One of the most well-known works produced by Bollywood in the horror-comedy genre in the 2000s is Bhool Bhulaiyaa, a thoroughly entertaining film. It came late to the B-town, even as a straightforward copy-paste, because Manichitrathazhu (1993), often known as the Pride of Malayalam Cinema, was simply ground-breaking in every aspect.
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The latest horror-comedy that entertained the audience was Stree (2018), and the underwhelming Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor starrer, Roohi, did not create much of an impact. It’s only after the success of Stree that filmmakers considered horror-comedy as a steadfast genre and are dependant on it to fetch good box-office results.
On the other hand, Director Anees Bazmee (No Entry and Welcome fame) used the popularity of the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise to narrate a storyline with a good amount of humor, and succeeded for the most part. However, in all fairness, this 2022 instalment is (obviously) not as good as the first one, and it should not be compared because it is not a direct sequel and has nothing to do with the characters, but it’s a watchable affair, owing a big thank you to the new twists.
Starring Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani in the lead roles, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 revolves around Ruhan and Reet, who quickly become good friends, and Ruhan accompanies Reet to her hometown in Rajasthan, which is rumored to be haunted by the spirit of Manjulika. Eventually, the movie offers some thrilling twists in the second half that convey the existence of Manjulika.
On the more positive side of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, the screenplay written by Aakash Kaushik is engaging to the point that it doesn’t leave you clueless. The comedy will keep you entertained throughout the first half, although the second half had some pacing issues, but is saved by the revelations. Kaushik’s script had a few loop holes here and there, but were forgivable. But the big reveal of Manjulika’s real identity is definitely spoiled.
Talking about performances, Kartik Aaryan as Ruhan is strictly okay, but is hilarious as Rooh Baba. Kiara Advani looks cute and shared a few previous scenes with Aaryan. But, the best performer, by a fair distance, is (not to anyone’s surprise) Tabu. In the supporting roles, Rajpal Yadav and Sanjay Mishra will make you laugh, while Ashwini Kalsekar and Rajendra Sharma are decently entertaining.
With serviceable tunes, the music of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 had very minimal scope to create an impression like it’s predecessor, but the title track, De Taali and Hum Nashe Mein Nahin, work just fine. The technical aspects play a significant role here, and this movie is fairly good with them. The background score is scary on occasions, and what may irritate you a little is the camera work, especially during the scary sequences.
Director Anees Bazmee has been a little out of form for the past fourteen years and manages to regain his form with this film as far as comedy go, but not the rest. You will enjoy the humor and horror-comedy aspects of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, but you’ll notice that something is missing within the base concept. He manages to not make fun of the supernatural cause the ghouls are never supposed to be funny. Instead, you make the characters funny, so that you balance the horror elements by keeping them real.
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In this movie, that balance is missing. Some scenes are supposed to be frightening but lose the aesthetic due to excessive comedy, while some scenes that are supposed to be funny are dramtic. Overall, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and the legend of Manjulika will keep you partly entertained for 130-minutes if you step into the theater with very moderate expectations.
‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’ Rating – 2.5/5
Review by @samthebestest_
Edited by Surya Komal
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