'Phoonk is not scary at all'

A filmgoer in Bangalore booked an entire cinema for a screening of Ram Gopal Varma's "Phoonk" in a bid to prove he was brave enough to watch the horror film alone, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Pavin Ponanna, 30, watched the film in a 227-seat hall at a city multiplex over the weekend, with a doctor on call and security personnel stationed outside.

"I never felt scared, not even for a moment," Ponanna was quoted as saying by the "Pioneer" newspaper.

"Phoonk" tells the story of a family traumatized by black magic.

According to sources, when asked about why he went ahead with watching the movie Pavin said, "I was not part of the contest, but did it just to prove that I come from a land of valour. I am a Coorgi or Kodava, we are known to be a martial race."

Pavind added, "I respect Ram Gopal Varma, but I think he should not throw such challenges. If the movie was really scary, the censor board would have objected. I don't believe in black magic but to watch the film in a 227-seat theatre alone is quite an achievement."

In the weeks leading up to its release on Aug. 22, the film's marketing department said "Phoonk" was so scary viewers could win Rs 500,000 by watching it alone in cinemas as part of a contest.

But the contest was not advertised on the film's official website (http://phoonk.in)

Ponanna said he took up the challenge after reading an interview of director Ram Gopal Varma, but only to prove he could watch the horror film alone.

The tickets cost him 47,000 rupees, the newspaper said.