MUMBAI: Horror comedies seem to have become a staple dish that Bollywood filmmakers have now decided to regularly churn out, but if Stree gets the credit to put this idiosyncratic horror sub-genre on the map, then both the audience and film scribes shouldn't forget that it was Bhool Bhulaiyaa, which started the ball rolling back in 2007 (Mehmood's Bhoot Bungla was just a one off back in 1965). So, it's only fitting that after injecting life into a dying industry during lockdown as the only Hindi blockbuster of that ghastly phase, Anees Bazmee and Bhushan Kumar return with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 this Diwali to set screens ablaze courtesy a firecracker combination of laughs, thrills, chills, VFX, spookiness, plus size me crackling performances from Kartik Aaryan, Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit, Triptii Dimri, and the rest of the ensemble cast.
Once again, we have Rooh Baba aka Kartik Aaryan traveling to an isolated mansion, this time in a remote locale of West Bengal as opposed to Rajasthan. Once again, we have a young, gorgeous, damsel in distress (Triptii Dimri) luring him there for his fraudulent skills while her princely family, encompassing Vijay Raaz, Rajesh Sharma (back again), and others, direly needs his services. Once again, we have a trio of greedy, scheming pandits, essayed by Sanjay Mishra, Rajpal Yadav, and Ashwini Kalsekar, standing in the way. And, above all, once again, we have a seasoned female actor of sterling pedigree, tied to Manjulika's last, with Vidya Balan returning to her iconic role. The only difference this time being that we also have another seasoned female actor of sterling pedigree by way of Madhuri Dixit joining her in the connection to Manjulika's past.
With so many recreations, no amount of praise would be enough for Director Anees Bazmee and writer Aakash Kaushik joining hands to breathe umpteen freshness into the narrative, with humor that's laid on fast and thick, smartly offset by spooky thrills and mildly scary chills (it's a family film after all) particularly in the second half. Likewise, any amount of praise for Kartik Aaryan owning the part of Rooh Baba while sandwiched between scene-stealing moments from both Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit would fall short. No prizes for guessing that Sanjay Mishra, Rajpal Yadav, Ashwini Kalsekar, Vijay Raaz, Rakesh Sharma are all first rate with their comic timing while Triptii Dimri keeps showcasing marked improvement with each film.
The only areas of concern for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 are its songs that don't leave a mark, and its unnecessarily interminable length at a perplexing 2 hours and 38 minutes, combined with filler portions, more so in the second half, which could've easily been done away with in the editing table.
Thankfully, other technical avenues like the VFX, cinematography, and production design are all top notch, evoking a grandiose aura perfect for Diwali. The climax, too, is something socially progressive that you'd least expect in a commercial Diwali entertainer. So, don't hesitate to make a beeline to your nearest theater for this perfect horror comedy during Diwali with your jing-bang lot of friends and family.
4/5 stars
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