After a disastrous 2007 with failure of films like ‘Ram Gopal Verma Ki Aag', ‘Nishabd' and ‘Darling' plummeting his stock in the industry to an all time low, Ram Gopal Verma is ‘back in the reckoning' with two films which have him doing what he is best at ‘exploring the underworld-politics nexus' and ‘scaring the daylights out of cinegoers'.

Shortly after his incisive portrayal of ‘power games in the underworld and the Underworld-politics nexus' in ‘Sarkar Raj' reaped success at the box office, the maverick filmmaker's attempt at ‘'scaring the viewers out of their wits'' with a tale on the affect of black magic in ‘Phoonk' has been drawing in huge crowds since its release last week.

Riding on the ‘spine chilling scare' of black magic and the novelty element of horror at the cinema halls across the country, amid a surfeit of comedy and romance at the box office, ‘Phoonk', dealing with story of construction businessman whose small daughter is possessed by an evil spirit, opened to a thunderous response at the box office on Friday.

Despite scathing reviews and lack of star value the film featured Kannadiga hero Sudeep and child actor Ahsaas Chanana in a lead roles of the construction businessman and his daughter ‘Phoonk' opened to nearly 100 per cent collections in cinema halls across the country.

An unending roller coaster ride of thrills which has had the cinegoing audience ‘on the edge of their seats' from the beginning of the film to its end had the audiences turning out in large number to the theatres to watch the film.

Infact, trade sources said after near 100 per cent collections during the weekend, ‘Phoonk' continued to draw in huge crowds during the weekdays.

The response has been specially huge at the multiplexes across the country.

What is surprising is the fact that the film has been drawing huge crowds in North Indian cities as well, something which was not seen in case of Verma's earlier hits, trade sources said.

Given the stupendous response to the film, ‘Phoonk' is expected to reap a handsome profit in the first week of its release, especially considering that it has been made on a shoestring budget of Rs 3 crore.

Infact, trade sources say that of the three Hindi films released on Friday ‘Phoonk', ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan' and ‘Maan Gaye Mughal-e-Azam' ‘Phoonk' has fared the best at the box office.

Analysts said for a horror movie to take this kind of opening is commendable. Infact, they said, it's rare for a Hindi movie that isn't family-friendly to get such a big opening.

Says film critic Taran Adarsh, "Phoonk is amongst Varma's finest works and a fantastic experience even though Bhoot was scarier."

For Ram Gopal Verma, who has had a bad 2007 what with his films like ‘Ram Gopal Verma Ki Aag', ‘Nishabd' and ‘Darling' flopping at the box office, the overwhelming response to ‘Phoonk' is really heartening coming as it does after the above average showing of his earlier film, the Aishwarya Rai Abhishek Bachchan-starrer ‘Sarkar Raj'.