The first reactions and reviews are in for Kartik Aaryan's horror comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. Also starring Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit and Triptii Dimri, the film brings back ghost-hunter Rooh Baba, now on a new mission. The film released on Friday, clashing with Rohit Shetty's Singham Again. 

While some users backed Kartik Aaryan for his performance as Rooh Baba, others were in awe of Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit for pulling it off with swag. Some moviegoers, however, were left disappointed with the film and said that the content was below par. 

With BB3, Kartik Aaryan has his widest overseas release ever. The film has released across over 2,000 screens in 1,550 theatres spanning across 65 countries. 

Directed by Welcome fame Anees Bazmee, the film focuses on a fraudster who takes on a case at a haunted castle, unravelling a plot involving mysterious plots. The film features Kartik Aaryan reprise his role as Rooh Baba from Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and Vidya Balan as Manjulika from the 2007 film Bhool Bhulaiyaa. 

The film also features an ensemble cast of Madhuri Dixit, Triptii Dimri, Vijay Raaz, Rajpal Yadav, and Sanjay Mishra in pivotal roles. 

The idea of moving from a psychological thriller to a horror comedy feels both curious and correct. Bhool Bhulaiyaa came out at a time when Hindi cinema wasn’t piling up films of the same genre to please the box-office. The sequel came out when Bollywood was at a shocking and surprising cusp. We were fresh off the trial of the pandemic, and the sequel to an immensely popular film released after 15 years. There was no Akshay Kumar, but still there was Bhool Bhulaiyaa. It became a raging success. And with Stree 2, Munjya writing history, there was no reason for part three not to be made.

This time, there are two cherries on the cake. One is Vidya Balan, who sent a shiver down our spine with her bone-chilling performance in part one as the possessed wife. We call her Manjulika. She’s back. The second cherry is Madhuri Dixit, who plays Manjulika too. The rest of the cake has cream, chocolate, candles in the form of Kartik Aaryan, Triptii Dimri (headlining films quicker than Akshay Kumar), and the inimitable trio of Rajpal Yadav, Ashwini Kalsekar, and Sanjay Mishra. They say timing is everything. The second part of the franchise hit the bullseye as it was almost like heavy rainfall after a long dry spell.

But does Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 hold that well when we have just seen Stree 2, Bhediya, and Munjya? Kind of! If Akshay Kumar played a psychiatrist who arrived in full swag in the haunted haveli, Aaryan’s a farcical character who sells his facade with nonchalance and glee. He never wants to solve the problem until he has too. He did that with two Tabus in part two, he does that with the two Manjulikas in part three. Which brings us to the two leading ladies. Balan reprises the character after 17 years, and goes little overboard in reenacting that possessed performance. But props to an actor of her talent that she sportingly submits to the unassuming and unabashed vision of director Anees Bazmee and writer Aaksh Kaushik.

Madhuri Dixit’s flair for comedy hasn’t been tested with much aplomb except for those Indra Kumar films like Raja, Dil, and Total Dhamaal. This is her first collaboration with Bazmee and she gives what we say her best shot. Sorry, there were not two but three cherries on the cake mentioned above. It was the dance of Balan and Dixit that gives both the ladies the juiciest opportunity they have got in recent times. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 isn’t based on any folklore, it’s a work of pure fiction where the brains and the cells have to be left behind. It’s not inspired by any true story. After all, this is an offering by a man who has carved a pretty successful career making those larger-than-life comedies like No Entry, Singh Is Kinng, and Welcome.

And while two of those comedies were made with Akshay, this is also Bazmee’s second and definitely not the last collaboration with Aaryan. Unlike Balan, who returns to this world after 17 years, Aaryan is back only after two. He looks fresh, and sticks to the shenanigans he pulled off unapologetically back in 2022. His romance with Dimri feels labored and inconsequential but who would say no to arguably the most popular name in Hindi film landscape currently. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 could be savored taste; for those wanting to see romance have Aaryan and Dimri, for those waiting to see the OG Manjulika have Balan at their service, for anyone enamored by Dixit, she brings back the memories of Devdas with her thunderous aura and nimble moves. And for those stepping in with zero expectations, may not be exactly doing a Bhool!

Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars)

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is now playing in cinemas

When you are watching a film with a foreword that reads 'from the makers of Welcome, No Entry, Singh is Kingg', you sort of know what to expect. You are in for a mindless ride of punches and gags. While the first Bhool Bhulaiyaa film, which was released in 2007, remains a classic and can never be duplicated, the second one felt like it was struggling to find its ground. The good thing about any third act is that if the middle one was bad, at least the third film can redeem the franchise. But, does Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 manage to better the franchise or does it fail ? Let's find out.

What starts off as a paranormal drama about the most famous chudail (ghost) in town - Vidya Balan as Manjulika (sorry Stree, you get the second place here), soon becomes another effort to meet commercial expectations of a bonafide Diwali release. This time, the story takes us back to the origins of Manjulika. The makers take several creative liberties to mould the folk story to suit the demands of the plot. Vidya's return to the franchise is a huge reason why the third film piques your interest. Add Madhuri Dixit and you get a solid opportunity to watch two Manjulikas for the price of one.

Kartik returns as Rooh Baba, the ghostbuster, who gets busted himself more than the ghosts surrounding him. Watching the familiar faces of the mad hatter trio - Ashwini Kalsekar, Rajpal Yadav and Sanjay Mishra - is a delight. But, the writers don't manage to justify their talent, and offer them some badly-written jokes. Thankfully, the second half redeems itself and the gags and punches get better, slowly but steadily.

The efforts of the team of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 in paying any attention to logic are minimal. So, don’t go in expecting everything to fall in line. What works wonders for the film, though, is its brave climax and Kartik's ability to convincingly manoeuvre a tricky second-half. If it wasn't for the actors' self-belief and their ability to try to do something different, the film would have had a safe, predictable ending. Without giving any spoilers away, I believe Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 has one of the most interesting climaxes written in recent times.

To watch Vidya and Madhuri duel in the new Ami Je Tomar song is a treat. Madhuri steps into a genre that is somewhat new to her, and it is a risk that pays off in her favour. Vidya adds dollops of nostalgia and just sheer excitement every time she breaks into a Bengali dialogue or goes heavy with the accent. Triptii Dimri brings glamour, and works hard on delivering impressive chemistry with Kartik. At the centre of this mad cap part horror part comedy enterprise is Kartik and the reason the film elevates in the second-half, especially during the pre-climax scenes, is because of him. His ability to poke fun at himself, especially the Shehzada dig, is one of the big highlights.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is a good festival entertainer worth watching. Had the first-half worked better, the film would have elevated itself to a higher ground. And will Manjulika be back for the fourth time ? Well, your guess is only as good as mine!