“No, I’m not (surprised). Because the film was promoted. But it was promoted where we thought we should promote it. Fortunately or unfortunately, we didn’t have the budget to carpet bomb. So we targeted that audience that we knew would come for the film.”

He added, “There were hoardings. But we didn’t go overboard because we knew this was a mass film. We knew that’s where we would get the ticket sales from. We were clear about that.”

He continued, “Maybe the trade pundits missed the promotion because it wasn’t directed towards them. By that, I mean, it wasn’t directed towards the major metros, or at least not on that level.”

Bhatt also said he always believed the Haunted franchise had a loyal audience.

“Secondly, I knew that Haunted has an audience. And I knew that the audience would turn up. I didn’t know how big that audience was. I didn’t know if it was bigger than the other films that released with me. But I knew that certainly there is an audience to this. And they will come.”

He added, “By God’s grace, they really turned up and made me a happy man.”

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On comparisons with other releases

While the film’s box-office performance has led to headlines comparing it with Main Vaapas Aaunga and Bharat Bhagya Vidhata, Bhatt said he takes no pleasure in seeing other films underperform.

“Doesn’t make me happy at all. Because I’ve been there too often. I don’t want anybody to have bad numbers.”

He added, “Yes, I want myself to have good numbers. But not at the cost of someone else’s numbers. And I believe that there is enough space in the country to have two successful films running at the same time, or three. I’m just happy that my film did well.”

The filmmaker also offered what he called an important takeaway from the film’s success.

“What I need to learn from this is that be careful of franchise films. Because it can beat star-cast films. It is not meant to put down anybody. It’s just meant to keep that study and understanding as a note to myself. Don’t release your film with a franchise film, however big a star you may have.”

Bhatt added, “Of course, one is not talking about Shah Rukh or Salman. But even if it’s a good star cast, be careful of the franchise film because it has a hidden audience. You don’t see them, but they come out of the woodworks to see the film.”

Vikram Bhatt on AI criticism

The filmmaker also addressed criticism over the use of artificial intelligence in Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past, arguing that audiences often mistake real locations for AI-generated imagery once a narrative takes hold.

“First of all, the funny thing is a lot of people have taken the real locations also as AI. I think once a narrative is set during the promotion of a film that this is AI, then even the real locations will be looked at as AI. Whatever was shot in real is also AI to them, which is funny.”

Bhatt then defended his decision to use AI technology.

“And say it is AI. Fine, we used AI. Are you coming to see a film and enjoy the story? Or do you think this is National Geographic and you’re coming to see the real locations?”

He explained that AI allowed him to create a larger visual world within budget constraints.

“I could not have made such a big film on the budget I had. So I used AI. And the people who are going to see the film are liking it.”

Drawing comparisons with traditional filmmaking techniques, Bhatt said audiences rarely object when films use elaborate sets or CGI.

“Historically, we’ve had films shot on a set. Most of the time I can make out the set and the audience can also make out the set. Why don’t you all say that the film was shot on a set and not in a real bungalow? “What’s the difference between AI and a set? It’s the same thing.”

Referring to films such as Avatar and Star Wars, Bhatt argued that visual technology should not overshadow storytelling.

“Haunted is about a world of Manikdhar. And I had to create a separate world. That’s why I used AI. It’s supposed to be dreamy. It is supposed to be eerie and strange. The entire village is stuck in time.”

He joked, “Some people say the ghost is AI. How can I get a real ghost? Ghost is AI. Either special effects or CG or prosthetic. I can’t get a real ghost. Like, I have a shift at 9 tomorrow, you come.”

Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past stars Mimoh Chakraborty, Chetna Pande, Praneet Bhatt.