Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 Review: Kartik Aaryan's film is an entertaining festive release with its own flaws

New Delhi, India

Note: Bhool Bhulaiyaa is a classic and will remain one.

In the tunes of the song ''Bhool Bhulaiyaa'', everything seems enjoyable, but only to an extent. In the third part of the horror-comedy franchise, director Anees Bazmee and actor Kartik Aaryan have managed to do a better job after a terrible second part in 2022. 

While I didn't like the second part at all, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is neither as bad nor does it earn shining stars. It somewhat hangs in the middle. The terrific cast, led by Kartik, is fantastic at salvaging the weak spots and flat jokes that fail to land. 

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What's right and what's wrong in this second-biggest horror comedy of the year? Let's find out.

 Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 plot

Following the second part, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 sees Kartik's character, Ruhaan, continuing his job as the fraud ghostbuster Rooh Baba. However, the story has new elements with an old and a new Manjulikas (Played by Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit).

From the start, the movie sets the mood right with an engaging opening and an introduction to the ghost, offering a little peek into its life before the actual story begins.

The scene cuts to Rooh Baba with his sidekick Tillu (Arun Kushwah). Both run a business of fooling people with their ghostbusters antics in Kolkata. As the duo gains fame in the city, Meera (Triptii Dimri) and her uncle reach out to them to involve him in their plan to sell their haveli in Rakht Ghat.

The plot shifts to the sprawling property, which belongs to Meera's royal ancestors and is haunted by the ghost of Manjulika, who is still seeking revenge for her death. As the story unfolds, we see a lot of drama and two Manjulikas until the major twist in the climax.

What works and what does not?

Bollywood continues to rely on haunted havelis and ghosts trapped behind closed doors when it comes to horror movies, and it's high time writers consider exploring something different and unique. Bazmee, who has a penchant for delivering comedy films like Singh Is Kinng and Welcome, once again fails to impress as much as he did with his previous hits. However, he has done a far better job in this movie when compared to the second part released in 2022.

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Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is neither exciting nor terrifying. The dialogues and witty one-liners can make you guffaw at times, while other moments simply fall flat. In between, it often feels like Aaryan and other actors are overplaying their roles. 

If we talk about the story, there is nothing specific or new to discuss aside from the climax.  While the audience is already aware of the two Manjulikas, the climax holds a twist that no one saw coming: The perfect twist along with Kartik's performance in the last 30 minutes, makes the movie somewhat worth watching.

The story and writing could have been better but the cast's performance makes the film engaging. The graph of the movie has its ups and downs: at times, some unnecessary stuff makes you yawn. However, the creators managed to redeem it with some compelling moments.

Vidya Balan, the OG Manjulika, has done her part well. However, Madhuri Dixit's addition as Anjulika was unnecessary, I felt. That said, watching the two divas dance on the iconic "Ami Je Tomar" was entertaining and eye-pleasing. 

Cast performance

The movie's cast elevates the weak script with their solid performances. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is out and out a Kartik Aryan film. He does his job and delivers what his audience wants. Vijay Raaz, Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra, Ashwini Kalsekara and Rajesh Sharma shine with their comedic performances.

Vidya Balan wins every frame she's in. Her Bengali accent, expressions and scenes as Manjulika are unmatchable. Dixit appears in the second half and her performance is decent. However, what's disappointing in the movie is Tripti Dimri. Despite so much screen presence, her character fails to create an impact.

Final verdict

As I mentioned earlier, Akshay Kumar's 2007 Bhool Bhulaiyaa is a classic,  and I believe comparing every new addition to the first part is uncalled for. Bazmee does take elements from the first part but presents them in his own way. 

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 lacks on many counts, but it's a crowd-pleaser with a decent dose of entertainment, making it a perfect festive watch.