The third instalment of the celebrated ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ franchise hit theatres on November 1. Kartik Aaryan and Aneez Bazmee took over the series after the 2007 title led by Akshay Kumar with Priyadarshan at the helm. ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ made huge promises with the return of the OG Manjulika and with the addition of Madhuri Dixit. However, despite featuring top talents, the film criminally underutilised them as they struggled to keep the narrative alive. The masterstroke of the film was the last 30 minutes with the highly unanticipated climax. However, it was too little and too late.

For the title, Kartik Aaryan returns as the charlatan ghostbuster Rooh Baba aka Ruhaan with his sidekick named Tillu. In the film, Triptii Dimri and her uncle enlist Ruhaan’s help to get back their ancestral mansion harbouring the spirit of Manjulika. There we meet the ‘royal’ family, reduced to penury, living in a stable. Kartik then discovers that he resembles the late king Debendranath, the brother of Manjulika. Soon the kingdom rejoices in the re-birth of their late king who will vanquish Manjulika. A series of farcical comedies and drudgery dominates the first half with no substantial plot progression.

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The real film begins in the second half after Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit enter the narrative as Mallika and Mandira, respectively. While the former works to restore the palace, the latter is the mansion’s potential buyer. Again, going back 200 years, it is revealed that the two were envious sisters, Manjulika and Anjulika. They are both vying for the throne but alas, it goes to Debendranath. In the present day, the series of red herrings form the bulk of the second half as viewers try to figure out who the real Manjulika is. As each cast member is running around the palace, the sparse plot is lost in slapstick comedy and the romantic song sequences of Aaryan and Dimri. After two sluggish hours without substance, comes the climax that salvages the film.

 

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The film hinged completely on its star power for two solid hours. Despite starring two of the biggest divas of Bollywood, it failed to leverage their prowess and skill. While an intense battle of words and a tactful and envious play between the two could have elevated the plot, they are kept restricted to juvenile chides. The song ‘Mere Dolna’ which has emerged as a classic and has become synonymous with the franchise found space in the third title as well. While it highlighted Dixit and Balan’s dancing skills well, it didn’t feel as momentous as it should have. Kartik Aaryan’s comic-timing though on-point fails to make up for the sloppy referential comedy that came across as forced.

Additionally, Vijay Raaz and Triptii Dimri are also criminally underutilised. They didn’t get any substantial scene that allowed them to demonstrate their skill for the craft. Moreover, the insertion of the caricature-like figures of the three pandits didn’t do justice to the talents of Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra, and Ashwini Kalsekar.

‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ is a through-and-through climax-driven film that didn’t know what to do with the first two hours. Dominated by dull comic punches and references, unnecessary and forced song sequences, and complete mutilation of the Bengali language and dialect, the film fails to keep the audiences at the edge of their seats. It was only in the last 30 minutes that the stars had the chance to shine. With a well-crafted climax that had the viewers’ inflexible attention, the climax tied the plot together. The ending had cohesion, meaning, and message, and truly utilised the skills of the stars. However, it was not enough to justify the prolonged drudgery ahead of it.

Also Read: Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 OTT release: Where and when to watch?

In the era of film franchises, the subsequent titles shoulder the pressure and responsibility to one-up the preceding titles. ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ relied a bit much on the popularity of the franchise name and formulaic content. Moreover, even though it had recurring actors and characters, it doesn’t link the films of the series in any way. The titles are not chronological but standalone films working with successful characters. Despite Aaryan, Dixit, and Balan’s efforts, the film failed to offer satisfying and spooky entertainment.