Bhediya aaya, Bhediya aaya… Determined to break new ground in the horror-comedy genre, producer Dinesh Vijan and director Amar Kaushik bring us Bollywood’s first bonafide werewolf film. It is commendable, since the werewolf genre remains virgin territory in Indian cinema.
Of course in the past we have had Sanjeev Kumar’s transformative act as man-beast in Raj Kumar Kohli’s Jaani Dushman (1979) and Raj Tilak’s Chehre Pe Chehra (1981). Varun Dhawan’s transformative powers would depend the film’s fate. Barring Jugjugg Jeeyo earlier this year, which was a nominal success, Varun has not really had a major success since Judwaa 2 in 2017. He desperately needs to prove his box office hold at a time when the turnstiles are ruled by Rishab Shetty on one end and Ajay Devgn on the other.
The opening-day collections are not very encouraging for Bhediya. 3D collections slightly better than 2D. That could have something to do with the spectacle. But you never know. The tide could very well turn. In the coming days, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon will face some sleepless nights.
The film’s producer Dinesh Vijan has gone on-record to state Bhediya is the best film he has ever produced. Tall claim coming from the producer who has made Badlapur, Hindi Medium and Stree.
There's unexpected competition for Bhediya from Disney’s lavish animation film Strange World. Directed by Don Hall the film stars the voices of Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Jaboukie Young-White, Gabrielle Union and Lucy Liu. It follows the Clades, a legendary family of explorers who must set aside their differences as they embark on a journey to a mysterious planet named Avalonia.
Why is Nawneet Ranjan’s Kora Kagazz featuring the talented Rajat Kapoor and Swastika Mukherjee, actors who do consistently commendable work but are never acknowledged for their hard work, being quietly slipped into today’s release schedule? The film is about farmers’ suicide. But the slapdash release seems more suicidal than anything in the film.
