A rural haunted-house setup with comic beats and a legacy-cast reunion sounds promising, but the film appears to stumble in both its horror payoff and its comedy rhythm. The overall reception suggests a few scattered laughs and some early momentum, but not enough invention or consistency to justify a strong… Read more
A man inherits a palace in rural Mangalpur and plans his sister's wedding there, but strange supernatural events and panicked locals force him to investigate the property's mysterious past.
Director
Priyadarshan
Cast
Akshay Kumar, Wamiqa Gabbi, Paresh Rawal
Curator Review
Verdict
A rural haunted-house setup with comic beats and a legacy-cast reunion sounds promising, but the film appears to stumble in both its horror payoff and its comedy rhythm. The overall reception suggests a few scattered laughs and some early momentum, but not enough invention or consistency to justify a strong recommendation.
Best for
fans of Priyadarshan-style broad comedy who are curious about a late-career reunion
viewers who enjoy lightly spooky, crowd-pleasing Hindi horror-comedies
people who want a familiar star-driven entertainer and are less concerned with originality
Skip if
you want sharp writing or a fresh take on the haunted-house formula
you are looking for a horror-comedy with strong second-half momentum
you are sensitive to uneven tone shifts between scares and slapstick
Overview
Bhooth Bangla has the ingredients of a nostalgic crowd-pleaser: a rural palace, a supernatural mystery, and a familiar comic ensemble. On paper, that is a very workable setup for a breezy horror-comedy, and the early stretch seems to lean into that promise with some old-school Priyadarshan energy.
Worth noting
The problem is that the film appears to run out of steam once the mystery deepens. Audience reaction points to a first half that lands better than the second, with the humor and scares becoming less balanced as it goes on. That unevenness matters a lot in a genre that depends on timing, escalation, and a steady sense of fun.
Bottom line
If you are already invested in the cast or the director’s earlier comedies, there may be enough here for a passable watch. But as a horror-comedy in its own right, it sounds more like a reminder of better films than a standout entry.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Yash (1★) · 279 likes
bhooth bangla is sooo bad that it should’ve been named choot bangla
vishalandcinema · 263 likes
Bhooth Bangla is basically a Bhool Bhulaiyaa sequel in secret. Priyadarshan is back (though not in top form).But you know, people accepted two below average Bhool Bhulaiyaa films by Anees Bazmee and Kartik Aaryan. Priyadarshan still makes a better film than those just by redoing what we know him best for...and does it with his old group of actors! That’s about it. No upgrade from his own filmmaking. Laughed at some scenes, and enjoyed the audience’s laughter in others when the humour wasn’t for me. Had a decent time with a nearly housefull crowd.
lalith (1★) · 211 likes
bhooto ka bangla?? more like chutiyo ka bangla
Meet (2.5★) · 129 likes
First half - 📈📈📈 (Waah kya badhiya comedy hai)Second half - 📉📉📉 (Arey yeh kya kar diya yaar) Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Asrani Ji... Yeah it was fun. 👻
manji (1.5★) · 123 likes
Akshay Kumar kisi bhi angle se us aadmi ka beta to nahi lag raha tha 💀