Bhediya is a creature comedy movie that revolves around Bhaskar (played by Varun Dhawan), who gets bitten by a werewolf and transforms into one himself. The film is directed by Amar Kaushik (Stree, Bala) and produced by Dinesh Vijan. Moreover, Niren Bhatt has written the screenplay of the two-hour and thirty-six-minute long feature, while Sachin and Jigar have composed the soundtrack.
The complete cast of the film includes Kriti Sanon as Dr Anika Mittal, Deepak Dobriyal as Raju Mishra, Abhishek Banerjee as Janardan, Arnob Khan Akib as Chahal, Paalin Kabak and Sharad Kelkar. Furthermore, Jishnu Bhattacharjee serves as the cinematographer and Sanyukta Kaza as the editor.
-Bhediya Review Does Not Contain Spoilers-
The film starts with a construction manager/in-charge Bhaskar (Varun Dhawan), who is assigned the task of convincing the tribal members of Ziro forest, to grant their land for a road clearance project. In the process, he is assisted by his cousin Janardan (played by Abhishek Banerjee), a local guide cum friend, and a bunch of other associates.
Nearly everything goes according to the plan (like the first half of every Bollywood film) until Bhaskar gets bitten by a wolf while traversing the forest. At first, it appears to be another rabies infection, but soon, it turns into a fun-filled Werewolf feature with some minute and ignorable flaws.
Bhaskar eventually transforms into a mythical beast Vishaanu (in one of the most convincing VFX scenes I have seen in a Hindi film), that takes it upon himself to safeguard the interest of the forest. What follows next forms the bulk of this first-of-a-kind creature comedy, that is funny, adventurous and good-spirited.
The biggest element of an Amar Kaushik or Dinesh Vijan flick is their thoroughly engaging vibe, which almost reflects them like a travelling buddy comedy (Dazed and Confused), layered with a supernatural theme. The unique talent of creating a world of its own, in each of their films, is a thing of complete amazement, and Bhediya, is no exception to it.
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The film is also a social commentary on deforestation and reckless development projects in reserve forests and green areas. And unlike the recent trend of commercial movies, it attempts to be less preachy and more actionable. Although, the degree of that effort might vary from person to person.
The core strength of the film is the convincing performance of the cast, the brilliant use of special effects and the funky montages of trippy songs, often followed by some genuinely funny dialogues. Moreover, if you stay a little more after the end, there’s a hysterical mid-credit scene as a fine reward.
Bhediya Final Thoughts
The movie is a highly entertaining ride, filled with several hilarious moments (including Bhaskar being chained by his friends before he turns into the werewolf), along with a subtle message of much importance. All in all, it’s a fun adventure that you can definitely enjoy with your friends and family. Plus, the breathtaking cinematography is bound to make you fall in love with the beauty of Arunachal Pradesh.
You can watch the film in theatres, while all other movies from the same horror comedy universe are available to stream on Jio Cinema. Let us know your thoughts about it in the comment section below.
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