Bhool Bhulaiyaa is best forgotten
PrintIf there is one filmmaker in Bollywood who I would like to request to retire, it certainly is Priyadarshan. No, friends and film buffs- not even Ram Gopal Varma can beat Priyan to this. Ramu, however warped his mind his may have become of late, at least retains some remnants of the passion he had earlier, the burning zeal that led him to create such great cinema in the past. But here is a director that has clearly lost it all- his mind and fervor- all in favor of making dumb, assembly line films for a passive audience that seems to keep lapping them up.
Priyan, is of course too lazy now to think of an original and interesting plot on his own anymore. So there he goes again, down south for another film to remake- only this time it’s not an entirely stupid film- it’s the 1993 Malayalam movie Manichithrathazhu starring Mohanlal and Shobhana (the film fetched her a National award which has already been remade as Apthamitra in Kannada and as Chandramukhi in Tamil and been well received.
Priyadarshan, who was part of the crew of the Malayalam original adapts the story of the original faithfully, but clearly can’t make a compelling film out of the rather interesting premise. For those interested, the film follows the story of Siddharth (Shiney Ahuja) and Avni (Vidya Balan) who return from America to stay in their ancestral palace. The palace has a dark history, which involves a Bengali dancer called Monjulika, who was imprisoned by a king who was obsessed with her beauty and killed her lover. After couple starts inhabiting the palace and a forbidden room is unlocked by the curious Avni, spooky incidents start taking place, supposedly due to the vengeful ghost of the dancer. Halfway down the film, of course- enters Dr Aditya Shrivastav (Akshay Kumar)- a psychiatrist to help solve the problem and mystery.
The film never quite manages to balance the comedy (Typically Priyadarshan and slapstick- worse and more stale and boring than even before) and horror/ thriller elements in the story, and ends up being a confused film. Priyan also fails to update the film and give it enough atmosphere and texture to make it gripping and intriguing, and the simplistic and dumbed-down psychological explanations do not help.
The film is supposedly set in Varanasi but evidently shot in Rajasthan- and so the film also lacks the rich cultural backdrop of the original. Priyadarshan’s sole objective is clearly to mint money, and he plays safe by robbing Vidya Balan of what should have been an author backed role, and instead making the film a showcase for Akshay Kumar’s incessant buffoonery, which just isn’t funny anymore.
In fact it is painful to actually review a film that has been made so lazily, with such little real creative effort behind it, and believe me when I say that I am pushing myself more to write this than Priyan actually pushed himself to make this film. It isn’t insufferable torture, but not something to recommend either- not funny or scary enough. The laughs do come out of the audience, but it is mostly at the wrong places. In fact, the dancer’s vicious hissing in Bengali- “Aami Monjulika!”, makes for some of the best moments of (unintentional) comedy in the film.
Akshay Kumar is decent, but the actor’s brand of comedy is getting tiresome, just like the director’s, and it is time for some serious reinvention. Vidya Balan was probably the only part of this film I really looked forward to, and needless to say, I am disappointed. She plays the typical heroine all through till the climax, where she finally gets to break free, and does reasonably well. The director barely gives her room to perform and the actress can’t shine enough to make us really stand up and applaud. The rest of the cast including Shiney Ahuja, do their parts half asleep.
Don’t get ensnared in this Bhool Bhulaiyaa – go watch a Johnny Gaddaar or Loins of Punjab Presents instead and do yourself and good cinema a favor- good cinema, that is sadly struggling to stay afloat at the ticket window. Sigh- such are the cruel ways of the box office.
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Rahul Dholakia
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Varma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Sachin Kundalkar
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
Priyadarshan’s hacked efforts from Mallu classics warrants more than just retirement. He thinks of himself to be some kind of messiah who gives Malayalam cinema a ‘lifeline’ or ‘interest’ factor by remaking it into far inferior films. I request PFC members to watch the original Mallu films with Mohanlal. Even his much hyped “Virasat” is no match to the seminal classic, “Thevar magan”. The performances were no patch on the originals. So, please watch the original films after you watch his remakes, and look how derogative his works are.
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@t..i have been ranting about the availability on such films on DVD or anywhere else..but no responses.
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isi film ke liye 1994 mein shobhna ko acting ka national award mila tah.baharhal…just go thru it.
http://chavannichap.blogspot.com/2007/10/blog-post_3436.html
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@sourav…
try googling mauser baer dvds
u will get the necessary titles
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I totally agree with Jahan here.I hope that priyan takes a little sabbatical,goes on a long holiday,and comes back and makes something so good that it wipes out memories of all these lousy movies
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Ye Bhool jao yaar…
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LAKALAKALAKALAKA LAKAAAAA!! – A BIASED REVIEW!
When we decided to watch a movie yesterday, we had two choices. One was Laaga Chunari Mein Daag and the other was Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Both did not look appealing to me. From various comments on this site and other reviews, I understood LCMD was a bullshit movie. On the other hand, Bhool Bhulaiyaa was a remake of Tamil superhit Chandramukhi starring Rajnikanth. (I haven’t seen the Malayalam version).
Even though I knew the plot, I thought I would be able to have some fun and laugh at Akki-Paresh-Rajpal humour. I was also curious to see how Akshay would fit in Rajnikanth’s shoes.
First, let me talk about the Tamil version. Rajnikanth and the restrained Prabhu made a great combination. Jyothika was brilliant. The scene where we first see Jyothika as Chandramukhi gave me goosebumps. The song “Raa Raaa..Chentaku Cheraa” was haunting. That tune played in my mind for weeks after seeing the movie.
Rajnikanth’s dialogue, “Lakalakalakalaka Lakaaaa” was full paisa vasool! In fact, it became a craze all over Tamil Nadu and AP similarly like what “Oyee Oyee” from Tridev did.
Rajnikanth’s entry as Vettaiyan Raja, with bloodhounds leading him was just fantabulous.
I enjoyed each and every moment of Chandramukhi. Coming back to Bhool Bhulaiyaa, I understood that I am not going to enjoy the movie as soon as Shiney Ahuja entered the scene with his over acting.
The comedy was useless. In fact, Asrani was much better than Paresh Rawal and Rajpal Yadav. I was shit bored till Akshay Kumar’s entry. After that it became bearable but not enjoyable. In fact I expected Akshay Kumar to don the role of the Maharaja but when I realized it would be Shiney instead, I was totally disappointed. I was just waiting for Akshay to do what Rajnikanth did, but Priyadarshan totally disappointed me.
I think Priyadarshan should have copied the Tamil version frame to frame and he definitely would have had a winner.
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“A BIASED REVIEW!” In what way??? BTW, I wouldn’t have watched either film if I wasn’t getting paid for it.[-(>:/
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@machchar
:o:o
i think Priyadarshan should have copied the Tamil version frame to frame and he definitely would have had a winner.
Chandramukhi was absolute cinematic trash..and this film is way better than that excuse of a film
@ Jahan
I think the reason behind the laughs all coming at the wrong places is because a mainstream audience is not used to this kind of cinema
It takes some adjusting to..agree that the chaplinesque humour does not help but even that in a way is an interesting attempt to exploit the irrationality of human behaviour to tickle a funny bone
The problem here lies with the fact that the dialogues are so poor that you want to jump the dialogue writers head,the screenplay so slow that the jolt that the twist should have given the viewer is not even half as profound as it cold have been
Though what is completely unforgivable is Priyadarshan refusing to take up the challenge of risking Akshay’s screenspace for Vidya’s character thereby reducing its impact
And for all those self-obsessed malyali fools who keep comparing her performance with that of Shobhana’s keep this in mind that the two come from completely differnet schools of acting and if you were expecting her to mirror Shobhana you are bound to be disappointed but if you approach the film with a fresh mind she is very convincing and looks every bit possessed(no pun intended)
Also Priyadarshan failed to take up the challenge of making her dance as well and instead tried to cover it up by maing Vineeth dance like a maniac
The biggest disappointment of all is Akshay Kumar who has been getting praise left,right and center..whose wacky character is no match for Mohan lal’s ecenticity..even if you do not compare his performance is not convincing enough as the eccentric..
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A couple of anomalies i beleive no one pointed out were the fact that even though the dancer is bengali she dances in kathak which is essentially a form popularised in the gharanas of oudh
also,why is the dancer hell bent on killing everyone? if she only wants revenge from the king
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“And for all those self-obsessed malyali fools ..” by abhinav
sometimes i wonder if it is really passion for cinema that drives people to write in such derogatory terms…sorry mr abhinav we just cant help the comparison …bcos that was some performance …everybit deserving a national award…
well even i am of the opinion that the recycling repacking industry of mr priyadarshan is now becoming quite tiresome..
another curious fact i now realise is that coming to north, most of the people are unaware of the many good movies made elsewhere…and priyadarshan has killed the hopes of them ever being interested to see malayalam movies after all those poor remakes…
abhinav has a point on what he says about the dialogues and script…i think this is where priyan is failing…to present a good comedy a good command over the language is essential..
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well if everyone was so hell bent on comparisons then Vidya balan would not even have made it in the industry as her debut was the same role than meena kumari won myriad plaudits for
so IMO you should fuck all those comparisons
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my point was that ur so called ‘malayali fools’ including myself, cannot help comparing the performance of vidya with that of shobhana…why? cos her performance was so great that it is still fresh in our memory..it is inevitable that mallus wud take that performance as a yardstick…
my view is that it is the director who shud take care…to make sure that the movie and the performances of each actor wud standout…to give a new dimension…wishful thinking…like i wished that India wud win during the final overs in todays match..
abhinav…why SRK’s DON did not satisfy completely…why RGV’s SHOLAY bombed spectacularly…these are movies that have left their imprints in 1-2 generations psyche..they cannot help make a comparison atleast in their subconscious mind…its not their fault..these movies have become like folktales..a part of our life…if u have to remake it…give it a dimension that will present the viewer with something different…a different insight into some character…a new twist in the story ..something like that….
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Just saw in Mumbai Mirror that more than 60% readers have given both LCMD and Bhool Bhulaiya a “Rocking” rating. Can think of 2 possibilities…
1. YRF and T-Series are on a no holds barred promotion spree here.
2. I’m a misfit in a group of mediocrity-loving hero worshippers (ToI & MM readers) who seriously need some education in entertainment or simply, a life.
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thought-provoking….these days the reviews are written by I dont know who….some movies they give a good rating my GOD I dont know what parameters they use to judge the films…
if i want to watch an entertaining film, i rely on word-of-mouth…depending on comments like
“okay yaar” – not so good, something missing
“timepass hai yaar” – satisfactory, but not so great
“sahi timepass hai yaar” – one good movie
“arey superb man” – great movie, great acting, great story etc.. etc..
always not so fool-proof…depends on the person…once i was deceived using this technique it was for the movie kuch kuch hota hai which was rated as “cool movie” by some of my friends..
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ok, have a question, plz unbiased and genuine answer, who was better, vidya in BB or ash in GURU?
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better, vidya in BB or ash in GURU?
vidya hands down
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Its very tough for Priyan to take a sabbatical…with his movies minting money and producers hounding him…..
But he should atleast spend some time on the script..even if he is just rehashing some of his own body of work….
I read somewhere that he adapted the script of Bhool Bhulaiyaa in just 20 days and shot the complete movie in 40 days (barring the songs i guess)….I dont think you can make a good movie in a such a hurry!!!
Priyan should just spend sometime on the script and hire some new writers….
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Dear Mr. Jahan Bakhshi,
I appreciate ur article but there are many contradictions. First of all you say “assembly line films for a passive audience that seems to keep lapping them up” and then you say “that is sadly struggling to stay afloat at the ticket window.”
I pray that you let me know what your source( Trade Guide , Film Information or Complete Cinema) is because here is hoe Bhool Bhulaiya is doing at the ticket window :-
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/
Trade Talk-12th October 2007 18.00 IST
Bhool Bhulaiya opening surpasses all expectations
Bhool Bhulaiya which opened this morning was expected to open well but the bumper opening which it has turned out to be has come as a pleasant surprise after the dull period. The opening was in the 85-95% range all over with a big release on approx 650 cinemas. At many places the opening is better than Khiladi Kumar’s last superhit Heyy Babyy released just seven weeks ago. If the film sustains it will be Akshay Kumar’s fourth back to back outright hit after Bhagam Bhag, Namastey London and Heyy Babyy. This feat was last achieved by patriotic star Manoj Kumar as Be-Imaan(1972), Roti Kapada aur Makaan(1974), Sanyasi(1975) and Dus Numbri(1976) all scored heavily at the box office.
If Bhool Bhulaiya has had a bumper opening, the other release Laaga Chunari Mein Daag has opened to a very poor response of 15-20%. YRF have used a similar release strategy for this films as their last blockbuster Chak De India by giving it a small release(400 cinemas approx) and hope for a gradual increase in collections.
You also want Ram Gopal Varma to stay on after Naach, Shiva ( new)Nishabd, Aag and Darling but want Priyan to retire after Hera Pheri, Hungama, Kyon Ki, Bhagam Bhag and nor Bhool Bhulaiya. Really it beats me, unless and until you havea personal agenda.
Also note that people are here to make money and not please critics like you, Raj sen or Khalid Mohammed. We have seen what kind of films Khalid made and we will see what Raja Sen will make via Krazzy 4.
Its the audience that decides the fate ofa movie not critics.
Thanks
Shilpa
Plz note:- Always substantiate your claims from next time. And Loins Of Punjab is adismal flop at the box-office.
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=))=))=)):d:d:d Does anyone here really think Raja Sen of Rediff is directing Krazzy 4? Here it goes: http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/jun/05raja.htm
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Mr. Jahan,
Sorry for barging in again but I just came across this article that needs your attention and I am quite sure this does not include you as you are quite erudite and above all this.
The fraud of bollywood :-
http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=126986
CRITICS HAVE an important role to play in the release of films. Most people just have a glimpse of the review pages of the leading newspapers like Times of India, Hindustan Times, etc. These guys do influence the audience about the movies. We do get influenced by the ratings of the movies and plan accordingly to go to the cinema halls.
The role of the reviewer has become more important in the Internet age, where we get reviews within minutes of release of the movies. Even the 24-hour news channels have promoted this concept of reviewing. I myself being a movie buff have also been influenced with the ratings in one or the other way.
But, in recent times, I have observed that these reviews are framed, influenced and flawed. For example, a few weeks back, Dhol was given a four star review, which means the movie should be outstanding and a remarkable one. I agree that the movie is good enough, but not outstanding. Similarly the movie Johny Gaddar was given a 3.5 star rating. I saw the movie on the second day of the release. I was the seventh guy in a theatre having a capacity of 1100 seats.
I realized that both the movies were from
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Mr. Jhan ,
sorry for coming in for the third time. Please pardon me.
You have more or less called Bhool Bhuliaya a copy of Manichithrathazhu .
But i am quite sure you have heard of something called a ‘remake’ and ‘remake rights’. Well T-Series bought the remake rights of Manichithrathazhu for about 4 crores, so it is an official remake and not a copy.
Thanks yet again
Shilpa
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I watched Tamil version “Chandramukhi”-utter nonsence film,..
Malayalam version is Original and best
but “Bhool Bhuliya” is nice remake of it,.
Nicely done
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@ Dpac thanx bro…sorry saw ur reply late..
Just saw bhool bhulaiya and found it quite decent…would love to see the original…the script was way ahead of its time…science vs beliefs..something like exorcism of emily rose.
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I loved “Chandramukhi” and didn’t know “bhool bhulaiy” was the Hindi remake until reading about it on PFC. Now I am really curious to see it, but also because of PFC I am now going to rent “Manichithrathazhu”, because I had no idea that was the original source material. PFC constantly educates me and irritates me. It educates me because I learn about different types of Indian cinema that I would otherwise know nothing about and it irritates me because some of the posters who comment on here have no respect towards what other people may like. At least on this
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Mr Machchar listen bhol bhuliya is not a remake of CHNDRAMUKHI but it is a remake of MANICHITRATHAZHU a malyalam version.Firstly chandramukhi is remade then,apthamitra then bhool bhuliya.So original movie is MANCHIN….MANICHITRATHAZHU.OK KEEP IN MIND. PEHLE TUMNE CHORI KI.
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Ya
Manichithrathazhu was an evergreen hit..One among the classics of Indian Cinema.
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In chandramukhi there happened a re-write in script to make Rajni kant a superhuman.
Very Bad….
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@ Shilpa- I dont give a bloody F*** about the BO- I know very well that BB ids dong great guns @ the BO- “dumb, assembly line films for a passive audience that seems to keep lapping them up.” as opposed to Manorama SFU or Johnny Gaddar which is “good cinema, that is sadly struggling to stay afloat at the ticket window”. I am expressing my opinion as a reviewer- and not to sound condescending, but I guess your taste will be better off with a taran adarsh maybe…and there is nothing wrong with a remake when you have the rights- when did I say it’s wrong? But BB in my opinion is a bad remake.
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hi jahan,
nice to see you write here. you had talked to me while you were running around for addmission at MCVV (if you can at all recall).
for your BB post (and all the people who have backed you with their replies)- i see an an inherent high-headedness which leads you into so unanimously writing off the film. i realise that this forum is for the acutely educated cinema follower and all that jazz…. but dude- you sound like you are entirely oblivious of the spirit and ethos which these (priyadarshan kind) films are made in, and the mindset in which they are to be watched. it largely, though not completely, falls in the keeps-your-brains-at-home category. and BB is a little above that.
you sound in deep search of profoundity while exclaiming-”and the simplistic and dumbed-down psychological explanations do not help.”
mind you, i’m not a huge fan of the film and i think that with a few fixes this could have been significantly better. however you cannot deny that this film is a super-entertainer.
infact, i myself went for this film twice with different friends.
akshay kumar i think is on top of his trademark comic form, and the other noteworthy performance is by the lady who does paresh rawal’s wife.
and please don’t end your reviews by telling people what films they ought to go for and what not. we are here to discuss, debate and positively critique films that we watch. and not tell people what to do.
normally i wouldn’t bother commenting upon a such post.. (its an entirely pointless exercise) but for the fact that -firstly- i know you, and more importantly i like like how you write. alot of your other posts are pretty well thought out. and since you’re very young, you have alot of promise. just don’t get so rigid so early.
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BB was neither a laugh-riot, nor a spine-chiller, so Priyadarshan can safely be said to have failed in both regards. That stupid song the ‘ghost’/mental patient was singing all the time was getting nigh on unbearable. Paresh Rawal and Akshay Kumar both came out with performances, which thogh were good and funny, gave you a feeling that you had seen them do the same stuff before. Shiney Ahuja was wrong to come out so intense in a film everyone else was taking easy, to an extent that he seemed to be over-acting. Vidya Balan was good-ish, she looked cute as the wife, menacing as the dancer. Did her job well.
However, it is undeniable that the film had it’s moments. You did laugh out loud at quite a few places. The climax was loaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaads better than the usual slapstick non-sense Priyadarshan normally puts in his films. Even overall the film was, in my honest opinion, better than what he has done recently. Lot better. Which is sad, becauseyoiu expect a bit more from the director of films like Hera Pheri (the first one), and Muskurahat.
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Manichithrathazhu directed by fazil & Priyadarshan 1993.
after 11 years – remake in kannada & tamil.
Priyadarshan 2nd time directed same film in hindi language.
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/:)…HELLO..someone said …I got goosebumps…and some other pumps…after seeing CHANDRMUKHI…fucky..wdever…!!!
The POINT is, the film MANICHITRATHAZHU, which was been made…and remade etc…THIS FILM IS ABOUT SPLIT-PERSONALITY…as a fact. IT WAS NOT ABOUT making a HORROR FILM…got it…!!!
So as experts say…malayalam film industry (which belongs to the “self obsessed malayalees” ) is an industry which makes SENSIBLE FILMS, which educate you…as weel as entertain you…THE SCRIPT OF MANICHITRATHAZHU DID NOT BEND INFRONT OF MOHANLAL’s(the one who plays the psychatrist in the original malayalam movie) STARDOM…AS YOUR TAMIL CHANDRAMUKHI DID INFRONT OF RAJNI…it jus fell and got pissed under his FEET…so sad…is that the entertainment for you…buddy…???
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@WP claps! Priyaarshan is no more directing films. True. If you want check out the titles of his films. It says filmed by, not directed by. He is only filming what was already directed in malayalam way back in 80s and 90s.
venkat
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Hello! I m a malayalai and I have watched the malayalam version of the movie…And I totally agree with the topic that Priyadarshan must retire. We have enough of his stupid jokes. All he does is copy the dialogues of various good movies in malayalam and add some masala and vomits them as a film in Hindi..My request to North Indian people: Would you please kick that man out of Bollywood.??
Bhool Bhulaiya the exact copy of MAnichithrathazhu but the latter remains a classic coz of the excellent direction and acting. Bhool Bhulaiya only seemed a commercial package introduced by Priyan in ordert o fill his pockets.
Moreover somebdy named Anoop had refered to us as ‘ malayali fools’ I request him not to say such things after all arent we all INDIANS! North or South makes no difference..
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Dear All
everyone agrees that priyadarshan is a copy cat. but copying is also a talent. and he does it in style.
he has flicked a lot of malayalam movies, but all malayalees be proud because now the whole india is laughing their ribs off at those stories which we have already laughed 15 years back.
15 years back malayalam cinema had huge comedies strong stories strong actors. but no one recognised it. today someone is coming forward and bringing out our old memories out to the world. i guess that needs an appreciation cause when a north indian tells me herapheri is comedy i say those were old comedies 15 years back thats nothing
ofcourse priyadarshan cannot pick his own movies to hindi because the day he finds replacement for mohanlal sreenivasan jagathy innocent thilakan or nedumudivenu in hindi movies we will see a lot more of priyadarshans own movies. till then let the whole india enjoy at movies that has some different stories
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