatt, was also released in August 2012. It marked the debut of Sunny Leone in Bollywood. 

Pooja Bhatt, once said in an interview, about casting Sunny Leone, "I signed Sunny Leone for the same reason I signed John Abraham in Jism. It was instinct. I broke the perception that models can't act with Jism. Now, I am looking forward to breaking another perception by signing Sunny Leone, a pornstar in Jism 2."

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