He is almost two hours late for a press conference for his forthcoming Indo-Pak joint film production, the "much-in-the-news" 'Nazar'.

However, immediately after making an entry at Delhi Forte Grande hotel, with Pakistani actress Meera and wife and the Director of the film Sony Razdan, veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt is all apologies for the "interminable delay".

''The delay occurred because we had to arrange for Meera's visa for Kanpur where she had been invited by the Urdu Press club to participate in the 'Karvan-e-Aman' (march for peace) procession to promote friendship between India and Pakistan,''Mahesh Bhatt said.

Apologies over, the focus shifts to the subject of the evening- Bhatt's forthcoming film 'Nazar'.

''It is the first joint film production between India and Pakistan in the last 50 years. In today's world there is no greater vehicle to promote peace between nations than collaborations In the cultural arena. In this sense, 'Nazar' is our tribute to friendship between India and Pakistan,''Meera said at the press conference last evening.

Starring Meera in the lead with film star Ashmit Patel, 'Nazar', the story of a girl who can foresee the ruthless killing of bar girls by a 'madman' who believes that all of them are a "blot on society and need to be exterminated", is scheduled for release on May 20.

Apart from Meera and Ashmit, the film also stars Koel Purie and Neena Gupta in key roles ''Like all films of our banner, 'Nazar' deals with the 'highly contemporary and provocative issue' of murder of bar girls by a person who considers them a blot on society. This has been combined with the 'supernatural' element of this woman played by Meera who has the power to foresee the death of these bar girls, to make the film more thrilling,''Bhatt said.

As a filmmaker Bhatt believes that ''films should deal with the problems and concerns of the common man. Only then will be come to the theatre to see it. I for one, do not make a film unless it has the potential to explode and create among the viewer a 'sense of belongingness.''