Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi’s Bhool Chuk Maaf created a lot of buzz for various reasons. But the bad days are over, and the film is finally in the theatre. Backed by Maddock films and directed by Karan Sharma, Bhool Chuk Maaf also stars Sanjay Mishra, Raghubir Yadav, Seema Pahwa and Anubha Fatehpura among others. But with a stellar cast like this, could the film keep us entertained? No! It’s another failed attempt at packaging a social message into a 2 and a half hour long film that had no clue what it wanted to be and where it wanted to go. Keep reading.
Plot
Most of the plot was revealed to us in the film’s trailer, but let me brush up your memory. Ranjan Tiwari (Rajkummar Rao) and Titli Mishra (Wamiqa Gabbi) are in love, but they can only get married if the guy gets a government job within two months. Ranjan resorts to all the weird, superstitious and illegal methods to get a job. Finally, by paying a lump sum to a man named Bhagwaan (Sanjay Mishra), and also by offering prayers to Lord Shiva, he finally secures a job. But, but, but, the wedding cannot happen unless he does a good deed. And that’s when Ranjan finds himself in the time loop, which leaves him frustrated. In the second half, the story unfolds into telling us the real purpose of Ranjan’s life and towards the end, of course, a long monologue, but this time, not by Rajkummar Rao.
What Is Bad?
Story, Character, Screenplay
Bhool Chuk Maaf has a frustrating story and screenplay. Some very bizarre moments were stitched together to ultimately lead us to an ending which felt like another half-baked social messaging. We are just pushed into believing and accepting that Ranjan and Titli are madly in love and want to get married desperately. While I sat there convinced that the couple were never meant to be together, and throughout the film, I did not root for the two because the story did not let me, not once! Rajkummar’s Ranjan is another red flag character, and it’s fair to ask why Titli was trying to marry him by hook or by crook. The first half of the film was everything that we knew from the trailer, except the three songs that were randomly forced in between. In the second half, the film again loses the plot, but at least picks up pace. And the last bit with the entire social messaging monologue is so dated now. The film does nothing to evoke any empathy or emotion with the characters in the end, the same problem that even Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video had.
The film strives to send across a strong message about the craze behind the government jobs and its obsession with Indians, how even lives depend on this, but it does not do justice in making this impactful and hard-hitting.
Also, never seen a city like Varanasi feel so dull and staged in a film. The city and its charm were nowhere utilised in the film. It’s honestly sad!
Characters And Performances
Rajkummar Rao’s Ranjan also has a purpose in this film, just like all the other Vicky’s he has played on-screen. However, this time, the actor playing the role of a more frustrated, red flag guy who always has to have a funny comeback (which is not funny, btw). The character arc is another predictable one, something that all Rajkummar Rao characters have lately. Rajkummar Rao is comfortable playing this genre now, although not all his punchlines land in this film.
Wamiqa Gabbi as Titli makes sure that we are annoyed by her character’s presence on the screen. However, since the character and script are so poorly written that it’s hard to feel anything, any ounce of feeling for this character.
Also, nothing is subtle with the acting; all the emotions have to be exaggerated with expressions and body language.
Supporting characters of Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa and Raghubir Yadav are stuck in the same old format of trying to add comic relief to the plot, which also fails miserably. There’s nothing quite there to like about the characters, honestly.
Chemistry
It’s high time that I feel chemistry from the on-screen couples now. And yet I returned disappointed with another. While writing, the execution and screenplay are hugely to blame here again, the film never really aimed at making us feel any sort of chemistry between the on-screen duo.
What Could Be Better?
Bhool Chuk Maaf promised an interesting concept with the time loop, but again, fails to stick through this fun element. All it does is make the story annoying, frustrating and hard to sit through with the multiple unnecessary sub-plots, chaos, punchlines, and songs. Also, the film takes too long for us to figure out what exactly is going on with the plot, and yet it goes nowhere. Only ends up with a social messaging, right there, in our faces. It’s exhausting now.
Verdict
Bhool Chuk Maaf starring Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi promised us a time-loop film, but it is stuck in a time loop. The film struggles with a pacy, bizarre, rocky plot that neither amuses us nor evokes laughter. The characters are not very likeable and the social message does not hit the right chord. It’s done and dusted. The film is currently running in the theatres, so see if you want to watch!