Paheli (2005 film)

Paheli (translation: Riddle) is a 2005 Indian Hindi-language fantasy film directed by Amol Palekar and produced by Gauri Khan. The film tells the story of a wife (Rani Mukerji) whose husband (Shah Rukh Khan) goes on a business trip and is visited by a ghost, disguised as her husband, who is in love with her and takes her husband's place. The supporting cast includes Anupam Kher, Amitabh Bachchan, Juhi Chawla and Suniel Shetty. Based on the Rajasthani short story "Duvidha" by Vijayadan Detha, it is a remake of the 1973 Hindi film Duvidha by Mani Kaul.

Paheli opened at the 9th Zimbabwe International Film Festival at the Libertie Cinema Complex in Harare. It was also screened at both the Sundance Film Festival and the Palm Springs International Film Festival. The working title of the movie was Ghost Ka Dost (translates to Friend of a Ghost ). Paheli was India's official entry to the 79th Academy Awards.

Paheli was released on 24 June 2005, and proved to be a moderate commercial success at the box office, grossing ₹32 crore worldwide. It received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics upon release, with praise for its production design, cinematography, costumes, and special effects; however, its story and screenplay received criticism.

At the 51st Filmfare Awards, Paheli received 2 nominations – Best Lyricist (Gulzar for "Dheere Jalna") and Best Male Playback Singer (Sonu Nigam for "Dheere Jalna"). At the 53rd National Film Awards, the film won Best Female Playback Singer (Shreya Ghoshal for "Dheere Jalna").

Detha's story, which had earlier been adapted into the 1973 film by Mani Kaul and the 1997 Kannada film Nagamandala by T. S. Nagabharana (based on a play of the same name by Girish Karnad, the 1997 film also reportedly inspired Paheli), is folkloric in origin. Though Paheli diverges from its source material and the earlier adaptations in giving the plot and its lead female character a more feminist agency.