Bhooth Bangla

Akshay Kumar returns to his comedy roots in Priyadarshan's 'Bhooth Bangla', a horror-comedy that promises laughs and chills but delivers an uneven mix. The plot follows a man who inherits a sprawling palace in rural Mangalpur, hoping to host his sister's wedding there. Instead, he's met with panicked locals and supernatural shenanigans that force him to dig into the property's haunted history. The film runs a hefty 163 minutes, which is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it allows for leisurely character development and Priyadarshan's signature madcap sequences; on the other, it drags in the second act with repetitive ghost gags. Akshay Kumar brings his trademark comic timing, especially in a scene where he tries to reason with a ghost while balancing a ladder. But the real scene-stealer is Paresh Rawal, whose deadpan delivery as a skeptical local adds genuine laughs. Tabu, as the mysterious caretaker, brings an eerie gravitas that hints at a darker story beneath the comedy. Cinematographer Manoj Kumar Khatoi captures the decaying grandeur of the palace with moody lighting and sweeping shots, but the special effects for the ghosts feel dated, relying on cheap jump scares rather than sustained dread. The musical score by Vishal Bhardwaj is a highlight, blending folk melodies with eerie undertones, though some songs feel shoehorned in. The film's biggest strength is its ensemble cast, who play off each other with palpable chemistry. However, the pacing suffers from bloated runtime, and the horror elements lack genuine scares, often undercut by comedy that misses the mark. The mystery of the palace's past is intriguing but resolved too neatly, leaving little emotional impact. Overall, 'Bhooth Bangla' is a mixed bag—funny enough for fans of Priyadarshan's earlier work, but not scary or tight enough to satisfy horror enthusiasts.