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Bollywood heads into the forest

Last updated on: August 06, 2009 
A scene from Agyaat

The forest has always been a fun backdrop.

Be it for chills or romance, suspense or high drama, there's nothing quite like the uncertainty of a wildlife backdrop to really shake things up.

With Agyaat ready to release, here's a look at different kinds of forest-based films, in no particular order:

Agyaat

Ram Gopal Varma's latest features a bunch of non-actors in a Predator-like setting, only the Predator is never seen in the film. Now, if only we could say the same about Priyanka Kothari.

Tahalka

Last updated on: August 06, 2009 
A scene fromTahalka

'Dong kabhi wrong nahin hota,' a freakishly-haired Amrish Puri constantly repeats in this bizarrely over-the-top actioner as Dharmendra and Naseeruddin Shah try to foil his plans. Dong's kingdom lies between the Indian and Chinese borders.

Jungle

Last updated on: August 06, 2009 
A scene from Jungle

A family goes on a group safari when they are abducted and held for ransom by the fearsome Durga Narayan Chaudhary (Sushant Singh) and Dorai Swamy (Makrand Deshpande). There is much woodside mayhem after that.

Adventures of Tarzan

Last updated on: August 06, 2009 
A scene from Adventures of Tarzan

In this unforgettable 1985 film, Kimi Katkar plays Ruby Shetty who accompanies a big-game hunter into the jungle who is hunting for an ape-man. This prey turns out to be Tarzan (Hemant Birje) and the two fall in love, against all odds. Obviously.

Kaal

Last updated on: August 06, 2009 
A scene from Kaal

Soham Shah's film was better known for its item-song featuring Shah Rukh Khan than for anything in the film itself.

John Abraham, Esha Deol, Lara Dutta, Vivek Oberoi and Ajay Devgan star in this really silly wildlife film that pretends to be scary.

Gumnaam

Last updated on: August 06, 2009 
A scene from Gumnaam

In a take on Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians, this 1965 classic features a group of people invited to an island -- and each is then found killed, one by one.

It's a great thriller with a tight ensemble cast and very memorable songs, all set in one house and the jungle surrounding it.

Shikari

Last updated on: August 06, 2009 
A scene from Shikari

Govinda plays a sociopath killer in this N Chandra film as he takes Karisma Kapoor to South Africa where we discover a double role and much within-jungle carnage.

Not a good film but there is something decidedly creepy about seeing Govinda like this.

Daud

Last updated on: August 06, 2009 
A scene from Daud

Ram Gopal Varma's outrageous farce features Sanjay Dutt and Urmila Matondkar on the run, towards a possible treasure and away from pursuers, and this takes them into all kinds of chaos including much jungle-based shenanigans.

Ek Ladka Ek Ladki

Last updated on: August 06, 2009 
A scene from Ek Ladka Ek Ladki

Neelam Kothari plays a young heiress who loses her memory. Salman Khan finds her and brings her to his forest home and nurses her, where she starts believing she belongs. Meanwhile those who planned to kill her are still plotting, making this Vijay Sadanand film very watchable indeed.