Phone Bhoot is a pop-culture HIT, with allusions ranging from Ramsay Brothers’ sasta Frankenstein Raka to Jackie Shroff’s Hero (1983) and Ghostbusters. And it’s a frenzy of laughter. The film, starring Katrina Kaif, Ishaan Khatter, and Siddhant Chaturvedi, was released in theatres on November 4. Here’s our verdict.
How can you get rid of a Tamilian bhoot? You show them a portrait of Rajinikanth since Christ is nothing compared to the Thalaivar! What if the bhoot is also a Punjab ki kudi? Play some bhangra sounds and she’ll erupt into a full-fledged dance.
Even if you believe these are obvious clichés, Phone Bhoot, starring Katrina Kaif, Ishaan Khatter, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Jackie Shroff, and Sheeba Chaddha, is anything but.
Phone Bhoot, in reality, is a pop culture bursting with references ranging from Ramsay Brothers’ sasta Frankenstein Raka to Ghostbusters (yeah, no points for guessing that one).
Throw in ‘bohot hard’ for Siddhant, ‘a suitable bhai’ for Ishaan, and ‘tumhari Hindi weak hai naa for Katrina, and you’ve got a witch’s cauldron full of all the perfect ingredients for a gloriously wacky comedy film that will make you laugh like a devil. A round of applause for director Gurmeet Singh and screenwriters Jasvinder Bath and Ravi Shankaran.
The best thing about Phone Bhoot is that it doesn’t take itself seriously. But the ‘not taking oneself seriously’ portion is taken extremely seriously, with each sequence and conversation meticulously curated. We must mention that the plot is poor.
It doesn’t give anything new, and by the time you get to the intermission, you already know how the movie will conclude. But the path it lays out for you is important. A voyage, the creators may have fully enjoyed themselves as well. How often does that occur?
Major (Siddhant) and Gullu (Ishaan) are two good-for-nothing boys who share a passion for horror films. Their house would be similar to one of those mimicked Haunted Houses found in amusement parks. Raka is living with them. That’s right, the Ramsay Brothers figure. They see ghosts but aren’t terrified of them since they have his blessing.
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Enter Ragini (Katrina), the sexiest bhoot you’ve ever seen – no, not the MMS wali. She presents a business idea in which they are paid to exorcise the bhatakti aatma and thereby assist souls in attaining moksha. Win-win.
Of course, Ragini has an additional motive: she wants to liberate her lover’s trapped soul from the clutches of a wicked wizard, so they can live happily ever after in the hereafter.
At this moment, you realize that the creators have taken another pop culture reference and spun it on its head. No, Mario is not required to save his princess, nor is Prince Charming required to release Rapunzel from the witch’s tower.
Phone Bhoot is mainly reliant on Katrina Kaif, who does her best to carry the picture. Where she falls short, the filmmakers have deliberately positioned Ishaan and Siddhant, both of whom are known for their snappy comic timing, to provide a nitrous boost. The three is an unusual mix – like pineapple on pizza – that should not work, yet it does.
Jackie Shroff is then strewn with oregano. Two of his statements, ‘Asli Hero since 1983,’ with the flute theme music playing in the background, and’maushichi g****,’ give me shivers.
Last thoughts? This critic attended Phone Bhoot’s first-day premiere. She was thinking, ‘Oh, must I stomach another mediocre film?’ after a year of awful Bollywood offerings, and still recovering from the dreadful Delhi air jo jeene bhi nahi deta, marne bhi nahi deta. But it took her 15 minutes to warm up, surrender, curl her legs up on the seat, and start laughing – a full-fledged piggy-snort laugh. That makes sense.
Watch Phone Bhoot in theatres for a much-needed (and well-deserved) chuckle.
