WHO doesn't love the movies? All the action, drama, suspense is great on a 70mm screen. But that is, ideally, where it should remain.

The trouble starts when reality echoes the movies. Remember Khosla Ka Ghosla? This heartbreaking story came true for the Rajpal family.

The Rajpals bought a house in Goregaon, a northwestern Mumbai suburb, after making a down payment of Rs 8 lakh (Rs 800,000). With complete possession of the house just two months away, the family was excited.

Imagine their utter shock when they saw their house occupied by someone else. Their builder had duped them!

Now, hiring goons and hatching a drama works superbly in the movies. And we saw that with much enjoyment in Khosla Ka Ghosla.

But, really, where would you and I find goons even if we wanted to? The only thing we can do (other than pray that this never happens to us), is to get careful.

Photograph: Vipurva Parikh