Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 Trailer: Diwali Dampener

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 fails to invoke any excitement, despite having two immensely watchable stars Madhuri Dixit and Vidya Balan at its centre, observes Mayur Sanap.

After the painfully bland Singham Again trailer earlier this week, we get a fresh glimpse of another big Diwali release, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3.

One thing is absolutely clear: It is going to be face-off between the runts of the litter at the box office this festive season.

Because despite the jacked star-cast and cushioning of an already established brand name, BB3 looks like just another pile of nonsense in an attempt to cash in popular franchise.

Kartik Aaryan returns as Ruhaan/Rooh Baba, who has an ability to communicate with spirits.

The story has moved from Rajasthan to Kolkata (to make space for mockery of Bengali as punchline?), where Kartik is invited to solve the strange occurrences in a royal haveli.

There begins the core mystery with Vidya Balan introducing herself as Monjulika.

Enter Madhuri Dixit, who also seems to have her own secrets.

The trailer hints at showdown between the two of their unresolved business.

Meanwhile, Kartik does what he thinks suits him the best.

He does the title track hook-step, mouths a few comedic lines and flirts with Triptii Dimri's vacuous character (her post-Animal aimless meandering continues).

All this razzle-dazzle, and yet BB3 fails to invoke any excitement, despite having two immensely watchable stars Madhuri and Vidya at its centre.

That last bizarre frame of the two looking deranged is a freak-fantasia that would have been rejected even by a campy soap opera!

The only bright spot here is the promise of dance face-off between the two, presumably on the franchise's popular Ami Je Tomar song, which might hit the high points while giving these two icons some gusto they deserve.

The rest of it looks out of scale with a heavy dependence on digital imagery that doesn't quite look right. Even Kartik's massy act seems like a commercial ad for a B-grade brand.

All things considered, it looks like Vidya, in her never-been-campier role, is having most fun here. Good, someone should!

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 arrives in cinemas on November 1.