BHOOT POLICE
Produced by: Ramesh S. Taurani and Akshai Puri
Directed by: Pawan Kriplani
Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Kapoor, Yami Gautam, Jacqueline Fernandez, Javed Jaffrey
Written by: Pawan Kriplani, Devashish Makhija,Sumit Batheja, Anuvab Pal & Pooja Ladha Surti
Dialogues by: Sumit Batheja
Streaming on: Disney+ HotStar
BHOOT POLICE is the story of two brothers who are professional Ghost Hunters. Vibhooti (Saif Ali Khan) & Chiraunji (Arjun Kapoor) are two brothers, who spent most of their time on road, busting ghosts. The knowledge they have is passed down to them from generation to generation and all that they know is thanks to a book passed on to them by their father. The book is in a language that is over 5000 years old and they can’t figure it out without a cipher. Most of the time they spent on the road was mainly scamming people into believing and ultimately getting rid of the ghost. One day, while they’re at a fair of sorts for all things supernatural, they come across Maya (Yami Gautam) who has come in search of them. She wants to take them to her tea plantation in Dharamshala because there’s a ghost that haunts her factory. She tells them that it was their father who got rid of it 25 years ago and hence she has come looking for him again. That’s when they both ride off to Dharamshala to help her out. While Chiraunji is excited thinking that they finally have a real case, Vibhuti is already dreaming about scamming them and having a pay day. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
BHOOT POLICE has an interesting plot. It begins on a good note and builds up really well upto the interval point. But it doesn’t capitalise on it so well in the second half. At the same time you feel a lot is happening in the second half as well. The film lacks humour as well and some of thepunch lines don’t land so well. The film, still, is quite entertaining nonetheless. But one couldn’t help but feel it could have been much better. Such a plot and such a story, for a horror film, is certainly a welcome change though.
Technically, the film is good. Cinematography by Jaykrishna Gummadi is superb. He captures the locales of Rajasthan and Dharamshala beautifully. Editing had a scope for improvement. There are not many songs in the film and it works for a story such as this. The story had a lot of potential and could have been improved in the writing board. The production design was top notch. The costumes were decent but Saif’s and Arjun’s costumes especially played in to the stereotypes. The VFX was great.
Performances were a highlight of the film. Saif Ali Khan is fantastic. He loved playing his character and it showed on the screen. Arjun Kapoor is brilliant. He played his part without breaking a sweat. Both of them together are the heart and soul of the film. Their chemistry on screen looked great as well. Yami Gautam looks endearing om screen, except for the part where she is possessed. She gives her best and does well. Jacqueline Fernandez plays her part honestly, although her character is written in a shoddy way. She has a great screen presence as well.