| Director | Ram Gopal Varma |
|---|---|
| Genre | horror film, speculative fiction film |
| Runtime | 119 min |
| Country | India |
| Budget | ₹6.7 crore |
| Box office | ₹23.9 crore |
The story follows Vishal Bhatia (Ajay Devgn), an investment adviser married to Swati Bhatia (Urmila Matondkar). The couple rent a high-rise apartment at an unusually low price. The broker introduces Vishal to the owner, Mr Thakkar (Amar Talwar), and explains that a widow named Manjeet Khosla (Barkha Madan), the previous resident, committed suicide after killing her own son. Vishal conceals this information from Swati, knowing she would object to living in such a place. However, the owner accidentally reveals the secret.
Swati is extremely upset with Vishal for hiding the truth about the previous occupants, although he dismisses notions of ghosts and bad luck. She soon begins seeing things and behaving strangely. Vishal consults Dr Rajan (Victor Banerjee). By this point, it becomes apparent that Swati is possessed, although Vishal believes she is merely sleepwalking. One night, he notices Swati is missing from the apartment. While searching for her, he sees her emerging from the lift. Sensing something is wrong, Vishal goes to the ground floor and discovers the watchman, murdered with his neck snapped backwards, implying that the possessed Swati killed him. Vishal’s scepticism vanishes. Inspector Liyaqat Qureshi (Nana Patekar), who arrives to investigate the death, grows suspicious of the couple and their unusual behaviour, and begins following Vishal and Dr Rajan.
Vishal’s maid witnesses Swati shouting and hurling Vishal aside. She helps restrain her and notes that Swati is shouting in the same manner as Manjeet. She suggests consulting an exorcist rather than a doctor. Vishal eventually seeks help from an exorcist, Sarita (Rekha). Sarita perceives the spirits of Manjeet and her son and advises Vishal to meet Manjeet’s mother (Tanuja), who may be able to placate her daughter’s spirit. Vishal complies and learns that Manjeet was not the kind of person who would commit suicide or kill her own child. He explains Swati’s condition and asks for assistance. Manjeet’s mother accompanies him and attempts to calm her daughter’s spirit. They discover that Mr Thakkar’s son, Sanjay Thakkar (Fardeen Khan), attempted to molest Manjeet; when she resisted, she accidentally fell from the balcony and died. Sarita advises Vishal to summon Sanjay. Vishal lures him by falsely claiming that his father is ill. When Sanjay arrives, Vishal persuades both him and Mr Thakkar to help take Swati to the hospital.
It is then revealed that years earlier, Sanjay visited his father and became infatuated with Manjeet upon seeing her in the apartment. He broke into her home and attempted to express his desire. When she rejected him, he pushed her, causing her to fall from the balcony and die. Manjeet’s young son witnessed the crime, and Sanjay subsequently hired the watchman to kill the boy.
Manjeet, still possessing Swati’s body, sees Sanjay and chases him. Qureshi attempts to stop her, unaware of the truth. Swati tries to kill Sanjay by strangling him, but Sarita intervenes, urging Manjeet to spare him, as Swati would otherwise be blamed.
Sanjay escapes, only to find himself surrounded by Vishal, Sarita, Manjeet’s spirit, and Qureshi, who now understand the truth. Terrified, Sanjay confesses his crimes, prompting Manjeet’s mother to urge her daughter to stop. Inspector Qureshi arrests Sanjay and has him imprisoned. Manjeet’s spirit leaves Swati’s body, and Vishal and Swati begin a new life together in the apartment. Meanwhile, in the lock-up, Qureshi tells Sanjay that even a death sentence would be too lenient for someone like him, and that he deserves a harsher punishment. After Qureshi leaves the darkened cell, Sanjay finds himself face to face with Manjeet. He begs for mercy, but his voice fades as she approaches; it is implied that she kills him.