Review of the Varun Dhawan-led film Bhediya: It's full of humour and novelty

 

Bhediya review: The film, which was directed by Amar Kaushik, is an immersive experience with compelling but humorous dialogue. Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Bannerjee, and Deepak Dobriyal are among the actors who appear in Bhediya.

Bhediya movie reviews (Photo Credit –Still From Bhediya)
 

If you thought Amar Kaushik's Stree was one of the smartest and funniest horror comedies, his newest film, Bhediya, just raises the bar. The Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon-starring film Bhediya offers plenty of opportunities to laugh and howl throughout, from superb comedy and a unique concept to strong VFX and a solid narrative. Also see: Janhvi Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Shahid Kapoor attend Bhediya screening with Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon

Bhaskar (Varun Dhawan), a road construction contractor, travels to Arunachal Pradesh with the intention of building a route through the deep Ziro forest. He is joined by his Northeastern friend Jomin and his cousin Janardhan, also known as JD (Abhishek Bannerjee) (Paalin Kabak). The most significant incident is Bhasker being bitten by a wolf as the trio begins their mission to persuade the tribal people to give up their land and permit road development. He soon begins to resemble the beast, at which point the folktale about the shape-shifting wolf known as "vishaanu" kicks up and the plot thickens and becomes more engrossing. 

Varun Dhawan is in great shape and controls every frame. He has literally gone outside the box by experimenting in a different genre and looking so good doing it. His sequences in which he changes from a man to a wolf are both beautiful and terrifying, and his ripped muscles and chiselled torso will give you the chills. He is excellent in both serious and comedic settings. Although Kriti Sanon gives a respectable performance, I believe her character could have benefited from additional depth and a more prominent position in the story. However, you enjoy her on screen during whatever screen time she receives. With his impeccable comic timing, Abhishek Bannerjee is both wonderful and hilarious, and he never misses the bus.You're left speechless by his Hindi accent and the way he delivers his lines (he does, after all, get the best lines). As Varun's Northeastern friend Jomin, debutante Paalin Kabak is quite enlivening, and his camaraderie with both Varun and Abhishek is spot-on. Deepak Dobriyal does a good job as Panda, particularly with the accent and body language of the Northeast.

With the exception of the comedy, the first half is about average, but the second half is where all the action happens. Even there, the pacing occasionally slows down and some scenes seem needlessly drawn out, but Varun's scenes as a wolf and Abhishek's comedic timing keep you laughing the majority of the time.

bhediya review (Photo Credit –Still From Bhediya)

Kaushik's direction once more delivers an immersive experience and gets the greatest performance out of his performers. He is skilled at fusing the two genres of horror and comedy, which is a difficult task that he masters. The dialogue is deep, profound, and incredibly funny. Full marks go to Niren Bhatt's story and deft writing for a great build-up, the big reveal, and a rather humorous climax that leaves you wanting more.Mentioning movies like Jaani Dushman, in which Amrish Puri transforms into a lethal monster, or Junoon, in which Rahul Roy transforms into a tiger, has a significant recall value. Even the well-known Shehnaaz Gill line, "Kya karu main, marr jaun? Meri koi feelings nahi hai?" was answered to raucous applause and laughter. There are some offensive lines that I thought could have been cut, especially the toilet humor, and an entire sequence can turn you off.

Here, Jishnu Bhattacharjee's cinematography deserves special recognition for the way it depicts the Arunachal Pradesh's deep and dense Ziro forests. The visual appeal of Bhediya fully captures the splendour of Northeast India's landscapes. It is breathtaking and masterfully filmed when Kriti takes Varun into the woods to discover its natural beauty. The special effects and computer-generated imagery are breathtaking and on par with some of the best ones seen in Indian film.

bhediya review (Photo Credit –Still From Bhediya)

The thing that most impressed me about Bhediya's message is how she conveys it without ever seeming preachy. Not only that, but there is also a very brilliant mention of and conversation about the stereotypes of people from the Northeast as "Chinese" and "outsiders," which fits the plot so naturally and gets you thinking. Jomin scolds the audience for assuming that all individuals from the Northeast are Kung-Fu experts by referring to them as "Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee ka bachha" in one moment. He offers a compelling argument when he asserts that "being lousy at Hindi doesn't make me any less of an Indian." Additionally, the humour is well-placed and lightens the mood even in these situations that appear to be intense.

bhediya review (Photo Credit –Still From Bhediya)

Although Sachin-Jigar's music is passable, not every song is memorable. The upbeat music in Jungle Mein Kaand gets you moving, and the unique rap in Baaki Sab Theek makes it interesting. The background music is spot-on and makes a statement during the jump-scare scenes.

The atmosphere it creates and the messages it conveys make Bhediya, which has a lot of stunning features, worthwhile to watch on a huge screen. Of course, a memorable viewing experience would include some excellent performances and humorous banter.

Bhediya
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Bannerjee, Deepak Dobriyal, Paalin Kabak