Paap, the first Bollywood movie to make it's <a href=http://www.indiafm.com/scoop/03/dec/1512bhatt/index.shtml>premiere</a> at the Kara Film Festival held in Karachi, Pakistan on December 20 2003, marks the directorial debut of actress-producer <b>Pooja Bhatt</b>. Written by <b>Mahesh Bhatt</b> and co-produced by <b>Sujit Kumar Singh</b>, 'Paap' marks the debut of model Udita Goswami who pairs opposite 'hottest among the males stars' - John Abraham. <br><br>
Rimpoche - the religious head from a serene monastery in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh gets a vision about his master's reincarnation in New Delhi as a six-year-old boy. It is now left to a young, educated girl from the town ? Kaya <b>(Udita Goswami)</b> to bring the six-year-old child Llahmo <b>(Madan Bhiku</b>) back to the monastery. <br><br>
Kaya has been brought up in the quiet but disciplined environment of Spiti and has been conditioned by her stern Father (<b>Dr. Mohan Agashe</b>) to believe that denial is the only route to higher truth. But her heart wanders into territories common for a girl her age. She yearns for love and waits for its arrival during her private moments.<br><br>
As fate would have it, Llahmo gets involved with the murder of a key police officer in New Delhi and becomes a key witness to the case. Investigating the murder is a righteous police officer Shiven (<b>John Abraham</b>), who is tough, honest and with a very distinct and practical notion of life. Although Kaya resents his philosophy and clashes with him on several occasions owing to his views on reincarnation, sacrifice and higher truth; she finds herself strangely drawn to him too. <br><br>
The murder case complicates further till there is no option for Shiven except to reach Kaya and Llahmo to their own safe surroundings. Injured in the process of this escape, he still manages to take them safely to Spiti. His injury is serious and he is forced by the elders and Kaya to stay in the village amongst the monks, a village life, a bitter father and his growing attraction for Kaya till he is healed. During his stay he manages to evoke several suppressed feelings in Kaya and this causes concern to her father who has already chalked a path that she must take.<br><br>
The danger from the city, in the form of the actual murderers comes closer and closer to Spiti threatening to break the silence in the valley with blood and gunshots. <br>
Kaya now has to make up her mind whether <br>
<li>she wants to follow her heart that will give her happiness in this birth or </li>
<li>follow a path of sacrifice to secure joy in her future births? </li><br><br>
Others in the starcast include <b>Gulshan Grover, Sandeep Mehta, Denzil Smith</b> and <b>Anahita Uberoi</b>. <br><br>
The film has some soulful tunes composed by <b>Anu Malik</b> and some Pakistani composers who do wonders to the music of the film by bringing about a variety of music never seen before in a Hindi movie. <br><br>
Paap is slated to release on 16th January 2004.