Shyamalan says his new movie, `The Happening,' is terrifying

Hollywood director M. Night Shyamalan looks on during a press conference in Mumbai, India, Monday, May 5, 2008. Shyamalan is to be awarded the Padmashri, one of India's highest civilian awards. His latest film 'The Happening', a co-production of Indian production house UTV Motion Pictures and 20th Century Fox, is to be released in theatres on June 13, 2008. (AP Photo/Gautam Singh)

MUMBAI, India—M. Night Shyamalan says his new film, "The Happening," will terrify moviegoers.

"It is an extremely scary movie. This is meant to scare you," the Indian-born director told reporters Monday. Shyamalan, 37, was visiting India to receive one of the country's highest civilian awards for his contribution to cinema.

Mark Wahlberg plays a schoolteacher on the run from a natural disaster that threatens the entire world.

"The emotional center of the movie is if you knew you were going to die -- that was a fact -- what would your conversation be like? What would be the last thing you would say to your loved one?" Shyamalan said.

He said he likes to cast action heroes and then give them surprising roles.

"They still bring an energy to the movie," said Shyamalan, who also directed "The Sixth Sense," starring Bruce Willis, and "Signs," starring Mel Gibson.

"You would never have seen Mark in a role like this -- he's human, sweet and funny. He plays an ordinary schoolteacher who is not going to come up with a genius plan to save the world," he said.

"The Happening," which also stars Zooey Deschanel, opens June 13 in theaters worldwide.