By:
Taran
Adarsh,
Glamsham
Friday,
October
12,
2007
|
|
Bhool
Bhulaiyaa:
Gallery |
Hold
on!
The
moment
someone
mentions
Bhool
Bhulaiyaa,
images
of
a
comic
caper
conjure
up
in
front
of
your
eyes.
After
all,
accomplished
storyteller
Priyadarshan
has
successfully
delivered
laughathons
in
the
past
that
made
the
viewer
go
ha-ha-hee-hee-ho-ho.
But
Bhool
Bhulaiyaa,
a
remake
of
the
Malayalam
hit
Manichitrathazhu,
is
a
complete
departure
from
Priyan's
films.
How,
did
you
ask?
Here's
why…
There's
comedy,
but
in
minimal
doses.
There're
songs,
but
only
when
the
situations
warrant.
In
Bhool
Bhulaiyaa,
it's
all
about
suspense
and
spirits.
It's
eerie
and
[certain]
portions
of
the
film
are
not
for
the
faint
hearted.
A
good
looking
film
with
superior
performances
and
a
stunning
suspense,
Bhool
Bhulaiyaa
is
not
the
usual
run-of-the-mill
fare.
It
would
be
interesting
to
see
how
the
viewer
reacts
to
the
film.
But
there's
a
flip
side
too!
Those
expecting
a
laughathon
from
the
Priyan
-
Akki
combo
would
be
caught
unaware.
Two
factors
that
can't
be
ignored
are
its
length
[it
tends
to
get
taxing
in
the
second
hour]
and
the
placement
of
the
chartbusting
track
'Hae
Krishna
Hare
Ram'
[in
the
end
credits]..
From
America
to
his
hometown
in
the
interiors
of
India,
it
was
a
long
journey
indeed
for
Siddharth
[Shiney
Ahuja].
But
nothing
could
match
the
mind-boggling
journey
that
now
lay
in
front
of
him.
For,
it
was
a
journey
into
an
astounding
maze
in
which
each
step
meant
mystery,
discovery,
surprise,
shock
and
revelation.
With
open
arms,
his
large
extended
family
welcomes
the
U.S.-based
Siddharth
and
his
newly-wed
wife
Avni
[Vidya
Balan],
when
they
come
home.
But
what
the
family
resists
is
Siddharth's
insistence
on
staying
in
his
royal
ancestral
mansion
during
his
stay.
His
uncle
Badrinarayan
Chaturvedi
[Manoj
Joshi]
particularly
has
no
qualms
about
voicing
his
displeasure.
For,
it
was
that
very
mansion
that
held
in
its
realm
a
deadly
secret
that
had
repeatedly
destroyed
the
family
for
generations.
The
scientifically
inclined
Siddharth
pays
no
heed
and
starts
staying
at
the
palatial
mansion
with
Avni,
who
is
equally
modern
in
her
thinking...
But,
soon
enough,
the
couple
is
forced
to
rethink
their
decision.
Unforeseen
happenings,
mysterious
elements,
horrific
indications
and
life-threatening
incidents
swarm
their
path.
Suddenly,
it
becomes
a
situation
that
urgently
had
to
be
dealt
with
before
it
got
too
late.
Siddharth
instinctively
finds
the
solution
in
his
dynamic
Doctor-friend
Aditya
[Akshay
Kumar].
When
Dr.
Aditya
finds
his
way
into
the
mansion,
he
is
a
man
on
a
mission.
He
just
had
to
find
the
cause
of
all
the
upheaval
before
the
effects
caused
more
harm
than
could
be
imagined.
Where
did
the
answer
lie?
You
can't
overlook
the
fact
that
Bhool
Bhulaiyaa
is
an
extremely
well-shot
film.
Right
from
the
production
design
to
the
styling
of
the
film
to
its
overall
look,
Bhool
Bhulaiyaa
is
a
visually
attractive
film.
Priyan
spells
out
the
genre
at
the
very
start
itself,
when
Paresh
Rawal
visits
the
haunted
ancestral
home
and
an
eerie
calm
welcomes
him.
The
mystery
only
deepens
in
the
first
hour
and
with
the
introduction
of
Akshay's
character
in
the
narrative
[a
bit
late
entry,
though!],
things
only
get
better.
Expectedly,
you
look
forward
to
an
exhilarating
second
hour.
Although
the
screenplay
isn't
too
convincing
in
the
latter
half,
you
have
to
admit
that
the
suspense
does
come
as
a
jolt.
The
flashback
that
follows
is
equally
interesting.
But
what
ensues
thereafter
isn't
as
convincing.
Actually,
the
length
is
also
to
blame
in
this
hour.
One
strongly
feels
that
the
story
should've
concluded
when
Akshay
solves
the
mystery.
You
also
await,
with
bated
breath,
the
chartbusting
song
that's
taken
the
nation
by
storm
to
make
an
entry.
And
when
it
eventually
does
arrive
[in
the
end
credits],
it
doesn't
make
the
impact
that
it
should've.
Bhool
Bhulaiyaa
is
glossy,
stylish
and
well
executed,
technically
speaking.
But
Priyan
treads
a
difficult
path.
As
mentioned
at
the
outset,
Bhool
Bhulaiyaa
is
not
the
atypical
fare
with
laughs
and
more
laughs.
Here,
Priyan
opts
for
horror,
not
humor
and
that
may
have
its
share
of
advocates
and
adversaries.
Music
composer
Pritam
is
in
top
form
this
time
around.
'Hare
Krishna
Hare
Ram'
is
splendid,
while
'Zindagi
Ka
Safar'
comes
easy
on
the
lips.
The
flashback
song
is
excellent
in
terms
of
choreography.
Cinematography
[Thiru]
is
excellent.
Production
design
[Sabu
Cyril]
is
topnotch.
Akshay
enacts
his
part
with
effortless
ease.
A
role
with
comic
shades
comes
easy
to
him
and
he's
on
familiar
ground
in
Bhool
Bhulaiyaa.
Vidya
is
splendid,
especially
in
the
second
hour.
Shiney
gets
scope
initially,
but
is
sidelined
the
moment
Akshay
arrives.
Amisha
Patel
is
efficient
in
a
substantial
role.
Paresh
Rawal
and
Rasika
Joshi
are
first-rate.
Rajpal
Yadav
manages
a
few
laughs
in
a
brief
role.
Manoj
Joshi
is
very
much
with
the
character.
He
performs
well.
Vikram
Gokhale
doesn't
work
because
his
role
comes
across
as
an
unwanted
track.
Asrani
is
fair.
Vineeth
and
Tareena
Patel
are
average.
On
the
whole,
Bhool
Bhulaiyaa
has
two
solid
factors
going
in
its
favor
--
the
Priyadarshan
-
Akshay
combo
and
the
chartbusting
'Hare
Krishna
Hare
Ram'
track
--
which
have
resulted
in
tremendous
hype.
Although
the
reactions
to
the
film
will
vary,
the
Idd
period
coupled
with
the
two
factors
will
ensure
a
terrific
start
for
the
film,
in
turn
making
it
a
profitable
venture
for
its
investor