Roohi is the lastest Bollywood horror – comedy released on the 11th of March. The film is also the first theatre release since the lockdown.
Roohi is directed by Hardik Mehta and is produced by Dinesh Vijan and Mrigdeep Singh Lamba.
Directed by: Hardik Mehta
Run Time: 2h 25m
Ratings: 3.5/5
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Varun Sharma, Janhvi Kapoor, Alexx O’Nell
Storyline
Set in modern day North India, Roohi is a tell-all story about a witch (chudail) who cannot stand brides owing it to her own sorrow love story. Bhaura Pandey (Rajkummar Rao) and Kattanni Qureshi (Varun Sharma) partake in a common but absolutely absurd practice of what is known as ‘pick up brides’. Here, the men (clearly goons) pick up women they like on the road, kidnap them and force them into marriage. The same situation occurs here when Kattanni and Bhaura spot Roohi (Janhvi Kapoor) walking and device a plan to kidnap her.
When they succeed, they take her to a distant place and lock her up in a cabin. However, Roohi’s wicked side is also revealed in the process making the two men fearful of her to the bone. Bhaura steers clear of Roohi’s ‘chudail’ alter ego named Afza but Kattanni ends up finding his bride in her. This is the beginning of a hilarious love triangle.
What Do We Think?
Roohi is the perfect mix of horror and comedy with its jump scares and hilarious dialogues. Though the film is not as exceptional as Rajkummar Rao’s ‘Stree’, it still had its moments. Being the first film in theatres gives the makers the pressure to make a blockbuster but and the performances were delivered quite well.
The film talks a lot about India and the diversity amongst people themselves. It’s exactly like how Alex O’Nell’s character ‘Tim’ mentioned it: “India lives in multiple centuries at a time”. Rajkummar Rao maintained the great acting that he is so often praised for. His character was played well and of course, Varun Sharma’s role supported the script perfectly. Both the actors portray the role of two immature men working for goons in a small town somewhere in the North of India and of course, their hair colours were a plus to the comedy. Another highlight of their characters was the shift in romance perspectives. While Rajkummar was madly in love with the natural side of Janhvi, Varun fell for the witch which only increases the humour in the script.
Janhvi Kapoor, although she barely speaks throughout the film, has played a pivotal role in making situations comic. She portrays the shifting of the chudail in her with ease and towards the end, she also gives us a moral which we think is sacrificing oneself for the greater good. The drawback to Janhvi’s character is the fakeness it unintentionally spills. Yes, the acting was fine but her ‘chudail’ side was not up to the mark for a movie with such a cast.
Hit or Miss
If you’re one who wants to watch something out of boredom, this is a good start but if you’re a total movie buff and love watching movies that actually make sense, feel free to skip this one.