ETD team@ Mahakumbh: pics

Producer Ekta Kapoor, who took the holy dip at the ongoing Maha Kumbh mela in Allahabad on Saturday, says she was there not to promote her upcoming venture Ek Thi Daayan but to seek blessings for the film.

The 37-year-old, along with actors Emraan Hashmi and Huma Qureshi, also participated in a "yajna" for the success of the horror film.

"Promotion is the wrong word. I visited Maha Kumbh to seek blessings for the film and not promote it. I feel there is nothing wrong with that. Everyone participating in it was there for that very reason, so how are we different? Besides hard work, I think it is necessary to have blessings," Ekta told PTI over phone from Allahabad.

There were clear instructions from the administration that no film promotion activity would be allowed at the mela but the team was allowed after they promised to keep their movement low-key.

"I believe that when the intent is right there is no problem at all. We made our intention very clear to the authorities and we did not face any trouble at all," she added.

When asked about the Maha Kumbh experience, Ekta, known to be a religious person, said, "It was a once in a life time experience. I have visited two Kumbh melas in the past but this is my first Maha Kumbh.

"We all felt very enlightened and emotionally calm after the yajna and the dip at sangam. The energy there was so positive and peaceful. It was a great experience for all of us."

Ek Thi Daayan also stars Konkona Sen Sharma and Kalki Koechlin. The film has been directed by Kannan Iyer and co-produced by Vishal Bhardwaj.

"Ek Thi Daayan was an experience in itself. Vishal and Mukul (Sharma) have written a wonderful folklore horror film. It has all the recipes of a super entertaining film. To top it all we have Emraan, who is like the master of this genre now, and three actresses, who are very different from each other.

"I am really excited about the film… we all are in fact. It is a film very close to my heart," Ekta said.

Ek Thi Daayan will hit theatres on 18 April.