Bhooth Bangla Review: Akshay Kumar, Rajpal Yadav's strong performances lead Priyadarshan's uneven horror-comedy

With Bhooth Bangla, Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan have reunited after more than a decade, automatically raising expectations for a horror-comedy packed with humour and thrills. After all, this duo has delivered cult classics like Hera Pheri, Bhagam Bhaag, and the iconic Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Their latest is set in a mysterious village and revolves around a haunted palace; the film leans heavily on nostalgia while trying to combine spooky elements with comedy. Honestly, like many others, I walked into the theatre with Bhool Bhulaiyaa lingering in my mind, but does the film deliver? Let’s find out.

What's the plot of Bhooth Bangla?

The story revolves around Arjun, played by Akshay Kumar, who lives abroad with his father Jisshu Sengupta and sister Meera (Mithila Palkar). Their lives take a turn when he learns that his family has inherited massive wealth, including a grand ancestral palace in the Indian village of Mangalpur, left behind by his grandfather.

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Excited by this fortune, Arjun plans to organise his sister Meera’s wedding in this palace and travels to inspect the property. After he reaches the village, the palace manager warns him not to stay there due to its haunted past, but he goes ahead with the plan.

The village carries a dark legend of a demon, referred to as Vadhusur, who abducts newly married brides. There’s also a backstory tied to the figure, which gradually unfolds and connects to Arjun’s parents and the origins of the supernatural force. Arjun, however, refuses to believe in these stories.

Parallelly, a young woman (Wamiqa Gabbi) arrives in the village searching for her sister, who had come there for a wedding but mysteriously went missing along with other guests. With strange incidents unfolding, confusion and comedy dominate the first half. But things then take a darker turn, and secrets from the past begin surfacing.

The story gradually reveals that bringing Arjun's family to the village was part of a larger plan to awaken the demon. What follows is Arjun’s attempt to uncover the truth and save his family while navigating obstacles created by the supernatural entity.

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What works

The best part about the film is its first half, and I almost felt it was a spiritual sequel to Bhool Bhulaiyaa. The performances of the actors, particularly Rajpal Yadav, are remarkable. Akshay Kumar also delivers both comedy and intensity with ease, even though he occasionally overdoes certain moments. The trio of Akshay, Rajpal, and Paresh Rawal brings back memories of classic Priyadarshan films with their chemistry and gives some of the loudest laughs. Asrani also adds to the humour, though his role was limited.

The nostalgia factor also works at certain moments in Bhooth Bangla. You will notice multiple throwbacks to older films, including dialogue, character types, and even setups that feel inspired by Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

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The backstory of the demon and its connection to Arjun’s family is interesting.

The VFX and production design were also decent.

What doesn't work

Despite its promising setup, the whole second half was weak. The film shifts abruptly into a darker, more serious tone, post-interval, losing much of the humour that worked earlier. The narrative becomes overloaded with backstory and explanations.

While some characters made you laugh, actors like Wamiqa Gabbi, Mithila Palkar, and even Tabu felt underutilised. Watching the trailer, I had expected Tabu to have a bigger role in the film.

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While the premise is intriguing, the execution feels predictable. You can easily guess some twists early on, and the film tends to over-explain its mythology. Some scenes exist purely for cinematic convenience and don’t feel organic, particularly the awkward meet-cute between Akshay and Wamiqa. The pacing suffers, especially in the second half, and mostly relies on Akshay Kumar, sidelining other characters. The humour becomes inconsistent, with fewer effective jokes compared to the first half.

Is Bhooth Bangla worth watching?

Bhooth Bangla is a movie that works in parts but doesn't fully live up to its potential. The first half is funny, nostalgic, and has great performances, but the second half gets heavier, darker, and less fun, which makes the movie less powerful.

While it offers moments of laughter, a few jump scares, and may even remind audiences of films like Bhool Bhulaiyaa in terms of style and character dynamics, it feels short of the level of the iconic Akshay Kumar-Priyadarshan collaborations. The film feels like a spiritual follow-up in parts, but fails to give the freshness. Bhooth Bangla is a decent one-time watch for fans of the genre and Akshay Kumar’s comic timing, but do not expect something as memorable as the duo's previous films.