Bhool Bhulaiyaa

This is not the Priyadarshan that we know so well. Bhool Bhulaiyaa is not an out-and-out comedy as most of his films are wont to be. Priyadarshan changes track in this film, ever so slightly, and delivers a film which has dollops of suspense, eerie ghosts and spirits. It is not devoid of humour but that is not its intent. Bhool Bhulaiyaa does not quite live up to its promise, but what it has is Akshay Kumar, who albeit, arrives a little late in the film but still manages to stage a complete takeover. The others in the cast too put in very good performances but fail to rescue the film from its confused fate. Bhool Bhulaiyaa is a remake of Malayalam film, and its story is about a haunted haveli somewhere in the interiors of India. Siddharth (Shiney Ahuja) and his newly-wed wife Avni (Vidya Balan) arrive home from the US to a warm welcome from their extended family in the village. Siddharth is insistent on staying in his ancestral mansion during his stay in India. His uncle Badrinarayan (Manoj Joshi) is very vocal about his displeasure but the couple is insistent. There is a particular door which has been kept locked for years and there is a deadly mystery attached to it. But Avni opens the door one day and strange events start taking place, some of which are life-threatening. Siddharth calls upon his friend Dr Aditya (Akshay Kumar) from the US, to find a solution to the problem. Dr Aditya is supposedly a man of science, but in the end, he too resorts to all the usual mumbo-jumbo of tantrik rituals, and exorcists beating up their victims to drive the spirit out. The director manages to weave a convincing and absorbing first half. The intent is very clearly spelt out in this half and once Akshay's character is introduced the film, it does seem to look up. Actually, Akshay's presence injects a fresh lease of life into the narrative. Priyan builds in the suspense quite deftly but somehow the second half is not carried forward by anything remarkable in the screenplay. It is just the actor who carries the movie forward. He indulges in a little bit of comedy as well but even that is not enough to salvage the film. Technically, the film is, like most of Priyadarshan's films, very well shot and visually quite stunning. It has the 'look', credit for which should be given to cinematographer Thiru. The film's music, composed by Pritam, is doing extremely well, specially the 'Hare Krishan Hare Ram,' number, which is currently topping the charts. The number, unfortunately, is not worked into the main narrative of the film but appears in the end with the credits, which is a little disappointing. Most of the actors put in very good performances. The usual Priyan gang is there, what with Rajpal Yadav and Paresh Rawal leading the field. Akshay, of course, is top notch in his role as Dr Aditya, which is laced with humour. It would be no exaggeration to say that he is the soul of the film. Paresh Rawal, who has been the backbone of many a Priyadrashan film, sadly does not have a meaty enough role. But being the great actor that he is, he still puts in a very good performance. Manoj Joshi too comes up with a sterling performance. Amisha Patel is quite okay, while Vidya on the other hand, is quite a treat to watch. Shiney is quite subdued in the film, especially once Akshay makes an appearance.