The story revolves around Arjun (Akshay Kumar), who lives in London with his sister. He suddenly learns that his grandfather has left him a huge, mysterious bungalow in Mangalpur in India. Seeing it as an opportunity, Arjun decides to host his sister's wedding there.
However, the villagers warn him that the bungalow is cursed-haunted by spirits-and that any wedding in Mangalpur leads to the death of the bride and groom. Ignoring these warnings, Arjun goes ahead with the preparations, bringing in a wedding planner (Paresh Rawal) and his nephew (Rajpal Yadav). Soon, strange and eerie incidents begin to unfold. The reasons behind these incidents and their connection to Arjun's family are revealed only towards the end.
While the premise sounds intriguing, the film quickly loses grip. The balance between horror, mystery, and comedy-crucial for such a genre-never quite materializes.
The makers seem to rely heavily on the second half to drive the story forward, using the first half merely as a setup filled with light scenes. But apart from a few moments, most of these sequences fall flat. The comedy feels forced, and many scenes are stretched unnecessarily, making the first 45 minutes especially tedious.
Even seasoned actors like Asrani and Paresh Rawal fail to evoke laughter in their prolonged scenes with Akshay Kumar, which appear included only to drag the runtime.
After enduring the slow first half, viewers might expect some excitement as the mystery unfolds-but the second half disappoints even more. While such films don't demand strict logic, the narrative here is riddled with inconsistencies and loopholes that make it hard to stay engaged. The climax, in particular, feels absurd and disconnected, leaving the audience detached and simply waiting for the film to end.
What's most surprising is the absence of Priyadarshan's signature style-his trademark pacing, tone, and comic timing are missing. The weak script and its ineffective execution are the biggest reasons behind the film's failure. The lack of freshness and absence of strong young characters also hurt the film. The first hour, in particular, feels overly theatrical.
Akshay Kumar tries his best, but the poor writing limits his performance. His look and makeup, especially in the initial portions, feel off. Wamiqa Gabbi is largely sidelined, while even a strong performer like Tabu is given a surprisingly weak role. Jisshu Sengupta also fails to convincingly fit his character.
Among the supporting cast, only Rajpal Yadav manages to deliver some genuinely funny moments, while the trio of Asrani, Paresh Rawal, and Rajpal largely underwhelms overall.
Technically, the film is below average. The set design looks artificial, the special effects lack credibility, and the cinematography fails to create the visual appeal expected from a horror-comedy.
The biggest drawback is the editing. With a runtime of nearly three hours, the film feels exhausting and could have been significantly shorter. Despite music by Pritam, none of the songs leave a lasting impression.
In the end, Bhoot Bangla feels like a film that is unsure of itself. It fails to embrace either horror or comedy effectively, resulting in a long, draining experience. What starts with the promise of laughter ends with the disappointment of wasted time.
Film Details:
Director: Priyadarshan
Music: Pritam
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Wamiqa Gabbi, Paresh Rawal, Tabu, Rajpal Yadav, Asrani, Jisshu Sengupta, Mithila Palkar, Manoj Joshi, Rajesh Sharma
Certification: UA
Duration: 2 hours 54 minutes 47 seconds
Rating: 1.5/5