The Bhootnii Review: A Haunted Miss That Lacks Both Chills and Chuckles
With a blend of horror, comedy, and romance, The Bhootnii tries to be a supernatural entertainer but falls flat in execution. Starring Sanjay Dutt, Mouni Roy, Sunny Singh, and Palak Tiwari, the film sets out with promise but quickly loses its footing.
Set in a fictional college in Delhi known for its annual Valentine’s Day rituals around a so-called “Virgin Tree,” the story takes a supernatural twist when students begin dying by suicide during Holika Dahan, their souls mysteriously claimed by a ghostly presence. Desperate to uncover the cause, the college calls in a ghost-hunter named Baba (Sanjay Dutt), armed with high-tech ghost-detecting gadgets.
Amidst this eerie setup is Shantanu (Sunny Singh), a heartbroken student yearning for true love. His cries are answered — quite literally — by a spirit named Mohabbat (Mouni Roy), who becomes obsessed with him. As he develops feelings for fellow student Ananya (Palak Tiwari), the jealous ghost’s vengeful side emerges, dragging the story into a chaotic mix of melodrama, jump scares, and awkward humor.
Script & Story Analysis:
Written by Sidhaant Sachdev and Vankush Arora, the screenplay attempts a fresh take on the horror-comedy genre by adding romance and emotional flashbacks. But despite a different concept, the film leans heavily on clichés — frightened sidekicks, haunted corridors, and loud background noises.
There are some attempts at novelty, such as the tech-based ghost-hunting tools and surveillance setups, but they’re not enough to offset the illogical plot turns and clumsy transitions. The tone feels inconsistent — shifting from horror to comedy to romance without a clear rhythm. And the dialogues, especially the humor, fail to land, relying on dated jokes and awkward banter.
Performances:
Mouni Roy is the only one who brings genuine effort to her performance. As the tormented spirit Mohabbat, she gives her role some emotional depth, even if the script lets her down. Aasif Khan adds some life to the otherwise tired friend-of-the-hero trope, while YouTuber BeYouNick manages the expressions but lacks impact overall.
Sunny Singh and Palak Tiwari seem disengaged, offering performances that feel rehearsed but not felt. Sanjay Dutt, surprisingly, appears to be playing a lighter version of his Munna Bhai character, delivering lines with the same old swagger that feels outdated in this setting. For a ghostbuster, he looks more like someone on vacation with gadgets.
Direction & Music:
First-time director Sidhaant Sachdev had a concept with potential, but the execution fails to deliver. There’s an evident effort to modernize the horror-comedy formula, but the film’s inconsistencies, coupled with an over-the-top production design (the college looks more like a five-star resort), make it feel disconnected from reality.
Musically, the film doesn’t fare much better. None of the songs stand out, and the background score by Amar Mohile is too loud, often distracting rather than enhancing the mood. The music feels like it’s trying to compensate for the lack of genuine tension or emotion.
Final Verdict:
The Bhootnii had the ingredients to be a fun, quirky horror comedy, but the lack of a cohesive script, underwhelming performances, and forced humor weigh it down. It’s neither spooky nor funny — just a confused film that doesn’t know what it wants to be. Aside from Mouni Roy’s honest effort, there’s little reason to recommend it.
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)
Save your time — this one’s best left unwatched.
