3 stars
In this day and age, when remaking a South masala movie has almost become a norm, content-driven flicks are seen once in a blue moon that could even bring the house down. Bollywood has almost lost its lustre by tilting towards mindless entertainers in order to make hefty bucks in no time. Even follow-ups are effectuated in order to just make the most of prequels. But very few filmmakers know how to cash in on the current prevailing scenario and that too with a movie so meaningful and thought-provoking that it redefines the meaning of issue-based cinema interspersed with stirring messages punctiliously.
First, the premise! Bhoothnath Returns commences precisely from where Bhoothnath (2008) culminated, with Amitabh Bachchan's voiceover. As the 60-year old ghost returns to the 'Bhoot World' -- an exotic locale where male ghosts chill out, female ghosts bitch about others and all the ghosts wait for reincarnation -- Kailash Nath aka Bhoothnath (Amitabh Bachchan) is welcomed with taunts and denunciation from other ghosts for bringing disgrace to the ghost-community after getting intimidated by a kid on Earth six years back. Post the mortification, Bhoothnath decides to redeem himself and comes back to Dharavi in Mumbai to scare a bunch of kids but in turn he turns into a comic character. The task brings him to Akhrot (Parth Bhalerao), a slum urchin who is also the only person who can see him and fears none. He doesn’t attend school and earns his living from tourists by taking them on a tour of Dharavi. Together they agree to help each other and they become business partner in the task of removing spirits from haunted buildings in return of good money from property developers but their friendship gets them involved in a cause that is Brobdingnagian while trying to bring a haunted property worth 300 crores in the same position as it was earlier as per the order of conniving politico Bhau (Boman Irani). To save Dharavi constituency from such unscrupulous goon-turned-politician, Bhoothnath takes on Bhau by contesting against him. The Lok Sabha elections are nearing and Bhau's victory is just formality. In a world, where a common man is afraid of politics, will a common man's ghost overcome his fear to stand up for what's right and fight against injustice? How ultimately Bhoothnath beats Bhau over, forms the apogee.
Piyush Gupta and Nitesh Tiwari have come up with a satirical story of friendly ghost, taking a political route this time around, which though is unreal but shows a mirror to the society plagued with corruption, poverty, scams, kickbacks and frauds committed by certain politicians. The story is much more appreciable and far more entertaining than the prequel. Director Nitesh Tiwari opts for an issue-based flick and packages it with commercial ingredients to connect with the aam aadmi with sarcastically hard-hitting dialogues and inducing scenes galore which packs a solid punch outright. The first half exclusively focuses on the growing bond and camaraderie between I-look-cuter-with-my-broken-tooth-Akhrot and Bhoothnath, well stocked with subtle message of ‘fear of good’ or the satire of uneducated people running the nation, it makes the viewers smile continuously at the rather piteous situation of our country. The flick shrewdly avoids clichés and even exhibits some real footage in order to showcase the prevailing state of India pathetically in "Nazar Rakhna" song. In a scene, an old lady (Usha Nadkarni) is asked by Akhrot if she would vote for a ghost if she gets the basic amenities like water and cleanliness in place. She eventually says in an anguishing tone – “I will even vote for a dog if promised water at least once in a day.” Almost every single scene is sprinkled with rousing message with compelling background score (Hitesh Sonik). The background music enlivens the mood at every single juncture. Well Done! Bhoothnath encapsulating the situation of aam junta in police station scene is amusingly hard-hitting. With a bloated runtime of 155 minutes acting as snag but the nimble pace and tout editing (Chandrashekhar Prajapati) helps from turning the flick soul-destroying. The movie has its heart and mind in the right place with habile direction totes that deserves a pat on the back of Nitesh Tiwari. Going by the director's mastery over the medium, the viewers would find it very tough to believe this is his second film only. The story has many things at the same time. The narrative moves through circumstances that appear more destined than designed. Nitesh Tiwari exercises an enormously flexible yet firm grip over his optimistic plot. Bravo! Though the makers have taken some cinematic liberty, yet there are no loopholes in the proceedings. The ongoings are settled and the DoP (Kamaljeet Negi) captures the real slums of Mumbai, the railway tracks, the garages, the back alleys and an abandoned ship with adroitness. What heightens the impact is the camera angles. Splendid! Right from Bhau's residence to Bhoot world (which is very much alike any other Government office in India) to Sanjay Mishra's factory to song sequences, the state-of-the-art production design (Wasiq Khan) including an old torn couch and a few brown barrels where Bhoothnath and Akhrot have their heart-to-hearts are appealing to the core. At par with Hollywood standards Vfx complement the theme of the movie outstandingly.
Fortunately, the movie doesn't succumb to the curse of second half. The face-offs between Boman & senior Bachchan are the highlights of the enterprise. Boman provoking Mr. Bachchan to surrender his supernatural powers while going live on tv and the scene with Chief Electoral Officer when Mr. Bachchan falsify the allegations of not having the right to vote are spellbinding of sorts. In the penult moments, when Bhoothnath urges the hoi polloi to cast vote should be used as the election anthem/speech of India in days to come to promote the importance of voting. Kudos to the Shreyas Jain and Nikhil Mehrotra (additional screenplay) for coming up with such flag-waving emotional scenes! Right from filing nominations, campaigning to exercising the right to vote, the message is well-etched. The climax too, is *not* preachy. It will leave the viewers moist-eyed, followed by applause and whistles. The music by Meet Bros Anjjan & Palash Muchhal ("Party Toh Banti Hai"), Yo Yo Honey Singh ("Party With the Bhoothnath") and Ram Sampath ("Har Har Gange", "Dharavi Rap" & Nazar Rakhna) is top-notch with sarky lyrics (Kunwar Juneja, Munna Dhiman, Nitesh Tiwari & Rakesh Kumaar) taking the essence of the flick to the highest standards.
On the grey side, the flick is strictly *not* for those who play it by the book. The plot is inconsistent at times and even the monologues might appear bit lengthy. People holding perfect eye-contact, who are (technically) unable to see Bhoothnath, is also a matter of sluggishness.
The actors in their slum clothes and demeanour are splendidly in-sync with their characters. Mukesh Chhabra is a go-to man when it comes to casting. The little kid Parth Bhalerao is a revelation indeed. Right from his mastery over the local accent to body language and impeccable comic timing, he lends charm and maturity to little campaigner Akhrot. Attaboy! He really takes the cake in the presence of stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan and Boman Irani. He exhibits confidence and talent that's as scarce as hen's teeth. He needs to be applauded to the echo.
Amitabh Bachchan's energy evidently describes why he's been called as the 'Superstar of the Millennium'. One cannot think of anybody else to enact the part of Bhoothnath with verve. Watch out for him in the climax with Sanjay Mishra and Parth Bhalerao. He's superhuman avowedly. He truly deserves a standing ovation. Hats off Sir! No two words could precisely describe his energy and appetite to act.
An actor of calibre Boman Irani is nothing less than crème de la crème. He's a venerable performer. Even his poster in the flick emits villainy. He gives comedy an august standing. Watch out for him in the scene following the interval and the scene when he challenges Bhoothnath's powers in the studio.
Sanjay Mishra as Bhoothnath’s self-appointed lawyer is the consummately brilliant entertainer who loves entertaining. He leaves the audience in splits. Watch out for his outburst in the climax. Encore!
Usha Jadhav is naturally perfect. Brijendra Kala is exemplary. D. Santosh, Mukesh Bhatt, Kurush Deboo, Anurag Kashyap, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and Usha Nadkarni appear in enlightening cameos.
On the whole, BHOOTHNATH RETURNS beautifully portrays the right blend of humour, fantasy, thrill and drops a wonderful message alongwith entertaining the audience in abundance. The timing of this political sitcom just before the Lok Sabha elections in India is indefectible as well. For missing out on this satire will be considered as an act of sheer folly, if you are an Indian citizen with/without voter ID card. First, cast your vote. Second, book the ticket pronto and then Party Toh Banti Hai.
first appeared on http://www.desimartini.com/movies/bhoothnath-returns/md2716.htm
In this day and age, when remaking a South masala movie has almost become a norm, content-driven flicks are seen once in a blue moon that could even bring the house down. Bollywood has almost lost its lustre by tilting towards mindless entertainers in order to make hefty bucks in no time. Even follow-ups are effectuated in order to just make the most of prequels. But very few filmmakers know how to cash in on the current prevailing scenario and that too with a movie so meaningful and thought-provoking that it redefines the meaning of issue-based cinema interspersed with stirring messages punctiliously.
First, the premise! Bhoothnath Returns commences precisely from where Bhoothnath (2008) culminated, with Amitabh Bachchan's voiceover. As the 60-year old ghost returns to the 'Bhoot World' -- an exotic locale where male ghosts chill out, female ghosts bitch about others and all the ghosts wait for reincarnation -- Kailash Nath aka Bhoothnath (Amitabh Bachchan) is welcomed with taunts and denunciation from other ghosts for bringing disgrace to the ghost-community after getting intimidated by a kid on Earth six years back. Post the mortification, Bhoothnath decides to redeem himself and comes back to Dharavi in Mumbai to scare a bunch of kids but in turn he turns into a comic character. The task brings him to Akhrot (Parth Bhalerao), a slum urchin who is also the only person who can see him and fears none. He doesn’t attend school and earns his living from tourists by taking them on a tour of Dharavi. Together they agree to help each other and they become business partner in the task of removing spirits from haunted buildings in return of good money from property developers but their friendship gets them involved in a cause that is Brobdingnagian while trying to bring a haunted property worth 300 crores in the same position as it was earlier as per the order of conniving politico Bhau (Boman Irani). To save Dharavi constituency from such unscrupulous goon-turned-politician, Bhoothnath takes on Bhau by contesting against him. The Lok Sabha elections are nearing and Bhau's victory is just formality. In a world, where a common man is afraid of politics, will a common man's ghost overcome his fear to stand up for what's right and fight against injustice? How ultimately Bhoothnath beats Bhau over, forms the apogee.
Piyush Gupta and Nitesh Tiwari have come up with a satirical story of friendly ghost, taking a political route this time around, which though is unreal but shows a mirror to the society plagued with corruption, poverty, scams, kickbacks and frauds committed by certain politicians. The story is much more appreciable and far more entertaining than the prequel. Director Nitesh Tiwari opts for an issue-based flick and packages it with commercial ingredients to connect with the aam aadmi with sarcastically hard-hitting dialogues and inducing scenes galore which packs a solid punch outright. The first half exclusively focuses on the growing bond and camaraderie between I-look-cuter-with-my-broken-tooth-Akhrot and Bhoothnath, well stocked with subtle message of ‘fear of good’ or the satire of uneducated people running the nation, it makes the viewers smile continuously at the rather piteous situation of our country. The flick shrewdly avoids clichés and even exhibits some real footage in order to showcase the prevailing state of India pathetically in "Nazar Rakhna" song. In a scene, an old lady (Usha Nadkarni) is asked by Akhrot if she would vote for a ghost if she gets the basic amenities like water and cleanliness in place. She eventually says in an anguishing tone – “I will even vote for a dog if promised water at least once in a day.” Almost every single scene is sprinkled with rousing message with compelling background score (Hitesh Sonik). The background music enlivens the mood at every single juncture. Well Done! Bhoothnath encapsulating the situation of aam junta in police station scene is amusingly hard-hitting. With a bloated runtime of 155 minutes acting as snag but the nimble pace and tout editing (Chandrashekhar Prajapati) helps from turning the flick soul-destroying. The movie has its heart and mind in the right place with habile direction totes that deserves a pat on the back of Nitesh Tiwari. Going by the director's mastery over the medium, the viewers would find it very tough to believe this is his second film only. The story has many things at the same time. The narrative moves through circumstances that appear more destined than designed. Nitesh Tiwari exercises an enormously flexible yet firm grip over his optimistic plot. Bravo! Though the makers have taken some cinematic liberty, yet there are no loopholes in the proceedings. The ongoings are settled and the DoP (Kamaljeet Negi) captures the real slums of Mumbai, the railway tracks, the garages, the back alleys and an abandoned ship with adroitness. What heightens the impact is the camera angles. Splendid! Right from Bhau's residence to Bhoot world (which is very much alike any other Government office in India) to Sanjay Mishra's factory to song sequences, the state-of-the-art production design (Wasiq Khan) including an old torn couch and a few brown barrels where Bhoothnath and Akhrot have their heart-to-hearts are appealing to the core. At par with Hollywood standards Vfx complement the theme of the movie outstandingly.
Fortunately, the movie doesn't succumb to the curse of second half. The face-offs between Boman & senior Bachchan are the highlights of the enterprise. Boman provoking Mr. Bachchan to surrender his supernatural powers while going live on tv and the scene with Chief Electoral Officer when Mr. Bachchan falsify the allegations of not having the right to vote are spellbinding of sorts. In the penult moments, when Bhoothnath urges the hoi polloi to cast vote should be used as the election anthem/speech of India in days to come to promote the importance of voting. Kudos to the Shreyas Jain and Nikhil Mehrotra (additional screenplay) for coming up with such flag-waving emotional scenes! Right from filing nominations, campaigning to exercising the right to vote, the message is well-etched. The climax too, is *not* preachy. It will leave the viewers moist-eyed, followed by applause and whistles. The music by Meet Bros Anjjan & Palash Muchhal ("Party Toh Banti Hai"), Yo Yo Honey Singh ("Party With the Bhoothnath") and Ram Sampath ("Har Har Gange", "Dharavi Rap" & Nazar Rakhna) is top-notch with sarky lyrics (Kunwar Juneja, Munna Dhiman, Nitesh Tiwari & Rakesh Kumaar) taking the essence of the flick to the highest standards.
On the grey side, the flick is strictly *not* for those who play it by the book. The plot is inconsistent at times and even the monologues might appear bit lengthy. People holding perfect eye-contact, who are (technically) unable to see Bhoothnath, is also a matter of sluggishness.
The actors in their slum clothes and demeanour are splendidly in-sync with their characters. Mukesh Chhabra is a go-to man when it comes to casting. The little kid Parth Bhalerao is a revelation indeed. Right from his mastery over the local accent to body language and impeccable comic timing, he lends charm and maturity to little campaigner Akhrot. Attaboy! He really takes the cake in the presence of stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan and Boman Irani. He exhibits confidence and talent that's as scarce as hen's teeth. He needs to be applauded to the echo.
Amitabh Bachchan's energy evidently describes why he's been called as the 'Superstar of the Millennium'. One cannot think of anybody else to enact the part of Bhoothnath with verve. Watch out for him in the climax with Sanjay Mishra and Parth Bhalerao. He's superhuman avowedly. He truly deserves a standing ovation. Hats off Sir! No two words could precisely describe his energy and appetite to act.
An actor of calibre Boman Irani is nothing less than crème de la crème. He's a venerable performer. Even his poster in the flick emits villainy. He gives comedy an august standing. Watch out for him in the scene following the interval and the scene when he challenges Bhoothnath's powers in the studio.
Sanjay Mishra as Bhoothnath’s self-appointed lawyer is the consummately brilliant entertainer who loves entertaining. He leaves the audience in splits. Watch out for his outburst in the climax. Encore!
Usha Jadhav is naturally perfect. Brijendra Kala is exemplary. D. Santosh, Mukesh Bhatt, Kurush Deboo, Anurag Kashyap, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and Usha Nadkarni appear in enlightening cameos.
On the whole, BHOOTHNATH RETURNS beautifully portrays the right blend of humour, fantasy, thrill and drops a wonderful message alongwith entertaining the audience in abundance. The timing of this political sitcom just before the Lok Sabha elections in India is indefectible as well. For missing out on this satire will be considered as an act of sheer folly, if you are an Indian citizen with/without voter ID card. First, cast your vote. Second, book the ticket pronto and then Party Toh Banti Hai.
first appeared on http://www.desimartini.com/movies/bhoothnath-returns/md2716.htm
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