Durban's most famous apparition gets her movie

Film producer and director Kumaran Naidu, brings the infamous white-dressed apparition on the Chatsworth highway that became an urban legend, Highway Sheila, to life on the big screen early next year

Thanks to Johannesburg film producer and director Kumaran Naidu, the infamous white-dressed apparition on the Chatsworth highway that became an urban legend will make her appearance on the big screen early next year.

Lingerie model Kajol Sewgobind, 21, plays the ghostly character in the film, titled The Curse of Highway Sheila.

Naidu, who is known for his Broken Promise comedy films, said he decided to tell the tale of the infamous Highway Sheila after researching the subject.

"I am not a believer of ghosts. When I set out to make this film four years ago, I did a lot of research. We have all heard the tales of the beautiful Sheila who haunts Higginson highway. Some have claimed to have offered her a lift and later realised that they had an encounter with a ghost."

He said that during one part of the shoot on Higginson highway he and his cast experienced something "paranormal" just before midnight.

"Kajol was doing a scene where she had to stand by the roadside in a maxi white dress. It was a perfectly still night, but when we looked at the footage, her dress was moving on its own. Everyone thought I was messing with the footage. I was more freaked out than they were," said Naidu.

Sewgobind said she was spooked by the video footage and a photograph, but still enjoyed her role.

"It's an honour for me to play Highway Sheila. She is the most talked about woman in Durban. We all thought some of the images taken were odd, but I was too afraid to overanalyse it," she said.

Sachin Suknunan (who starred in Naidu's Run for Your Life 2), Pelisha Somiah and newcomer Miksha Maharaj also star in the film.