Bhoot Bangla Review: Akshay Kumar is returning to the theaters with the new horror-comedy film ‘Bhoot Bangla’. The film is directed by Priyadarshan, who has made a film that has already become a talking point among the audience. Many famous actors are going to be seen together in this film, including Tabu, Rajpal Yadav, Paresh Rawal, Mithila Palkar, Wamika Gabi and Asrani. The film depicts the long awaited relationship between Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan. Whenever the name of Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar comes up in Indian cinema, the memories of classic films like ‘Hera Pheri’ and ‘Bhool Bhulaya’ are fresh. When the duo returned to the silver screen after nearly 14 years with ‘Bhoot Bangla’, expectations skyrocketed. But alas, this ‘Bangla’ did not live up to expectations. The film struggles to be scary and repeats clichéd formulas in the name of comedy.
Story: A clash of folklore and logic
The film begins with a folk tale set in a fictional village called Mangalpur, where a ghost abducts a newly-married bride. The story is reminiscent of the 1979 classic film ‘Jaani Parith’. Logic breaks down in the film when 49-year-old Jeesu Sengupta is shown as the father of 58-year-old Akshay Kumar. The story revolves around a journey from Mangalpur to London and then to a haunted mansion, where Mithila Palakar inherits a luxurious but cursed bungalow.
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Acting: Legion of stars, but the script is weak
Akshay Kumar is seen with his familiar energy. He is comfortable with action and punchlines, but it also proved difficult for him to carry a weak and overly long script on his shoulders alone. Veteran actors like Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav and Asrani are in the film, but they are restricted to ‘physical comedy’ (hit or fall), which now looks old and boring. Experienced actresses like Tabu and Wamika Gabby were not utilized properly in the film. Tabu’s character seems ineffectual, while Wamika’s enigmatic character remains lifeless till the end.
Technical aspects: less horror, more noise
The horror element of the film relies entirely on the ‘jump draw’ and loud background music. The music creates tension rather than scares, which at times feels like an old TV soap opera.
Groom’s Story: The part about deva-asura lineage and mythological prophecies could have been interesting, but it is so ‘explained’ to the audience that the thrill of the mystery is lost.
Music: None of the songs are memorable except ‘Ram Ji Aake Bhala Karenge’. Attempts to recreate cult moments like ‘Ami Je Tomar’ have failed miserably.
Second half: Scattering and propagation
The second part of the film is the most disappointing. The story gets bogged down with flashbacks and lengthy explanations. It is painful for a woman (Mithila) of a modern background to accept past evils without any justification. Also, exhortations like ‘putra dharma’ in the middle of the film completely break the flow of the story.
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Conclusion: Should you watch this movie?
‘Bhoot Bungalow’ is a ride that promises to be a thrilling ‘rollercoaster’, but actually turns out to be a slow and creaky ‘haunted house tour’. The situational comedy and timing that Priyadarshan’s films used to have is sorely missed here. If you are a die-hard fan of Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan, you can watch it once. But if you are looking for ‘Bhool Bhulaya’-like action and laughs, ‘Bangla’ will surely disappoint you. I wish there were less ‘ghosts’ and more ‘mind’ in this bungalow.
Director: Priyadarshan
Authors: Akash Kaushik, Abhilash Nair, Priyadarshan
Ghost Bangla Cast: Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Wamika Gabi, Rajpal Yadav, Mithila Palkar, Asrani Ji, Tabu
Bhoot Bangla Movie Rating: 2/5