Bhediya review: Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon shine as Amar Kaushik and Dinesh Vijan’s creature-comedy howl for itself

By Shachi Chaturvedi

Director- Amar Kaushik

Cast- Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee, Deepak Dobriyal and ensembles

Duration:- 2 hr 36 min

Rating- 3 /5

Synopsis

After being bitten by a wolf in the Arunachal jungles, Bhaskar finds himself changing. While Bhaskar begins to transform into a shape-shifting werewolf, he and his companions seek answers amid a series of twists, turns, and laughter.

Review

The film begins with a jungle scene in which a guy is reciting a story to his daughter when a Bhediya attacks him and then cuts to an office scenario in which Varun’s character Bhaskar is afraid of dogs. The boss and Bhaskar are talking about how they need to plan a project and build a road connecting the metropolis to a little town in the Northeast.

The project has Bhaskar travel to the village and encourages the inhabitants to chop down the forest but the villagers think that their forests are being protected by VISHANU and whoever would dare to destroy them the Vishanu will murder that person. This is exactly the concept of the picture.

In an era of many remakes and sequels, making a film inspired by the roots of Indian culture is a brilliant decision. Although there is a hint of the werewolf (Vampire diaries) when a human transforms into a Bhediya, other than that, the film is sheer bliss. The pop culture allusions, the funniest conversation in the most serious scenario Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik deserve praise for their script and execution clarity. There is so much going on in the film that it is difficult not to make a “Khichdi” out of it.

Bhediya has so many allusions in a row that you will fall out giggling. The selection of one of the most popular songs (not spoiling it for you) is so appropriate that the entire theatre bursts out laughing.

Star Performances

When it comes to stellar performances, Varun Dhawan clearly does justice to the role of Bhaskar. No one else can play a character that is courageous, terrified, hilarious, enthusiastic, and sleepy all at the same time better than VD. This character’s performance was critical since one mistake has the power to ruin everything about this character. Varun manages to walk the line between giving enough and overacting.

When it comes to Kriti, is a key character in the film, but she does not get enough screen time. Nonetheless, the lady manages to make an impression on the audience.

Coming to the heroes of the film, Abhishek Banerjee and Deepak Dobriyal, are the ‘Jaans’ of the film. Their delivery of dialogue makes everything so humorous and believable that you can’t help but marvel at how someone can be this talented.

Technical aspect

The film contains a lot of CGI and VFX; in fact, the primary character, Bhediya, is a computer-generated creation that has been done so well that you don’t realize it’s not genuine. Talking about technicalities reminds me of the film’s shots. The entire Bhediya crew has made good use of the location. A shot of Kriti and VD sleeping on top of a mountain is so gorgeous that it appears to be heaven.

Music

In terms of the film’s soundtrack and background music, the first song appears early in the film, but it does not seem to be unwanted; rather, it aids the viewer in settling in and catching the spirit of the film. Some songs from the film will stick with you long after you’ve finished watching it. Apart from the song, the background music also gets brownie points, since it is crucial in films like these, where drama is built less via dialogue and more through music.

Message

A noteworthy element is that the film not only delivers horror and comedy, but also seeks to communicate a very strong message; having a plate full of items not mingling is an art, and credit to the crew as they are unquestionably the artists.

Conclusion

An original piece of content with a powerful message delivered in the most entertaining and engaging way possible. Why would anyone want to miss a film with so many references, humour and jump scare? This is a must-see film.