Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 review: Tabu and Kartik Aaryan are the perfect blend of horror and comedy in this fun watch

3/5

Ruhaan (Kartik Aaryan) and Reet (Kiara Advani) meet by chance but fate, and they end up visiting Reet's hometown in Rajasthan. Ruhaan and Reet are sent on a terrifying rollercoaster journey as fate leads them to reveal an old secret, causing all hell to break loose, leading to one lie, leading to a whole heap of lies, and their tragedy continues to become our comedy.

"You still want to meet Manjulika?" is one question Tabu's character Anjulika asks Kartik Aaryan's Ruhaan until the reality is shown out. Every time the question is popped, it piques interest in who might play the witch whom we have been seeing on posters. Although it might not turn out to be a huge surprise, the revelation is probably a heart-skipping moment indeed!

The film establishes from the start itself that Manjulika has been trapped inside the room of a grand haveli, which is immediately emptied by the big fat family of Reet (Kiara Advani). It cuts to 18 years later when Reet is returning home after her MBBS and has a meet-cute moment with Kartik. In no time, they sing and dance, create a bond, and she takes him home for a mission.

Interestingly, none of this we could have made out from the trailer. Going by the whole deceptive mode, the film turns out to be quite different than one could have expected. But does it bring something new? Not so much. But does it create something lighter that you might be craving to watch on the big screen? Totally!

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 has all the elements of a horror-comedy, which not only comprises jump scares but also fabulous supporting characters. The film, however, focuses well on the screenplay, which is penned by Aakash Kaushik and blended well with Farhad Samji's dialogues. There are moments which will leave you in splits with the dialogue and the situation these actors are put in.

Coming to Kartik, well, the saviour in today's theatrical tough times, has upped his comic timing from the time we saw him in Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019). However, there are a few sequences, especially in the second half, where it feels like the actor is imitating Akshay Kumar, who was a part of Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007). Was it a forced decision to do so, or was the actor stuck in a referential context? Well, one can only imagine.

But we cannot take away the fact that Kartik is a treat to watch in the film and knows how to grab attention while being on the screen. We can call him the shining star of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, no doubt!

If Kartik is a shining star, then Tabu is the Sun of the film! We can't expect anything less from the actress after yet another outstanding performance. For even a few sequences in the flashback, the actor was de-aged, which didn't look fake, for lack of a better word.

Kiara Advani, although she is the one who unnecessarily complicates a situation in the film, has very little to offer. She is shown as hiding from her own family while living under the same roof, but it seems like she is hiding from the audience too for a while.

Anees Bazmee, who is new to the world of horror, has kept the scary moments to a minimum as compared to the comedy. On the other hand, the emotional quotient dragged in the climax appears anti-climactic and brings a low point as well. The jump scares and swift camera work can take a few people aback who are not comfortable watching the horror genre (like me).

Wherein the comedy sequences, or the fillers, so to speak, also get longer. For example, when Ruhaan is declared as Rooh Baba, and he runs a business of "talking to dead people" and resolving issues.

The supporting cast, including Rajpal Yadav, with their epic expressions and funniest dialogues, will leave you in splits. He is joined by Sanjay Mishra and Ashwini Kalsekar, who are equally good, especially in scenes when they face Manjulika.

If Bhool Bhulaiyaa was a remake of Manichitratazhu, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 ended up becoming a spiritual sequel which had a similar plotline to that of Priyadarshan's Geethanjali (2013), the Malayalam film touted to be a spin-off of the 1993 Fazil film.

However, the Keerthy Suresh starrer was an out-and-out horror drama. Bazmee decided to make it a horror-comedy, which hands down will work in his favour.

Another highlight of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is the song and the background score, especially the fusion of Mere Dholna and Hare Ram Hare Krishna from the original film. It gives an interesting touch and a high of nostalgia while being played throughout the film.

The Arijit Singh version of Mere Dholna is fantastic; the best part to listen to and also to watch, thanks to Kartik Aaryan and the beautiful rhythm created by Pritam Chakraborty.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 can be considered caricaturish or "what's happening" by many. But you cannot take away the fact that in today's time, this is the entertainment you need.

Anees Bazmee brings back his comedy element, and it's worth the wait! Along with that, it's Tabu and Kartik Aaryan who take the film up a notch and will leave you impressed throughout. I can't forget about the music and background score, which have me hooked! Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 can be called a popcorn entertainer and can be an interesting weekend watch too.