Bhoothnath Returns should have been termed as a political satire but is to too long to test your patience. Still it's far from a bad watch.
Ratings- **1/2
Stars- Amitabh Bachchan, Bomar Irani, Partho Bhalerao, Sanjay Mishra
Director- Nitesh Tiwari
Music director- Ram Sampath, Anjjan and Yo Yo Honey Singh
Bhoothnath, which earlier showed that the ghosts are friendly and not enemy or fearsome, takes a political turn this time, which though looks unreal but just convinces.
Bhoothnath Returns is the return of the 60-year old ghost on earth who is discomforted in the dead world for his inability to scare a little kid six years back. Therefore, he is up for a task, which is even more disgusting for Bhoothnath. He needs to scare about a dozen of kids on earth but in turn he turns into a comic character.
He fails to succeed in his task but wins over a lively kid Akhrot (Partho Bhalerao) who neither fears him nor any locale there. Their friendship grows stronger and within a blink of an eye Akhrot is into a ghost-flushing business from under-constructed buildings with the assistance of Bhootnath.
They earn good money from property developers and sooner this catches the attention of local politician Jamez Partho (Boman Irani) who gives them a bigger assignment which they fail to comply. Jamez threatens the little kid to do the job or else face consequences.
Bhoothnath is in no mood to step back but he decides to trouble Jamez by fighting him in local elections. Now how this dead man stands against him in this political battle and beats him over, is how the story deals further.
The script here is not completely abrupt until we come across the other half of the flick which has innumerable illogical glitches to ruin the fun we got in the first half.
Bhootnath Returns could have been one of the best takes on the social issues and an alarm for the sleeping countrymen who do not vote. But it is not so, as the plot is different from what we come across in the end.
It is the election season and director Nitesh Tiwari realises the importance, but making the flick entirely on it is baseless unless it's a political film. Though with good writing and some good dialogues, the flick some how manages to stand out few of the political dramas we have seen earlier.
Some events will make you think, but we have had enough of it already. The little detailing of the election procedure adds to your curiosity for a while but is stretched and over bearing.
The ‘bhashanbaazi' is extended, the medium is questionable, people gazing at the invisible ghost are among many other flaws in the flick which don't work by far.
Adding more to it, there are many loose threads. Why Akhrot is the only guy able to witness Bhootnath is the mystery unresolved. Do all under-construction buildings are haunted? We doubt and get exhausted.
Still there are sequences where you laugh, though, silly but enough not to question much about the manner they occur. The bonding between the clever but good-hearted kid and helpless ghost is catchy. The face off of Boman Irani and Amitabh Bachchan during election is exciting. Good cinematography makes even the Mumbai slums look beautiful.
While the second half goes cliché with extended elections campaign, the first half carries few light-hearted moments. Ranbir and Shah Rukh's cameos are needless but we still are glad for their presence, which removes the boredom trapping us in those long 160 minutes runtime.
The star performance does work a big time in this drama. The little kid Partho Bhalerao is amazing. His Mumbai slang and energy is incredible with which he leaves a mark.
Amitabh Bachcan is incredible as funny ghost and then later as unseen politician which is though unbelievable but just works in his favour.
Boman Irani as a cunning politician is brilliant. The shrewdness he shows along with the comic timing is worth in the flick. His presence fills in most of those dull moments.
Sanjay Mishra as Big B's lawyer too leaves some good punches.
Music by Ram Sampath, Anjjan and Yo Yo Honey Singh is good but will have a short shelf life.
I'll go with two and a half stars for Bhoothnath Returns which should have been termed as a political satire but is too long to test your patience. Still it's far from a bad watch.
