<p>A director like Priyadarshan, a proven genre, and a strong cast — ‘Bhooth Bangla’ has all the teeth, but unfortunately none of the bite.</p>.<p>Set up as a horror-comedy, the film checks all the right boxes, albeit only on paper. A haunted backdrop, a cast with proven comic timing, and a genre that has delivered time and again. The first half even shows glimpses of this promise, with a few moments that manage to create a mild sense of unease.</p>.<p>Unfortunately, it never quite builds on that.</p>.<p>The movie explores the belief of a small town where newly married women vanish, taken by an evil superpower. Undeterred by this, Arjun (Akshay Kumar) comes down to this town, taking possession of the palace his sister Meera (Mithila Palkar) inherited, choosing the palace as the location for her wedding.</p>.<p>What unravels is a comedy of errors, and a story that wavers. A greedy wedding planner, a clumsy electrician, an old caretaker, and a young lady trying to uncover the truth behind her missing sister make this a hotchpotch.</p>.<p>The second half drifts away from horror and leans into comedy, but not in a way that works. The transition feels abrupt, and the humour rarely lands, diluting whatever tension was created earlier.</p>.<p>While logic is often flexible in such films, here it feels more forced than forgiven. What stands out more is the underutilisation of its characters, many of whom feel limited despite their potential. Overall, ‘Bhooth Bangla’ is a decent watch, but even its bhoots can’t bring this bangla to life.</p>
<p>A director like Priyadarshan, a proven genre, and a strong cast — ‘Bhooth Bangla’ has all the teeth, but unfortunately none of the bite.</p>.<p>Set up as a horror-comedy, the film checks all the right boxes, albeit only on paper. A haunted backdrop, a cast with proven comic timing, and a genre that has delivered time and again. The first half even shows glimpses of this promise, with a few moments that manage to create a mild sense of unease.</p>.<p>Unfortunately, it never quite builds on that.</p>.<p>The movie explores the belief of a small town where newly married women vanish, taken by an evil superpower. Undeterred by this, Arjun (Akshay Kumar) comes down to this town, taking possession of the palace his sister Meera (Mithila Palkar) inherited, choosing the palace as the location for her wedding.</p>.<p>What unravels is a comedy of errors, and a story that wavers. A greedy wedding planner, a clumsy electrician, an old caretaker, and a young lady trying to uncover the truth behind her missing sister make this a hotchpotch.</p>.<p>The second half drifts away from horror and leans into comedy, but not in a way that works. The transition feels abrupt, and the humour rarely lands, diluting whatever tension was created earlier.</p>.<p>While logic is often flexible in such films, here it feels more forced than forgiven. What stands out more is the underutilisation of its characters, many of whom feel limited despite their potential. Overall, ‘Bhooth Bangla’ is a decent watch, but even its bhoots can’t bring this bangla to life.</p>