The Cutie and the Ghost

As the first few reels of "Bhoothnath" unfold before you, you sit back and feel happy for the fact that a production house as reverred as B R Films have come forward to make what one may call a "children's movie" in the commercial format with big stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Juhi Chawla, a rarity in mainstream Bollywood. I loved the innocence with which Banku (Aman Siddiqui, a complete natural!) defeats the arrogance and cruelty of the Bhooth (Amitabh Bachchan having a ball playing the Ghost) and turns him into an angel and their many misadventures together. I especially loved the part when Banku asks for the Bhooth's help in winning the sports competition and the Bhooth says- "no cheating in sports". I almost clapped when the Bhooth tells Banku that it is his duty to save a person from trouble, no matter how bad that person has been to you in the past. I turned a child again when I saw the Bhooth's antiques in the classroom and how the kids are amused by his acts.

But, why- o- why, Mr. Vivek Sharma, did you have to turn the last 30 minutes of such a well made kids' movie into another tear jerker like "Baghban" or "Baabul"- a genre that the production house is so famous for these days? We perfectly understand that there has to be a flashback for the Bhooth considering the fact that you have India's highest paid actor playing the Bhooth, but was it necessary to make it so plain stupid that the whole episode looks like a badly made 70's film? And what on earth did the mighty Shah Rukh Khan think he was doing, playing a part that could have well been the onscreen debut or comeback for one of Ekta Kapoor's leading men on television? Juhi Chawla is a comedienne par excellence, but is it necessary to make a cartoon out of her? The lady shrieks, screams and makes faces in the first half which is enjoyable to a certain extent but when she starts exhibiting motherly feelings for Banku, the character gets alienated from the audience so much so that even a hugely talented actor like Juhi finds it difficult to hold the ground. Bad characterization, this is!

In spite of having excellent production design, hummable music and almost every technical department putting in its best foot forward, Bhoothnath leaves a bad aftertaste thanks to its hackeneyed script and lacklustre direction during the last half hour of the movie. The first half is immensely watchable and enjoyable and you will carry good memories of the cutie and the ghost if you leave the theatre after an hour and half of the running time for Bhoothnath!