Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 REVIEW: Kartik Aaryan delivers a horror-comedy ‘Diwali dhamaka’ with Manjulikas Vidya Balan & Madhuri Dixit

Film:
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3

Director: Anees Bazmee

Writer: Aakash Kaushik

Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit, Triptii Dimri, Vijay Raaz, Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra, Ashwini Kalsekar, Rajesh Sharma, Arun Kushwah, Manish Wadhwa

Run Time: 158 minutes (2 hours 38 minutes)

Platform: In theatres

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 Review

Anees Bazmee’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 – starring Kartik Aaryan, Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit and Tripti Dimri in lead roles, ticks the right boxes when it comes to delivering a Diwali Dhamaka. The film – spread over two time periods – the 1820s and the present day, begins with the chilling death of Manjulika in Rakht Ghar, Kolkata. After their unjust death, Manjulika’s soul returns to annihilate their killer and not let anyone have the royal throne for themselves.

Ruhan Randhawa aka Rooh Baba (Kartik Aaryan) is a con artist who – along with his sidekick (played by Arun Kushwah), robs people by taking advantage of their belief in spirits and ghosts. After one such gig, he’s hired by Meera (Tripti Dimri) and her uncle to travel with them to their ancestral home in Rakht Ghar to eradicate their palace of Manjulika. During their stay there to rid the palace and village of the vengeful spirit, we are introduced to Mallika (Vidya Balan) and Mandira (Madhuri Dixit) – two completely different women who give off eerie feel ever since they entered the cursed palace.

The 2.5-hour-long flick – which is the perfect blend of horror, comedy, dance and dialogues, answers the most important question – who is Manjulika and why is their spirit vengeful? Scroll below to read our honest review of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and why it should be watched in theatres.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan)

What Works

The perfect balance of chilling horror, massey dialogues, comedy, dance and emotions. The Anees Bazmee directorial ticks all the right boxes.

Technical Analysis

Direction

Anees Bazmee has successfully hit the ball out of the stadium with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. The director has managed to capture all the shades of Rooh Baba, the Manjulikas, Mandira and Mallika. From raw emotions to the angst of the characters and the rivalry present between them, Bazmee has done justice in making sure the most natural and on-point presentation is brought to the audience.

Story & Screenplay

Penned by Aakash Kaushik, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is a well-written story of love, family, secrets and the want to be who one truly is. The screenplay maintains a steady pace and manages to keep you immersed in its narrative from the get-go till the final credits roll in. The dialogues are light and are sure to make you chuckle – especially when Kartik takes a dig at one of his not-so-impressive box office performers.

Editing

Sanjay Sankla deserves a round of applause for the editing of BB3. Sankla and his team have beautifully edited the film making sure the audience will be immersed in the narrative and transported to the world dominated by several Manjulikas.

Cinematography

Cinematographer Manu Anand hits the mark when it comes to capturing the aesthetics of Kolkata, the haunted palace, the dungeons and the rooms where the spirit is present. From aerial shoots to closeups and goosebumps-inducing pan-outs, the cinematography is impressive and helps in making BB3 more immersive.

VFX

The VFX of the Kartik Aaryan, Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit starre is among some of the best Bollywood has seen. Despite using a similar colour palate to show its spirits as recent Bollywood films, the Anees Bazmee starrer is still leagues ahead of what we have seen in recent years.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan)

BB 3 Music

With a music album composed by Pritam, Tanishk Bagchi, Sachet–Parampara, Amaal Mallik, Aditya Rikhari and Lijo George–DJ Chetas, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 has something for everyone to enjoy. Be it the dance faceoff between Madhuri Dixit and Vidya Balan in Ami Je Tomar 3.0 or the romantic Beiraada fans can vibe to any and all songs.

The film’s background score – composed by Sandeep Shirodkar, is on point when it comes to giving the audience a chill.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 Performances

Kartik Aaryan shines bright in a genre we love him in. Be it him as the con artist Rooh Baba, the ‘fraud’ prince or the exorcist – Kartik emotes all the right emotions.

Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit perfectly embody their respective characters, leaving fans confused about who is Manjulika to the very end. The duo impresses everyone with their dialogue, dance, and expressions.

While the lead trio shines during the entirety of the film, the supporting cast also does a commendable job of taking the narrative forward and making fans chuckle and shiver while building suspense. From Vijay Raaz as the pauper king to Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra, Ashwini Kalsekar as the desperately wanting to please the royal beggar

Conclusion

Kartik Aaryan, Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit-led Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is the perfect Diwali dhamaka to watch with your family this festive season. With its action, drama, dance and dialogues, BB 3 will leave you with both chills and laughter; and to enjoy that to the fullest, it needs to be watched in theatres. Hope our Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 review helps you in deciding if the film is worth watching.

Watch the trailer of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 here:

Also Read: Do Patti REVIEW: Kanika Dhillon offers a gripping tale of twists and emotions; Kriti Sanon, Kajol, Shaheer Sheikh’s stellar performance adds gravitas