'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3' review: Overlong, unfunny, a waste of time
What's the story
When Bhool Bhulaiyaa was released in 2007, it struck gold with its combination of psychological thrill and situational comedy.
Anees Bazmee's Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, unfortunately, butchered its legacy, and now, despite Vidya Balan's return and Madhuri Dixit's addition, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is just as vapid and lackluster.
Terribly unfunny, predictable, and overlong, it's all over the place and consistently tests your patience.
Plot
Rooh Baba continues his adventures
The film follows Kartik Aaryan's character Ruhaan/Rooh Baba, hired by Meera (Triptii Dimri) to exorcise the ghost of Manjulika from her family's two centuries-old palace.
Interestingly, Ruhaan is the supposed reincarnation of a young prince who once lived there and met a tragic end.
Balan and Dixit arrive shortly after, and once supernatural incidents begin wreaking havoc, everyone wonders: Who's the real Manjulika?
#1
Just as bad as 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2'
Know the feeling when you are scrolling through reels but sadly keep seeing cringe content?
BB3 is just like that.
A series of badly written, painfully flat scenes that drag on unnecessarily.
In fact, it feels like watching Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 all over again.
Only a few actors have changed; everything else—the weak writing, the hollow core, and the confused screenplay—remains the same.
#2
Serious scenes don't have any gravity, so they don't land
The scale is huge and the ambition is palpable, but nothing works because the writing is so terribly disappointing.
Too many red herrings make you question the plot, and while that can sometimes be a solid advantage, here, it worsens everything.
Some scenes feel incomplete, while others—seemingly serious, where lives are at stake—turn weary because an unnecessary joke is thrown into the mix.
#3
Looking for horror elements? Better to look away
Horror-comedy may be the dominating flavor of Bollywood currently, but very few films can strike the perfect balance between the two genres.
BB3 has next to no jumpscares, and the same image—of Manjulika clad in a red dress and haunting the palace—keeps repeating throughout the film.
At some points, it reminds you of Fear Files, but at least FF offered some entertaining episodes.
#4
A royal bore with its repetitive scenes
You can start watching BB3 from any point and still won't miss much.
Scenes meant to be scary end up being unintentionally comical, and the ones that are supposed to be hilarious are a complete slog.
The amount of ludicrousness is baffling and the film gets progressively worse with each scene.
Plus, if you come looking for logic, the joke's on you.
#5
The final twist is forced and desperate
If you think the twist in BB2 was predictable, wait till you watch BB3.
The film takes a completely different turn toward the climax, and its desperation to be considered brave and experimental is evident in its vapid and blatantly forced messaging.
Bazmee can't decide whether BB3 wants to be a horror-comedy, a suspense film, or a drama with a social message.
#6
Dimri gets another underwritten, basic role
Remember Kiara Advani's role in BB2?
It's not a surprise if you don't, because she was barely in the film, and this time around, Dimri largely meets the same fate.
There's some amount of payoff toward the end, but as is the case with such massive misfires, it's too little, too late.
BB3 consistently struggles and stumbles, failing to find its voice.
#7
Wastes its ensemble cast and how!
It's distressing to see Bazmee lose his mojo, and BB3 doesn't know what to do with its supporting (or sometimes, even central) characters.
It's also painful how Sanjay Mishra, Ashwini Kalsekar, and Rajpal Yadav are reduced to some of the worst caricatures we've seen in Hindi cinema.
With no engaging story or real mystery, BB3 brings back the traumatic memories of Vicky Vidya Ka.....
Verdict
Stay miles away from 'BB 3'
A tepid story that overstays its welcome, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is a chore to sit through.
Balan's return is a smart move, but she can't compensate for an undercooked plot, painfully bland jokes, and an excessively long (150 minutes+) runtime.
It's like one of those Diwali fireworks that light up briefly and then rapidly fizzle out, disappearing into nothingness within seconds.
1/5 stars.