‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ movie review: Madhuri Dixit and Vidya Balan are underutilised in this drab horror comedy

Madhuri Dixit and Vidya Balan in ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’

Within the festive season, director Anees Bazmee tells cinegoers to herald the popcorn and he would ship the comedian twists. This Deepavali, the director lights up a inexperienced cracker that leaves a purple patch within the air however in a bid to be progressive, he fails to maintain his conventional comedic pot on the boil and underutilises powerhouse performers like Madhuri Dixit and Vidya Balan to mild up the display screen. 

The third installment of the favored franchise that sparked curiosity in big-budget horror comedy in Bollywood appears to have been put collectively in a rush to money in on the success of the second half. The second installment launched simply after the pandemic when the leisure terrain was parched. However the third has come out simply after the taut Stree 2 the place jokes don’t dry up until the tip credit. 

At 158 minutes, right here the maze of mirth has been stretched past its potential, and subversive parts, the hallmark of a horror comedy, don’t gel organically with the storyline. A movie that shamelessly stereotypes Bengalis and their tradition for straightforward laughs immediately makes an attempt to be inclusive within the climax, turning the entire train right into a hypocritical charade. 

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There are some promising moments like how Bazmee tells us garibi is extra lethal than ghosts. The movie pays tribute to the spirit of Ramsay Brothers by casting their display screen ghosts and utilizing the signature tune of Zee Horror Present however a couple of well-executed skits don’t make a healthful screenplay. A number of potential plot factors may have raised the bar however author Aakash Kaushik appears to be extra taken with addressing the juveniles in all age teams earlier than appending a message in direction of the tip.

Kartik Aaryan is once more the lifeline of the franchise. Invoking the spirit of Akshay Kumar, he brings his pure aptitude for household comedy because the charming charlatan Ruhaan. As soon as once more tasked with controlling the spirit of the avenging Manjulika for a worth, the ghostbuster will get right into a palatial intrigue the place we encounter a previous stuffed with patriarchy, false pleasure, and unfulfilled wishes. Manjulika had a brother who regarded like Ruhaan and a sister Anjulika caught in a struggle for the throne. As Ruhaan units out to clear the cobwebs of the previous, he will get entangled in a meandering mixture of humorous and scary conditions that demand some severe modifying. It’s left to the supporting solid led by Vijay Raaz and Sanjay Mishra to fill within the gaps within the gags which have the shelf lifetime of soggy firecrackers. 

The second installment was lit up by a extremely spirited efficiency by Tabu because the ghost. Right here Bazmee brings Madhuri and Vidya to step into the backward-facing sneakers of the witch. Each deliver their rhetorical finest to the spooky parts however the storyline with Kartik on the centre of the narrative doesn’t have sufficient heft to do justice to their towering presence. It’s uncommon to see Madhuri in gray shades and she or he reveals in a scene that she may painting the hysterical facet of a deeply flawed and immodest particular person however the movie doesn’t check her sufficient. Vidya who was a part of the crackling authentic directed by Priyadarshan returns to reprise her function. The character might have misplaced some flab however the franchise has run out of fuel.

Triptii Dimri as soon as once more performs second fiddle to the hero to perk up the mundane songs and promotional materials. With little depth within the character, it appears the makers need her completely different number of blouses to do the speaking. In each the Deepawali releases, Bollywood has put in a number of star energy however it’s the writing high quality that may maintain their shine intact. 

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is at present working in theatres.