Something immediately thought-provoking about a movie that attempts to rekindle a classic movie pace and introduce it in a new name and face is intriguing. Bhoot Bangla rides all the way up to that space. It comes to theatres with a nostalgia, anticipation of comic timing and promises of creepy storytelling, simultaneously. As Akshay Kumar takes the lead with the help of Paresh Rawal and Rajpal Yadav, and under the direction of Priyadarshan, the movie places itself as a tonal cousin of Bhool Bhulaiyaa. It is not an accident that it has such a connection, it is in its creative DNA. The purpose is obvious, to reproduce a disorderly though a well-organized mixture of humour and horror.
In the opening of the film, it sets an atmosphere with a funeral pyre. Nonetheless, the beginning is also a bit disoriented, as though they are not entirely sure whether to be in a mood or transparent. An early technical anomaly supports this uncertainty. A shot created by the AI interferes with the visual flow to such an extent that it is hard to ignore, as it deteriorates in quality, which seems to be out of place. The technology is much more effectively utilized elsewhere, especially in scenes that deal with paintings and stylised images. That juxtaposition reveals a repetitive problem, inconsistency.
The movie is doing better on the performance front. Akshay Kumar presents the best when he is free to act according to his liking. In various scenes, the camera just watches him as his physical comedy, and improvisational style just show through. This is an old-school style that enables humour to come out of the execution, and not editing. Paresh Rawal adds to this vitality his usual dose of seriousness and absurdity. Yadav Rajpal, particularly during the initial sections, brings with him humour and discomfort, his interactions with the horror aspects being especially interesting.
Not all things are so good. One character, Kali, is a victim of bad dubbing, so much so that it becomes distracting. It casts doubts on the quality of attention to the post-production. Cohesion is another issue with the screenplay. Some sequences seem to be cut off, without a good transition between the surrounding scenes. Such interruptions do not allow the story to attain the smooth flow that it strives to accomplish.
The best part of the film is the use of comedy. On a terrain where Hindi film humour tends to border on the exaggerated and over-the-top, Bhoot Bangla seems comparatively tame. It is not revolutionary but it is much more restrained than such films as Son of Sardaar 2 or Mastiii 4. Priyadarshan concentrates on the situational humour and act based comedy instead of those that are enforced. The first half is very effective. The theatre audience reaction was good as there was a lot of laughter. Although it is not always humorous, the humour is also effective to keep the interest.
Certain moments are more outstanding than others. Especially pleasant are the relationships between Akshay Kumar and Asrani, which are accompanied by a natural humorous pace. Meanwhile, the movie is dipping in repetition at times. Some physical gags are re-used with variations that are minimal, and this decreases their effectiveness in the course of time.
The second part changes the direction towards horror and plot. The film attempts to expand its world with elements of lore and backstory. The initiative is apparent but the implementation is foreseeable. The majority of twists can be predicted. Nevertheless, some of the horror scenes are really efficient. The use of darkness is quite remarkable, as it is based on shadows and lack of light instead of filters. This selection adds to the mood and gives a chance to build up tension naturally. Although horror is not tolerated, there are some moments, which land successfully.
Nevertheless, the movie occasionally spoils its mood through overuse of visual effects. The use of wire work and exaggerated changes is not needed, removing the viewer out of the experience. It implies the lack of confidence in more nuanced, more hinting horror.
Another place where the film is successful at times is pacing. There are scenes that are given a chance to breathe and the sequences run longer without cutting too fast. This is especially effective with comedy. Even minor details, such as an informal yawn by Akshay Kumar in one of the scenes, give it a touch of realism, which is usually lacking in mainstream movies, which are carefully cut.
By the time the movie comes to an end, the general impression has settled into a level. Bhoot Bangla fails to achieve its ambition, but it does not turn into an utter failure. The work can be seen everywhere. The comedy is effective, the horror is effective in some aspects, and the effort to create a multi-level storytelling is admirable, although it is not always successful.
Even the theatre experience is an indication of shifting audience behaviour. Phones going off in middle of the scene and people capturing some moments rather than observing them breaks the immersion. At one moment a romantic song in the company of Akshay Kumar and Wamiqa Gabbi was taking place, a crowd near the stage went out before the break and came back with snacks after the break. It was slightly irritating and at the same time funny, a little trace of how viewing habits have developed.
Finally, Bhoot Bangla is a good entertainer. It never gets to the iconic status that it is alluding to, but it provides sufficient enough to warrant a watch. In the framework of the latest tendencies, it is capable of occupying a niche a bit higher than average. And this is not the kind of consistent brilliance, should you want it. Nevertheless, it is still worth considering due to a mix of humour, a bit of horror, and nostalgia.
My rating of Bhoot Bangla would be 3 out of 5.
