When you are watching a film with a foreword that reads 'from the makers of Welcome, No Entry, Singh is Kingg', you sort of know what to expect. You are in for a mindless ride of punches and gags. While the first Bhool Bhulaiyaa film, which was released in 2007, remains a classic and can never be duplicated, the second one felt like it was struggling to find its ground. The good thing about any third act is that if the middle one was bad, at least the third film can redeem the franchise. But, does Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 manage to better the franchise or does it fail ? Let's find out.
What starts off as a paranormal drama about the most famous chudail (ghost) in town - Vidya Balan as Manjulika (sorry Stree, you get the second place here), soon becomes another effort to meet commercial expectations of a bonafide Diwali release. This time, the story takes us back to the origins of Manjulika. The makers take several creative liberties to mould the folk story to suit the demands of the plot. Vidya's return to the franchise is a huge reason why the third film piques your interest. Add Madhuri Dixit and you get a solid opportunity to watch two Manjulikas for the price of one.
Kartik returns as Rooh Baba, the ghostbuster, who gets busted himself more than the ghosts surrounding him. Watching the familiar faces of the mad hatter trio - Ashwini Kalsekar, Rajpal Yadav and Sanjay Mishra - is a delight. But, the writers don't manage to justify their talent, and offer them some badly-written jokes. Thankfully, the second half redeems itself and the gags and punches get better, slowly but steadily.
The efforts of the team of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 in paying any attention to logic are minimal. So, don’t go in expecting everything to fall in line. What works wonders for the film, though, is its brave climax and Kartik's ability to convincingly manoeuvre a tricky second-half. If it wasn't for the actors' self-belief and their ability to try to do something different, the film would have had a safe, predictable ending. Without giving any spoilers away, I believe Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 has one of the most interesting climaxes written in recent times.
To watch Vidya and Madhuri duel in the new Ami Je Tomar song is a treat. Madhuri steps into a genre that is somewhat new to her, and it is a risk that pays off in her favour. Vidya adds dollops of nostalgia and just sheer excitement every time she breaks into a Bengali dialogue or goes heavy with the accent. Triptii Dimri brings glamour, and works hard on delivering impressive chemistry with Kartik. At the centre of this mad cap part horror part comedy enterprise is Kartik and the reason the film elevates in the second-half, especially during the pre-climax scenes, is because of him. His ability to poke fun at himself, especially the Shehzada dig, is one of the big highlights.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is a good festival entertainer worth watching. Had the first-half worked better, the film would have elevated itself to a higher ground. And will Manjulika be back for the fourth time ? Well, your guess is only as good as mine!
