Movie Review – Bhool Chuk Maaf

Bhool Chuk Maaf movie review: Despite having good actors like Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi, the film feels like a mix of Ghat and Groundhog Day.

Bhool Chuk Maaf, starring Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi, is critiqued for its uninspired execution, often feeling like a diluted version of Brahmastra. Despite being set in Varanasi, the film struggles to establish a strong sense of place, resorting to repetitive aerial shots to remind viewers of its setting. The review suggests the film could have been set anywhere, highlighting its lack of specific identity.

Director Karan Sharma's struggle to fill the 121-minute runtime is evident in the inclusion of numerous disparate ideas, characters, and subplots. The songs are deemed unhelpful, and the dynamic between the main characters, Ranjan (Rao) and Titli (Gabbi), lacks cohesion. The central premise revolves around the unemployed Ranjan needing a government job within two months to marry Titli. The narrative briefly touches upon the difficulties of securing government jobs before veering into the territory of illicit means.

The film also lightly addresses problematic issues like dowry, often for comedic effect, leaving the reviewer questioning Titli's motivations for loving Ranjan. While there's potential for a story about Titli disrupting Ranjan's world, the film takes an ambitious, yet stumbling, turn towards a moral center, even attempting a mild theme of communal harmony.

Despite a strong cast, including Rao and several Bollywood regulars specializing in Uttar Pradesh-centric roles, the film fails to coalesce. Gabbi's character is particularly underdeveloped. While some individual scenes and comedic moments work, Bhool Chuk Maaf is ultimately predicted to be remembered more for its off-screen distribution issues, including confusion between its theatrical and OTT release and a quick television premiere, which has raised concerns within the industry.

Movie Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sanjay Mishra, Zakir Hussain, Anubha Fatehpuria, Raghubir Yadav, Seema Pahwa, Ishtiyak Khan

Director: Karan Sharma

Movie Rating: 2 Stars