By Martin D'Souza, Bollywood Trade News Network
After a dismal DHOL three weeks ago, Priyadarshan drums up a fine beat to drive the demons away in BHOOL BHULAIYA. The director with a flair for comedy handles a subject that deals with the spirit world with elan. He balances the comic with the eerie with such natural flair that the viewer knows when to expect the laughs and when to tighten the seat belt. Interestingly, the viewer is not bored as there are enough twists in the script to keep him glued to the screen. If the comic scenes are hilarious, the creepy happenings in the haveli are chilling. Having said that, the director has to be faulted, for stretching the second half; a 15-minute cut and slight boredom would not have set in (especially the dance sequence towards the end). The movie is about a family and their ancestral mansion, which has been haunted, and where no one wants to live. But trust Shiney Ahuja (Siddharth) and his wife Vidya Balan (Avni) to laugh at the old-world thinking. They insist they will stay there while on their holiday from the US, much against the warning of their uncle. Seeing that they will not relent, the entire clan moves in to live with them and that's when things begin to happen. Sounds of ghungroos, breaking objects, dancing at the stroke of midnight and what have you. But no, there's no lady in a white saree with a lamp in her hand. Thankfully, ghost stories like those have seen the light of day! What Priyadarshan conjures up is more realistic and yes, very true - that of one being possessed. He deals with the subject intelligently, but whether the way to get a spirit to leave the one in whose body he/she has taken shelter is right, is open to debate. There are plenty of hilarious scenes laced with the element of fear. Like when Paresh Rawal (Batukshankar Upadhyay) and Asrani (Murari) go into the haveli to get the keys, or when Rajpal Yadav (Chhote Pandit ) parades half naked after an encounter with the ghost, or the scenes where Akshay Kumar (Dr. Aditya Shivastav) goes on his mission of nailing the offending spirit. The introduction scene of Akshay, especially, is a laugh riot; it is understated comedy at its best. Akshay, like old wine, is maturing with every outing. Though introduced towards the latter half before the break, he gains enough ground to break even and stand on par with the other actors. Manoj Joshi as Badrinarayan Chaturvedi, Shiney's uncle is awesome. Actually, every actor is at their best. Credit here goes to the director for keeping his characters in check. Rasika Joshi is proving to be the find of the season, from DHOL to JOHNNY GADDAR to now, this is one bundle of talent. Amisha Patel, as the one who loses on her love (Shiney) and who has to go through many tests, and over whom the sword of suspicion hangs, is very effective. Shiney Ahuja as the foreign returned nephew who does not believe in ghosts and who sees first hand the destructive force of a lost soul is a revelation. From a smirk, to dismay, when realization dawns; Shiney puts in a fine performance. As for Vidya Balan, this has to be her best performance after PARINEETA. She acts like one possessed (no pun intended). Saying more will be letting out the suspense. Cinematographer Thiru captures the grandeur of the haveli as well as the scary moments to entertain the viewer. The editing is slick, but for the extra 15 minutes. It's a pity that the title track, which is quite a rage, comes as the credits roll on the screen. BHOOL BHULAIYAA is definitely worth a watch.
