Directed and written by: Sidhaant Sachdev
Produced by: Deepak Mukut, Hunar Mukut, Sanjay Dutt and Maanayata Dutt
Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Mouni Roy, Sunny Singh, Palak Tiwari
Rating: 2/5
Tejal Sinha
Plot
Set in the vibrant yet oddly stylized Saint Vincent College of Arts and Culture, The Bhootni follows the misadventures of three friends — Shantanu, Sahil, and Naseer. Shantanu (played by Sunny Singh) is the textbook romantic searching for “sachhi mohabbat”, while his friends are more interested in casual college flings. After a breakup leaves Shantanu shattered, he turns to an unlikely confidant — a bizarre campus legend known as the “Virgin Tree”. This desperate act seemingly conjures Ananya (Palak Tiwari), a new student who immediately places him in the friend zone. Things take a wild supernatural turn when a ghost, played by Mouni Roy, starts terrorizing students, dragging everyone into a chaotic love triangle from beyond the grave. Sanjay Dutt’s Baba Krishna Tripathi is brought in to cleanse the campus of this paranormal menace — using everything from salt bullets to bazookas.
Highlights
One of the few mildly entertaining aspects of The Bhootni is its commitment to absurdity, with scenes so bizarre they verge on unintentional parody. The Virgin Tree, a pivotal element of the plot, unexpectedly becomes the most interesting “character,” even featuring in a dedicated musical number. Sahil’s cheesy poetry and quirky one-liners occasionally land, offering rare moments of levity in an otherwise flat script. The college setting, though derivative, does provide a colorful backdrop that visually mimics the over-the-top aesthetic of high-glam Bollywood films. These moments, however, are scattered and do little to salvage the overall narrative.
Drawbacks
The film’s core problem lies in its identity crisis — it never fully embraces either horror or comedy, instead attempting to juggle both and dropping the ball entirely. The screenplay is fragmented, with plot twists that are neither shocking nor funny. Scenes are constantly interrupted by out-of-place musical interludes, breaking the already shaky rhythm. Emotional subplots, like the Bhootni’s tragic past, are introduced hastily and resolved without depth. The film leans heavily on recycled tropes and slapstick moments that feel dated. By the time the climax arrives, viewers are less concerned about the ghost and more eager for the ordeal to end.
Performance
Sunny Singh delivers a disappointingly flat performance, lacking both charisma and conviction. Known for his comic timing in previous films, he seems disinterested here, rarely emoting beyond a deadpan expression. Sanjay Dutt as the ghostbuster looks visibly disengaged, bringing neither gravitas nor comic flair to his role. His character feels like a misfit in the film’s universe, and his action-hero persona clashes awkwardly with the ghost-hunting gimmick. Mouni Roy does what’s expected of her — hiss, glare, and scream — but adds little nuance beyond her Naagin roots. Palak Tiwari, in one of her early roles, manages to hold some screen presence despite a poorly written character. Supporting actors Sahil and Naseer try to inject energy, but their comedic timing is hit-or-miss.
Technical Aspects
Visually, The Bhootni is polished — the college is bathed in rich colors and over-styled costumes that echo Bollywood’s glamorized student fantasies. However, the cinematography fails to elevate any of the horror elements, often reducing scares to jump cuts and cliché effects. The VFX is uneven — the ghost’s appearances feel more like a cosplay attempt than a haunting presence. The background score is loud but ineffective in building tension. The film’s music is its most baffling element; although the songs are decently produced, their placement is disruptive and unwarranted. Editing is choppy, especially in transitions between genres — romantic scenes bleed into horror and comedy without warning, creating tonal dissonance.
Verdict
The Bhootni is a classic example of Bollywood chasing trends without investing in a coherent vision. Despite a cast with potential and a premise ripe for satire, the film squanders its opportunities through lazy writing, inconsistent direction, and lackluster performances. It neither delivers on the chills of horror nor the laughter of comedy, leaving audiences stranded in a genre no-man’s-land. Apart from a few unintentional laughs and a song-worthy tree, there’s little to recommend here. If you’re hoping for the next Stree or Bhool Bhulaiyaa, this one is best left unseen.
