Director Soham Shah says he used Ram Gopal Varma's "Bhoot" and Manoj Shyamalan's "Sixth Sense" as "reference points" for "Kaal".

"I definitely used Ramuji's 'Bhoot' and Manoj Shyamalan's 'Sixth Sense' as reference points. Then I worked my way outwards towards something never done."

Enthused by the audience response to "Kaal", the young director is hopeful the film will do well.

"The initial response is huge, almost unheard of. People have not approached it as a routine horror film. Perhaps the fact that Karan Johar has produced it has made all the difference."

"I'm a huge movie buff. Since childhood I've been watching films first-day-first-show. I was sure that the day I make a film it would be something like 'Kaal' where not a shot is predictable. I'm also very fond of wildlife, and wanted to make a statement on conservation. I've been travelling to wildlife sanctuaries all over India," Soham told in an interview.

"That's how the idea for 'Kaal' was born."

Soham admits he earlier intended to make another film.

"Far less original... Okay, I admit it was inspired by 'Final Destination'. When Vivek Oberoi heard my script, he told me someone else was making a film on the same subject.

"I didn't want my first film to look like someone else's film. If nothing else I wanted it to be original. Even Karan advised me against remaking another film. So I went back to scripting."

He says he didn't think about the box office prospects.

"I just wanted to make a film that I believed in and I was comfortable making. Whether I arrived commercially or not was secondary.

"I had promised Karan Johar that the day I write a script he'd be the first to read it. During the making of 'Bhoot' where I was assistant, I gave Karan the script. I didn't think it was his kind of story. To my surprise he liked it.

"At that point of time he was looking at various people to make films for his production house. I was damned lucky that he liked my script."

Why not a film for his guru Ram Gopal Varma? "My first script was promised to Karan. He has always been supportive."

Soham isn't making another film straightaway.

"But whenever I do, it will be a thriller again for sure. That's what I'm comfortable with. Maybe in the future I can make a film like 'Kal Ho Na Ho' or 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'."

He says he's comfortable writing and visualizing his own script. "There're so many brilliant directors who make films from other people's script. But right now I see myself directing what I write."

He doesn't mind directing a large cast again.

"I'm very young. But that didn't stop all my actors from Ajay Devgan to Esha Deol from taking directions from me. We made sure they were comfortable during the grueling shooting at the Jim Corbett park. They were absolutely adorable.

"I'd say they were happy with their characters. When I narrated the script to them they knew exactly what they had to do. So everything was extremely peaceful on location."

Soham is full of praise for his producer: "Karan Johar's name certainly helped. The credit for getting audiences into theatres goes to Karan Johar's reputation. To him also goes the credit for giving a new director such a huge break. If Karan hadn't put in the money, 'Kaal' couldn't have been made.

"He left the film entirely to me. But the two songs at the beginning and end are totally his brainchild. I left them entirely to him and Farah Khan."

There were no situations for songs in "Kaal". "Maybe one day I'll make a musical, not now."

Unlike Nikhil Advani who moved away after "Kal Ho Na Ho", Soham Shah says he owes everything to "Dharma Productions". "No other producer can give me so much. Karan is a superb human being."

Soham now needs to push himself further. "I'm monitoring the critics' and audiences' responses. I'll make sure that I won't make the same mistakes in my second film."