he Bhootnii is a film that gives a full dose of laughter. Like its trailer, the story of the film is also thrilling. There are also many surprising twists in the story. A romantic drama has been presented in the genre of horror comedy film. The film has entertaining one-liners and classic horror tropes, which will make you laugh and at the same time, make it worth watching.
Story
The film begins at a college named St. Vincent College. Here, every year around Valentine’s Day, an old tree, the Virgin Tree, becomes active. The college people think it is a joke, but gradually, strange incidents start happening. As Holi comes closer, the atmosphere becomes stranger. This is a story of 27 days, which has fear, laughter, friendship, love and a little bit of tension. The horror comedy begins with Shantanu (Sunny Singh) expressing his desire to find the true love of his life in front of the tree. After this, the story starts moving in the present, where he has recently had a breakup. The film also features Sahil (Nick) and Nasir (Asif Khan). Shantanu is a very good friend of Ananya (Palak Tiwari), but she is unaware that she loves him. The story is about a student who commits suicide on the day of Holi. The post-mortem reveals that the student died due to an epileptic seizure and it looks like a suicide.
Then a ghost-exorcist Baba (Sanjay Dutt) is brought to the college, who is also an alumnus. Shantanu tries to move on, then he encounters a girl named Mohabbat (Mouni Roy). Unbeknownst to Shantanu, Mohabbat is actually a ghost and he falls in love with her and this is where the trouble begins. She forces Shantanu and his friends to help him maintain their relationship, but what happens after this will shock you.
Acting
Sanjay Dutt plays the role of ‘Baba’, who is a ghost catcher. Looking at him, it seems as if this role was made for him. His style is completely different and he leaves a mark in every scene. Sunny Singh plays Shantanu, the main character of the film. His innocent face and genuine acting make the character even more likeable. Palak Tiwari has played an emotional character who maintains balance throughout the film. Mouni Roy, who plays a soul ‘Mohabbat’, has strong expression and acting in the film. She scares and makes you feel uneasy in a moment. Nick and Asif Khan have added a tadka of humour to the film. Their timing is very natural, and as soon as they come on screen, the atmosphere becomes light and fun.
Direction
Siddhant Sachdev, who gained recognition from a film like ‘Ek Villain’, has tried a new genre this time. It is not easy to bring horror and comedy together, especially when people have already enjoyed a great franchise like ‘Stree’, but in this film, the director has succeeded in both, making people laugh and scaring them. The director’s vision is visible on screen. However, there was a lot of scope for improvement in some parts. The story has been stretched a bit. The camerawork is quite good. The empty streets of the hostel, the foggy atmosphere of the night, everything has been shot very well. The editing could have been better, though. The VFX are not over the top, but there was a lot of scope for improvement in them, too. Talking about the dialogues, they are funny and sometimes seem to come from the heart. The music of the film is good. With its combination, the story does not seem broken, but rather flows. The Mahakaal Mahakali song is quite impressive.
Verdict
The Bhootnii is a film that you can watch not just to get scared but also for entertainment and emotion. This film makes you laugh, forces you to think and most importantly, does not bore you. If you want to watch something fun and a little different with your friends or family this weekend, then you can add this film to your bucket list. The film deserves 3.5 stars.