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Bhediya movie review: Varun Dhawan-starrer is high on comedy and novelty

Bhediya movie review: the amar kaushik directorial is an immersive experience with intense but funny dialogues and clever writing. bhediya stars varun dhawan, kriti sanon, abhishek bannerjee and deepak dobriyal, among others..

If you found Amar Kaushik's Stree one of the most intelligent and rib-tickling horror comedies, his latest outing, Bhediya, only takes things a notch higher. From good comedy and a novel concept to VFX, strong screenplay, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon-starrer Bhediya gives ample moments to laugh and howl throughout. Also read: Janhvi Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Shahid Kapoor join Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon at Bhediya screening

The story begins with a road construction contractor Bhaskar (Varun Dhawan) going to Arunachal Pradesh wanting to make a highway through the dense forests of Ziro. He is accompanied by his cousin Janardhan aka JD ( Abhishek Bannerjee ) and is joined by a local Northeastern friend, Jomin (Paalin Kabak). As the trio starts their mission of convincing the tribals to give their land and allow road construction, they encounter strange incidents, the most important one being Bhasker getting bitten by a wolf. Soon, he acquires traits and characteristics of the creature and hereon, the folklore about shape-shifting wolf called 'vishaanu' picks up and the story gets more gripping and interesting.

Varun Dhawan is in top form and owns each frame. He has literally pushed the envelope, tried a new genre, and looked so convincing in it. His transformation scenes from a man to a wolf are stunning and scary at the same time with his ripped muscles and sculpted body giving you the chills. He excels in both comic as well as serious scenes. Kriti Sanon is decent and delivers a fine performance, however, her character, I felt, could have had more depth and better placement in the narrative. But in whatever screen time she gets, you enjoy her on screen. Abhishek Bannerjee is magical and hilarious with his comic timing and never misses the bus. His Hindi dialect and the way he delivers his lines (well, he does get the best lines) leaves you in splits. Debutant Paalin Kabak as Varun's Northeastern friend Jomin is quite refreshing and his camaraderie with both Varun and Abhishek is on-point. Deepak Dobriyal as Panda is good, especially with the way he has picked up Northeastern accent and their body language.

While the first half is just about average besides the comedy, it's the second half where all the action lies. Even there, the pace gets a little slow in between with some scenes looking needlessly dragged and stretched, but then Varun's scenes as a wolf and Abhishek's comedy keeps you cracking up for most of the time.

Kaushik once again creates an immersive experience with his direction and brings the best out of his actors. He understands the tricks of blending the two genres - horror and comedy - which is a big challenge, but he aces it. Dialogues are intense, meaningful yet supremely funny. Niren Bhatt's story and clever writing get full marks for a great build-up, the big reveal, and a rather funny climax, which leaves you asking for more. Inserting mention of films such as Jaani Dushman, where Amrish Puri turns into a deadly monster or Junoon where Rahul Roy turns into a tiger, brings a great recall value. There's even the popular Shehnaaz Gill dialogue - 'Kya karu main, marr jaun? Meri koi feelings nahi hai?' which was received with loud cheers and laughter. There are some cringeworthy lines, which I felt could have been done away with and particularly the toilet humour and that one entire sequence can put you off.

Jishnu Bhattacharjee's cinematography gets a special mention here for the way he has captured the deep and dense Ziro forests of Arunachal Pradesh. Bhediya carries a visual appeal that does full justice to the beauty of Northeast India and its landscapes. A sequence where Kriti takes Varun inside the forests to explore its natural beauty is breath-taking and so beautifully shot. The VFX and special effects are stunning and on par with some of the best ones seen in Indian cinema.

The way Bhediya delivers an important message of man-animal conflict without getting preachy even for a bit, impressed me the most. Not just that, there's a very clever mention and discussion around stereotyping of people from the Northeast as 'Chinese' and 'outsiders', which fits so organically in the story and makes you think. There's a scene where Jomin calls out people for generalising all Northeast people as 'Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee ka bachha', expecting them to know Kung-Fu. He makes a strong point when he says, 'being weak at speaking Hindi doesn't make me any less of an Indian'. And in these seemingly intense scenes also, the aptly placed humour just lightens up the mood.

Sachin-Jigar's music is decent, but not all songs leave a mark. Jungle Mein Kaand makes you groove for its peppy music, Baaki Sab Theek is interesting with the quirky rap. Background score is extremely on-point and creates an impact in the jump-scare moments.

Bhediya packs a punch with a lot of impressive elements and is worth watching on the big screen experience for the experience it creates and the messages it gives. Of course, some fine performances and hilarious dialogues would make for a memorable watch.

Bhediya Director: Amar Kaushik Cast: Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Bannerjee, Deepak Dobriyal, Paalin Kabak

• Varun Dhawan
• Kriti Sanon

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Bhediya Movie Review: Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon’s werewolf drama is a howling entertainer

Varun dhawan and kriti sanon's bhediya hit the theatres today, november 25. the film, directed by amar kaushik, is a pucca entertainer with minor shortcomings, says our review..

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• Bhediya hit the theatres on November 25.
• The film stars Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon in lead roles.
• The werewolf drama is directed by Amar Kaushik.

Cast & Crew

Varun Dhawan Actor

Kriti Sanon Actor

Release Date: 25 Nov, 2022

It’s a full moon night. His heart races faster than a bullet train. Soon, his human form is transformed into a four-legged creature. The wolf’s howl can be heard from miles away. These scenes are etched in the mind of anyone who’s either watched the hard-to-miss Twilight series of the early 2000s or been a fan of the genre and watched everything from An American Werewolf in London in the 80’s to our very own desi spin-off Junoon where Rahul Roy metamorphoses into a full grown tiger!

So, when you have a legacy to live up to and a genre that’s such a fan favourite, it is a risk when you set off to make a werewolf movie in 2022. One, the VFX in today’s age is on another level. Second, the audience has already seen every possible shapeshifter or werewolf movie or a TV show. This means, apart from your A-list star cast, the majority of the responsibility of pulling this off lies with the writers and the VFX team. Varun Dhawan’s Bhediya is an indigenous attempt to pay tribute to a very western narrative and genre. Does it manage to create a dent in an already overcrowded room or does it end up being just another brick in the wall? Let’s find out.

The plot of Bhediya is a blend of folklore with a twist. Apart from picking up threads from the werewolf universe, the story also sends a strong message about the environmental damage our forests are facing. Bhaskar (Varun Dhawan) goes to the scenic dense forests of Arunachal to build a road. But little does he realise that his decision to cut down trees and change the topology of the region will start causing mayhem and destruction, leading to some freak deaths. Bhaskar isn’t alone in his task. His two sidekicks - JD (Abhishek Banerjee) and Joe (Paalin Kabak) join him on this mission. The kahani mei twist moment comes when Bhaskar gets bitten by a wolf, giving the narrative its supernatural punch by turning into a werewolf every full moon night. With this, comes the challenge of not only stopping his transformation but also ensuring he doesn’t end up murdering people in the neighbouring areas.

Amar Kaushik’s Bhediya goes beyond being just another sci-fi werewolf thriller. He smartly uses this opportunity to create a universe where he blends the storylines and characters from his previous franchise - Stree, and opens up the doors of many possibilities in future. Despite having a bonafide Bollywood A-lister at its core, what stands out in Bhediya is the visual experience it offers. Full marks to Jishnu Bhattacharjee for paying a fitting tribute to the scenic locales of Arunachal Pradesh. The VFX is perhaps one of the best works we have seen in a Hindi film in a very long time. For Bhediya to work, the werewolf has to not only look menacing but also convincingly real. The graphics team aces this and Varun’s first major transformation moment into Bhediya is a big highlight of the film.

Performances feel genuine and Kaushik’s USP of infusing humour and wit at the right moments helps in keeping the narrative engaging and entertaining. Varun Dhawan is the soul of Bhediya. It’s not just the bones crackling and tail popping that impresses, but his vulnerability, his fear of what he’s becoming leaves a lasting mark too. Abhishek Banerjee’s dialogue delivery and his comic timing are the second-best thing about Bhediya. This actor can absolutely pull anything off. Paalin Kabak represents the local talent and throws in some moments that actually highlight some important issues, like being insensitive when visiting a place or casually using words and phrases without knowing what they mean. Kriti Sanon’s chemistry with Varun looks good on screen, but we wish she had more to do in the film. I am guessing the filmmakers have kept her for a follow-up project into the franchise.

Bhediya’s werewolf act isn’t perfect and has several issues. One being the long first half, takes too much time to cut to the chase and introduce us to the wolf. The second being, the somewhat preachy and over-the-top messages on conservation that at times get in the way of the story picking up pace. Also, the genre isn’t really new. If you have seen Hollywood films or TV shows, you know what to expect from a werewolf film. The film also could open conversations about certain scenes being similar.

But if you leave aside these flaws, the rugged wolf on the full moon night is a howling entertainer. Watch this in 3D to get the full bang for your buck.

‘Bhediya’ Review: Overlong Bollywood Werewolf Comedy Delivers Powerful Environmental Message

A road work contractor's plans to destroy the jungles of Northeastern India are foiled by a werewolf in an entertaining creature feature with plenty of laughs.

By Naman Ramachandran

Naman Ramachandran

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Horror-comedy has held Indian audiences in thrall since the early 2000s, with more than 100 films in the genre being released. Amar Kaushik’s “ Bhediya ” (literally “wolf”), Bollywood’s first creature comedy, despite its punishing length, is a terrifically entertaining romp through the jungles of Northeastern India that delivers pro-environment and anti-racism messages and also has the potential to become a franchise.

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The accent in “Bhediya” is more on the often juvenile and sometimes scatological comedy than the creatures. When the creatures do appear, it is a triumph of top notch visual effects, executed by the team that also worked on blockbuster “RRR” at London’s MPC. Performances are excellent throughout with Dhawan and Sanon carrying the film with ease, but the standout is Banerjee, an actor who can pull off psychopaths and bumbling comics with equal felicity and timing.

With a running time of more than two and a half hours, the film overstays its welcome, compounded by the traditional Bollywood speed breakers of song and dance and romantic interludes, which periodically interrupt the werewolf tale plot. There are a couple of MCU-style Easter eggs in the end credits and the second of them places “Bhediya” squarely in the “Stree” universe. A franchise surely beckons.

Reviewed International Film Festival of India, Goa, Nov. 26, 2022. Running time: 152 MIN.

• Production: (India) Jio Studios & Dinesh Vijan presentation of a Maddock Films Prod. production.
• Crew: Director: Amar Kaushik. Screenplay: Niren Bhatt. Camera: Jishnu Bhattacharjee. Editor: Sanyukta Kaza. Music: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya.
• With: Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee, Deepak Dobriyal, Paalin Kabaak.

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Bhediya movie review: This Varun Dhawan-Kriti Sanon rumble in the jungle is quite the romp

Bhediya movie review: varun dhawan does a good job of aligning with the tone of the film-- the horror is pretty much ‘naam-ke-vaaste’, comedy is what it is interested in and does it well..

Bhediya movie cast:   Varun Dhawan, Abhishek Banerjee, Paalin Kabak, Deepak Dobriyal, Kriti Sanon Bhediya movie director: Amar Kaushik Bhediya movie rating: 3 stars

Humans turning into werewolves is such a familiar trope that the thought of seeing yet another version wasn’t making me jump: I’m happy to report that much of ‘ Bhediya ’, in which a principal character turns into an ‘icchha-dhaari’ wolf, is really enjoyable.

And very scenic at that: the film has been shot in Arunachal Pradesh, the gorgeous Northeast state which hasn’t yet been trampled upon by tourists. On a mission to build a road that cuts right through a lush forest, Bhaskar Sharma ( Varun Dhawan ) finds himself turning into a werewolf, you know, the creature that bays at the full moon, howls reverberating through the valley. Bhaskar’s companions, Guddu (Abhishek Banerjee) and Jomin (Paalin Kabak) do the stunned-horrified-now-what-to-do number, even as a local veterinarian ( Kriti Sanon ) shoves suspicious injections into Bhaskar’s rear, a body part that yields itself to a never-ending string of juvenile jokes.

In fact, juvenalia reigns supreme pretty much throughout the film. Much of the humour takes the scatological route, finding its jollies in, literally, people sitting on the pot, excrement, and the sights and smells thereof. Janardan, performing the hero’s BFF/sidekick, clowns well, and so determined is he that we will laugh at his antics, that we succumb.

Dhawan does a good job of aligning with the tone of the film — the horror is pretty much ‘naam-ke-vaaste’, comedy is what it is interested in—and gets several occasions for a detailed turnover, from human to werewolf, even if the creature swings between looking scarily real to one which is constructed-by-graphics. Back flexing, hair spouting, tail sprouting, teeth sharpening– the CGI guys are clearly having a good time. So is Dhawan, who puts his ability to not take himself seriously to use, and that works to the advantage of the film.

Of course, the whole point of ‘Bhediya’ is to show Bhaskar and his pals the error of their callous ways, and we get several underlined speeches about ‘prakriti’ and ‘progress’, and the importance of conserving forests and nature. But the characters mouthing these lines manage to not sound preachy, and part of that’s got to do with a local fellow (Deepak Dobriyal, nearly unrecognisable in a shaggy wig) who acts as a bridge between these misguided citified guys, and the people of region who care for their environment. The film also slips in a few lectures about racism: ignoramuses from North India will call a local chowmein, at least once, and make fun of ‘outsiders’ before learning their lesson.

The film does falter in never quite figuring out quite what it wants to do with its sole female character, even in her relatively meagre arc: when Sanon is introduced, as a fumbling ‘jaanwar ka doctor’, we are encouraged to laugh at her, and the script takes its own sweet time to rectify that initial reaction. It also goes overboard in terming the locals superstitious, saying ‘yahaan toh aise hi hota hai’: an ‘ojha’ shows up to unpack the myth of the werewolf, and the shamanesque picturisation comes this close to caricature.

But again, the film pulls back, right in time, with a well-judged potty-mouthed line or two, and its characters bumbling about like silly idiots to some zippy tracks. This is where the film is surest, and this is where director Amar Kaushik is most confident, given that he’s given us similar characters in his earlier ‘Stree’, and ‘Bala’. And given that these guys are on screen most of the time, peak silly idiocy performed with sureness is pretty much what we get. A couple of moving moments, shared between Sanon and Dhawan, break the ha-ha-hee-hee, and provide a bit of depth. But so determined is the film to not get ‘serious’, that those moments come and go, making you wish there were more of them.

Clocking 2.36 hours, ‘Bhediya’ starts wearing out its welcome around its stretched-out climax. But when the going is good, this rumble in the jungle is quite a romp.

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Bhediya Review: Varun Dhawan's Film Is Helped Along By Lively Performances

Bhediya review: kriti sanon has comparatively limited footage but does all that it takes not to be swamped out of the picture..

Varun Dhawan in Bhediya . (courtesy: maddockfilms )

Cast: Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee and Deepak Dobriyal

Director: Amar Kaushik

Rating: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

The Stree duo of producer Dinesh Vijan and director Amar Kaushik reunite to deliver a film that is substantially more than just yet another horror-comedy. It is in certain ways in the same zone as the 2018 film but is markedly different in spirit, substance and style.

It makes room for scepticism but blends that with a substantial degree of earnestness and teasing humour that prevent the film from losing its way in the sort of baffling convolutions that ruined Maddock Films' previous offering, Roohi .

Bhediya , toplined by Varun Dhawan exploring the power of a wild transmogrification, rests primarily on the consequences of the human-animal conflict - it plays out in a tangible yet fairy tale-like setting where the fantastical and the real intermingle. However, as the story unfolds, it hits its straps and lets other essential themes find their way in.

The director, working with a screenplay by Niren Bhatt, not only dovetails an environmental conservation message into a folksy storyline but also dwells upon questions of language, identity and culture with dashes of robust comicality thrown in for the purpose of livening up a debate of great significance.

Bhediya does a generally successful balancing act between farce and fable. The latter is rooted firmly in local myths and legends. A 120-year-old shaman is a key character who brings to the equation the role that traditional knowledge and beliefs play in the lives of people who have been sustained by hills and forests for generations.

Parts of the film could certainly have done with some trimming, but, overall, the director sustains an unwavering grip on the tone and tenor of the narrative, which allows Bhediya to wrest from the audience a willing suspension of disbelief, which is obviously absolutely essential for a film that rides on free-flowing notions that might be easy to dismiss as avoidable argle-bargle.

The film's technical attributes - led by the mood-setting lighting and lensing (by cinematographer Jishnu Bhattacharjee) and the evocative production design - are of a high order. Especially impressive are the visual effects in the pivotal scenes that show the process of the protagonist transforming into a wolf and acquiring the ability and strength to leap over all hurdles.

The cast of Bhediya includes Abhishek Banerjee, who was one of the three friends in Stree who encounter a beautiful apparition who spells preternatural trouble for men. In an end-credits scene, Bhediya acknowledges its debt to Stree , the film that inaugurated Maddock Films' horror-comedy universe that now seems to be well-nigh back on course after the forgettable and wayward Roohi detour.

Bhediya reworks the conventions of the genre to craft the story of a forest facing the threat of denudation in the name of development. The film would have had far greater thrust had it been a tad shorter. But despite a runtime of more than two and a half hours, the plot elements that it puts together form a cohesive whole without overly straining credulity.

In the popular imagination, perpetuated doubtless by genre cinema and tales we have been told for decades, a bhediya is a dreaded animal, a wild predator that has never made peace with humankind. In this film, the creature is granted surprisingly positive prospects that let the benign and the fearsome coexist and create space for ambiguities in our responses to the animal's violent depredations.

To be sure, the wolf isn't native to the part of the world where Bhediya is set. But this isn't a film that is aiming for absolute factual veracity. Located in a fantasy world, the wild animal is given a mythical cloak to justify its presence in the wilds of Arunachal. The creature is a jungle beast, a sort of wild dog with very sharp fangs that can do great damage to humans, and, more important than anything else, a warning sign for votaries of development that does not take ecological concerns into consideration.

A road construction contractor from Delhi, Bhaskar (Varun Dhawan), arrives in the Arunachal Pradesh town of Ziro in the company of his slow-witted cousin Janardhan (Abhishek Banerjee). He has a blueprint that maps out the dimensions of a proposed infrastructure project that he has reasons to believe will transform the place completely.

The Delhi duo is joined by a local point person Jomin (NSD alumnus Paalin Kabak in his first film role), whose job is to help the outsiders convince the local populace about the pressing need for a new road through the forest. That is easier said than done.

Bhediya represents the clash between tradition and so-called modernity through a clear and understandable divide between the town elders who regard the forest as a sacred space and the younger population addicted to consumerist inducements that depend on technology and electronic gadgets.

The wolf bite that throws Bhaskar's plans into total disarray is the centrepiece of this allegory about the greed for greenbacks and the depletion of green covers and about mankind's enormous capacity to harm the environment. It triggers panic among the townspeople. A police outpost swings into action but the cops are up against a phenomenon that they can barely explain, let alone crack.

Bhaskar and his friends - among them are Panda (Deepak Dobriyal), a Nainital native who has lived in Arunachal Pradesh all his life and is suspected of being swayed by ulterior motives, and Anika (Kriti Sanon), a veterinarian who has no option but to treat Bhaskar although the complicated case is well out of her league - are stopped in their tracks as the mystifying and fatal attacks by the wolf multiply.

One important thread that runs through Bhediya centres on Janardhan's attitude to the place and its people. Insensitive to the feelings of Jomin, he cracks casual jokes at the latter's expense, ridiculing his Hindi and making offensive presumptions.

The casual verbal indiscretions threaten to drive a wedge between the Delhi boys and the local guy and become a key strand of the story. The resolution takes its time in coming, but when it does the script sums up the situation and its repercussions forcefully, if only in a way that is a touch too in your face.

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Bhediya , both enjoyable and thought-provoking, is helped along by lively performances. Varun Dhawan gives the unconventional role his best shot. Abhishek Banerjee and Paalin Kabak are terrific as much with their comic timing as with their dramatic flourishes. Kriti Sanon has comparatively limited footage but does all that it takes not to be swamped out of the picture.

Bhediya , thanks to the inventive and intriguing ways that it adopts with a genre that has spawned many a movie over the decades from Paul Schrader's Cat People and John Landis' An American Werewolf in London to (closer home) Rajkumar Kohli's Jaani Dushman and Mahesh Bhatt's Junoon (both which find a mention in this film), has a own unique footprint that makes watchable all the way.

Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee and Deepak Dobriyal

Amar Kaushik

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‘Bhediya’ Review: Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon’s Creature Comedy Isn’t ‘Stree’ But It Howls Alright

Growing up as the 90s or early 2000s kid meant falling in love with a 104 years old vampire and then being torn over liking a teenager with anger issues and shape-shifting abilities. Our teenage years were also wasted on choosing the right Salvatore brothers and every supernatural show and movie with attractive actors. That was the appeal the American films and shows included to attract our underdeveloped minds and we were a sucker for those. Here in India, we got Naagin as the most famous show that plays on the themes of the supernatural. Not to forget Jaani Dushman and Junoon that redefined how shapeshifting works albeit not for the best. However, Stree was released in 2018 and the horror-comedy genre witnessed a new ray of hope. The critically acclaimed Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor starrer was unlike anything the Indian audience witnessed in the past in the creative genre of horror-comedy. After the huge success of Stree , Amar Kaushik returned with another gamble in the same genre with Bhediya with Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon as leads. So, did the director succeed in extending Stree 's success and its legacy in the movie that took place in the same universe? Find out below.

From vampires to werewolves, filmmakers across the world (Especially western) have been fascinated with these supernatural creatures. You don't have to be a movie junkie to name a handful of ventures that have explored the bloodsuckers and shapeshifter tropes. Not only films but this genre is popular among bookworms as well. Considering the big impact of this trope on pop culture, it is quite surprising and frankly, disappointing, that it was seldom explored in Indian cinema.

Looks like Amar Kaushik came with the intent to change that very thing. The third instalment in Dinesh Vijan's horror-comedy universe that includes Stree and Roohi , Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon's Bhediya emerges as the winner of the werewolf sub-genre in Indian cinema (Even though it has no competition whatsoever). The story is as classic as it gets. A man bitten by a wolf finds himself transforming into one on a full moon night. However, in this tale, Amar Kaushik fused the local folklore about a shapeshifter. Dismissed as merely a rumour, the people of Ziro find themselves being attacked by one.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by VarunDhawan (@varundvn)

Varun Dhawan as Bhaskar Sharma truly redefined his image in Bollywood after this performance. From extreme aggression to impeccable comic timing, the actor shone through and through in every scene. Not only did he get into an incredible shape to resemble a strong shapeshifter, but he also blended comic and fear well.

Not gonna lie, I did not have many expectations from Kriti Sanon's Dr Anika Mittal, you can blame it on the trauma of watching every lead actress being sidelined in hero-centric films. However, I should've known better than to doubt Niten Bhatt's talent who evidently spent a good amount of time working on every major character.

Whoever decided to cast Abhishek Banerjee in Bhediya either needs a raise or needs to cast every funny yet dorky character in Bollywood henceforth. Having him solely shoulder the responsibility of providing comic relief between the rather intense scenes was a genius move; it helped balance out the horror-comedy factor of the movie. His character was well-written with remnants of his character from Stree which was certainly a treat for ardent fans.

The film explored the scenic landscapes and local terrains of Arunachal Pradesh's Ziro and Sagalee—a crucial thing considering the entire movie was built on it. Over 70% of the cast hailed from Arunachal Pradesh. The magical essence of folklore and aeons-old traditions was sprinkled across the movie; do not miss the classic 'Bhediya Aaya' story Easter egg. The supernatural aspect was wonderfully explored.

The jump-scares were simply top tier, I reckon that is where Kaushik incorporated the horror aspect as the movie was rather lacking the gore despite having a man-eating animal for a protagonist. The music, dialogues and dance numbers added a Bollywood seasoning to the well-cooked mystical dish. Better not to discuss it and best to simply experience it.

After films like RRR and Brahmastra, Bhediya will hold strong against these two in the instances of comparisons. The VFX team included international artists from across the world. Commendably, they did justice to the local beauty and maintained its essence even while digitally enhancing it. Bhediya is a serene visual delight; a much-needed refreshing approach to VFX in Bollywood.

The Varun Dhawan starrer also came at the right time in Bollywood . One of the biggest films of 2022, the Kannada thriller Kantara director and writer Rishab Shetty stressed bringing regional stories and folklore to the big screen. India has been dubbed the land of stories, with every corner and pocket filled to the brim with plots and twists. The only thing left to do is get our creative minds to work to explore them. Amar Kaushik did exactly that.

Another aspect that is worth mentioning and praising is the representation of the Northeast's struggles. From acceptance to discrimination, the characters and scenes subtly addressed the major issues faced by the people of Northeast in India. Filmmakers can learn a thing or two from Bhediya about exploring such parts of India that have copious potential.

However, by the time we reach the second-half, I found myself being eager to know how the story ended. Thanks to my mediocre-borderline-terrible skills in predicting plots, the eagerness to know the end was overpowering my senses. Calling a few scenes unnecessary would be an overstatement. However, between running through the vast jungles and relishing Varun Dhawan's incredible physique, the journey of Bhediya felt rather long.

Although Kriti Sanon's character was impactful and essential to the story, the lack of a back story felt like a missing piece of a puzzle. The ending appeared as non-sensical in lieu of unpredictable . Instead of the aforementioned dragged scenes, a cool backstory of the shapeshifters would have added a more magical feel to the storyline. However, I have high hopes for Dinesh Vijan's horror-comedy universe and believe that it would not be complete before coming to a full circle.

America had its fun with Twilight, Vampire Diaries and Teen Wolf. We thank Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon for giving us Bhediya to fangirl over. Although it's no Edward and Bella epic love story but as a viewer who enjoys cinema, Amar Kaushik managed to amalgamate thrill and supernatural with everything we love about Bollywood.

Will I forgo my fascination with American werewolves after watching Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon's Bhediya ? Most probably not. But would I gather my friends and family to watch the visual treat by Amar Kaushik and Maddock Films? Yes. Would I rave about finally getting a werewolf sub-genre movie in Bollywood that is actually good? Definitely, yes.

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Bhediya Movie Review : Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon's werewolf film has its heart at the right place

Updated Nov 25, 2022, 18:32 IST

Bhediya Movie Review: Varun Dhawan's werewolf film has layers of interpretation, making it an captivating watch (Pic: Twitter)

• Bhediya Director: Amar Kaushik
• Bhediya Cast: Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee, Paalin Kabak, Deepak Dobriyal
• Bhediya Movie Rating: 3.5/5 stars

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Bhediya Movie Review

Bhediya Devesh Sharma , Nov 25, 2022, 11:41 IST

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Bhediya movie review: Horror comedy that marginalises the people of Arunachal while opposing marginalisation

Varun Dhawan has natural comic timing but Bhediya’s best lines go to Abhishek Banerjee who outshines everyone else in a film that dilutes the impact of its theme by being consistently inconsistent.

Cast: Varun Dhawan, Abhishek Banerjee, Kriti Sanon, Paalin Kabaak, Deepak Dobriyal, Saurabh Shukla  

Director: Amar Kaushik

Language: Hindi

How do you marginalise the people of already marginalised communities, while opposing their marginalisation with what appear to be positive intentions? For a guide to doing so, watch Bhediya (Wolf).

The film takes its title from the beast at the centre of its plot. It is set in India’s North-East, a region that Hindi cinema visits only rarely, and then too usually to exoticise and other its people, sometimes – as in this case – simultaneously criticising that exoticisation and othering. Bhediya looks set to be different in an early scene in which the hero, Bhaskar (played by Varun Dhawan), rolls his eyes at his cousin Janardan (Abhishek Banerjee) for his ignorance about the North-East at large. So far so good, but shortly thereafter, a racist “chowmein” joke is written into the script, signalling the inconsistency that remains consistent throughout the politics of the rest of the narrative.

The story is set in Arunachal Pradesh, which Bhaskar a.k.a. Bhaski visits as a representative of a construction company that plans to build a road through forest areas. Janardan a.k.a. JD accompanies him. Their associate among the locals is a youngster called Jomin (Paalin Kabaak). There’s also the enigmatic Panda ji (Deepak Dobriyal) who is originally from north India but is now rooted in his life in Arunachal. Jomin often dismisses Panda as an outsider although we see this man from the start batting for the state and siding with the Apatani tribals’ concerns about environmental preservation, while Jomin strategises with Bhaskar to combat the Apatanis’ objections.

As you already know from the trailer, Bhaskar is bitten by a wolf one night and is transformed into a man-eating, shape-shifting animal, making this an apt addition to the filmography of Amar Kaushik who rose to prominence by directing another horror comedy, 2018’s lovely Stree written by Raj and DK. Bhediya is written by Niren Bhatt who wrote the director’s 2019 film Bala with Ayushmann Khurrana.

There’s a clear and simple balance sheet that can be drawn up for Bhediya . The 3D works. The CGI, prosthetics, lighting and action are impressive. The sound design by Kunal Sharma is understated. The music by Sachin-Jigar is lively when it is not being appropriately haunting. The background score matches the film’s most ruminative moments especially when it is overlaid on stunning views of Arunachal’s landscapes captured strikingly by DoP Jishnu Bhattacharjee’s camera. Bhediya is also often funny. It stumbles and tumbles over relentlessly though in its representation of the people of Arunachal, thus vastly diluting the impact of its arguments on ecological degradation. While this is its overriding flaw, there’s also occasional sloppy editing, the blandness of its sole primary woman character, a completely contrived culmination of her journey in the plotline, and an embarrassingly pointless epilogue involving the stars of Stree .

Among the film’s comedic elements, Abhishek Banerjee reigns supreme. The actor makes his JD downright hilarious, carrying forward the brilliance he brought to his pivotal role in Stree . This is why it is particularly unfortunate that the slur mentioned above is assigned to him. While it is true that the remark is typical of JD, the film falters in its tone in this scene, walking a tricky balance that leaves it unclear what its own stance is on a word that is so widely used in the real world to insult individuals from the North-East. The fuzziness in this moment stands out because of the clarity in other scenes in which JD is being racist. The monologue Jomin gets to deliver late in the film, decrying JD’s prejudice and the prejudice of Indians in general, comes a bit too long after a slur has been exploited to elicit laughs from viewers.

Varun Dhawan has a natural flair for comedy, and his Bhaski is often amusing too, but Bhediya ’s best lines go to Abhishek who outshines everyone and everything else in this film. His comic timing is so impeccable that he even somehow manages to overshadow the juvenility of a scene that zooms in on faecal matter.

Paalin Kabaak who plays Jomin is sweet and has a likeable screen presence. Deepak Dobriyal is not given the space that an artiste of his immense skill merits, but is effective wherever he is present. Kriti Sanon hovers in the background through most of Bhediya . Although her Anika turns out to be crucial to the proceedings, the role does not give her enough meat to sink her teeth into and showcase herself.

The fact that Anika is the only identifiable woman in Bhediya is ironic considering that one of the characters says at an important juncture in the storyline that the female is the most powerful in every species. Powerful yet not worthy of substantial roles in human-made films, I guess.

Equally ironic and disappointing is the truth that Bhediya is not the first film in this world to sideline characters from social groups sidelined in reality, even while purportedly being about those communities. Bhediya is set in Arunachal, but the only principal character from Arunachal, Jomin, is an ally of the marauding intruder who wishes to destroy the state’s natural wealth. He is lectured on loyalty to the land by Panda, a non-Arunachali who is from India’s most politically dominant region, the Hindi belt. The other characters from Arunachal are indistinguishable from each other, hanging around to manipulate or be manipulated or be a part of crowd shots, while centrality and agency rest throughout with Hindi bhaashis . The protector of this paradise is revealed to be someone who is definitely not from the North-East, and this person leaves Arunachal in the care of another who too is a Hindi bhaashi .

All the noble intentions in the world and even Abhishek Banerjee’s comedic genius cannot compensate for such mindlessness. Stree worked not only because of its sense of humour, but because it had a firm understanding of its own politics, a quality that Bhediya does not possess.

Rating: 2.5 (out of 5 stars)  

This review was first published in November 2022 when Bhediya was in theatres. The film is now streaming on Jio Cinema.

Anna M.M. Vetticad is an award-winning journalist and author of The Adventures of an Intrepid Film Critic. She specialises in the intersection of cinema with feminist and other socio-political concerns. Twitter: @annavetticad, Instagram: @annammvetticad, Facebook: AnnaMMVetticadOfficial

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Bhediya Reviews

Bhediya is a horror comedy that is neither scary nor funny. It's a silly werewolf movie where a 'surprise reveal' is too easy to predict. The visual effects in Bhediya are overrated and can't make up for a weak story with too many plot holes.

Full Review | Dec 12, 2022

Silly, stylish, surprisingly poignant...

Full Review | Dec 2, 2022

The film’s creature effects and computer generated imagery is excellent.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 29, 2022

Dhawan display heroic levels of commitment to a film that doesn’t trust its audiences or its own animal instinct enough.

Full Review | Nov 29, 2022

Something of a celebratory stain...

The Amar Kaushik directorial is an immersive experience with intense but funny dialogues and clever writing.

Neither scary nor consistently funny...

Kriti Sanon has comparatively limited footage but does all that it takes not to be swamped out of the picture.

On another level, the film reminds us of our animal instincts and how there could be a bhediya in all of us. But how we wish to unleash it, for better or worse, is up to us.

Varun Dhawan does a good job of aligning with the tone of the film-- the horror is pretty much ‘naam-ke-vaaste’, comedy is what it is interested in and does it well.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 29, 2022

A terrifically entertaining romp through the jungles of Northeastern India that delivers pro-environment and anti-racism messages and also has the potential to become a franchise.

Full Review | Nov 27, 2022

Bhediya is an easy, entertaining, watch.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 26, 2022

How do you marginalise the people of already marginalised communities, while opposing their marginalisation with what appear to be positive intentions? For a guide to doing so, watch Bhediya.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Nov 26, 2022

Bhediya Review: Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon Film Deserves Full Marks For Originality

In all, 'bhediya' starring varun dhawan, kriti sanon, abhishek banerjee is a mad ride of a horror-comedy which feels different in the current climate of remakes, thrillers and period dramas. .

Amar Kaushik

Varun Dhawan Kriti Sanon Abhishek Banerjee Paalin Kabak Deepak Dobriyal

New Delhi: 'Bhediya' starring Varun Dhawan, Abhishek Banerjee, Paalin Kabak, Deepak Dobriyal, and Kriti Sanon deserves full marks for originality. The Amar Kaushik directorial has the right slant of comedy with rootedness though the horror is not so apparent in this horror-comedy flick.

'Bhediya' opens with a narration of the Wolf and the Seven Lambs story from Panchtantra which introduces Sharad Kalkar in a marginal role only to be eaten by a werewolf. Like the Panchatantra story, the film is filled with such folklore references, drawing upon the legacy of oral cultures, traditions and storytelling. And, that is why 'Bhediya' manages to land like its predecessor film 'Stree'.

'Bhediya' is about Varun Dhwan ( Bhaskar or Bhasky) getting bit by a werewolf in Arunachal when he is on a project to get a road built through the forests of Ziro. His friends played by Abhishek Banerjee, Paalin Kabak help him through this journey. 

The film is set in the Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh where the cold-windy-wintry landscape changes the colour palette to toned down shades of blue and gray. Makers of 'Bhediya' also obviously make use of the Ziro Music Festival reference but superimpose the Bollywood element overshadowing a small moment which may have thrown some light on the festival.

However, there is a specific background score dedicated to Ziro everytime untoward incidents of animal attacks happen in the film. This score complimented by showing the pristine landscape and untouched beauty of the Arunachal Pradesh is always contradicted with the larger question of 'representation'. Who gets to represent whom, whose story is being told, us ( North Indians) v/s they( people from Arunachal Pradesh and the North East in general), why the burden on the North Indian to emancipate people from the tribal belt in the forests of Ziro etc. etc. ( Interstingly, 'Bhediya' stars Paalin from the North East and Deepak Dobriyal's charcter ( Panda) from Nainital to root the story and create the interchangeable boundary between us and them)

Because, 'Bhediya' tends to raise such questions, the film does a commendable job text wise but when it unsuccessfully tries to answer those questions and bring a closure and right every wrong etc, it gets too muddled up. Scenes with no meaning are sprinkled in the film which do not further the narrative at all. For instance; why does every theatrical release have to have an opening sequence song? Should we not move past formula conventions after such dramatic changes in the human psyche in the last couple of years.

Even though the filmmaker is trying to establish a die-for-each-other-kind-friendship between Varun, Abhishek and Paalin's character after this long road-trip song from Guwahati, the 'Baaki Sab Theek' opening sequence track is a cringe fit. It may be a good  independently outside the film but not in it. Likewise, the 'Jungle Mein Kaand' song does not land.

What you may like about the film is the pace. 'Bhediya' does not waste time in the nitty-gritties and gets straight to the point of Bhaskar getting bit by a werewolf and the aftermath in the form of the film.

The gradual unfolding of sequences which throw light on the aftermath of the human body and its transition on being bitten, the element of tribal folklore which worships the werewolf figure as a protector( bhishanu) of the forest, the 120-year old ojha, a veterinary surgeon (Kriti Sanon) who talks about the fine line between nature and culture etc. are all done in a commendable fashion.

What doesn't stick is the filmmaker's itch to follow and establish the leading character of the film Bhaskar played by Varun Dhawan. Perhaps, since the film is based on Bhaskar, the attempt could be excused but 'Bhediya' does tend to get carried away with the nuances with which it projects the many changes in Varun's character after being bitten by a Bhediya. Though there is the right balance of show and tell, the film does feel long though not less entertaining.

While the pre-interval film is everything fresh, interesting and on a forward march, the post-interval 'Bhediya' feels long. 

The screenplay begins to deliver eternal truths, politically correct jargon and answering questions and correcting the wrongs ( like preconceived notions about the people of North East), or keeping the sanctity of the jungle and keeping a balance between nature and vikas ( progress not at the cost of exploiting nature and thus causing human suffering in the form of deadly virus or animal attacks).

While all this is good and much needed, especially the way the film throws light on the insatiable human need of conquest and the blind thirst for materialistic possessions, 'Bhediya' becomes too much tell and less show.

The weird transition of Bhaskar into Bhediya by drawing onto the power of the jungle and becoming one with it is a banal scene, totally avoidable. The recollection from the romantic track 'Apna Bana Le' could have helped Bhaskar in this sequence.

The climax likewise is stretched and over-the-top dramatic. It could have easily been cut down to remove extra seconds and scenes like the fight between humans and werewolves etc. The editing feels lazy especially when long shots could have been cut and montage used to heighten very many moments of horror, comedy. love etc.

Because of the way 'Bhediya' is stuffed with the 'newness of concept', there is not much experimentation with the form. However, Varun transitioning to werewolf scenes are well executed.

In terms of actor performances, Varun Dhawan, Deepak Dobriyal, Paalin Kabak, Abhishek Banerjee, all shine in their parts. Kriti Sanon does not have much role in the film even though she holds central importance in the story.

Nevertheless, Varun Dhawan tries in earnest to prove that he is an actor with great mettle and his honesty shines in 'Bhediya'.

Lastly, the design of 'Bhediya' stands out. Not only does it contribute to the narrative, it also roots the story in the context it is set in. At least, I felt fully convinced that something like this could happen the way it does. 

The music of 'Bhediya' also suits the genre though sometimes over-the-top and melodic in scenes to contrast the horror and comic element reminding one of the horror soaps of the early 2000s like 'Aahat', 'Ssshhhh...Koi Hai' etc.

In all, 'Bhediya' is a mad ride of a horror-comedy which feels different in the current climate of remakes, thrillers and period dramas. 

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Bhediya Review: Howlarious!

Bhediya is an easy, entertaining, watch, applauds Sukanya Verma.

We've come a long way since Amrish Puri and Rahul Roy's farcically feral transformation into predators in Jaani Dushman and Junoon . More than the horror, it's the unintended humour it gave rise to that enjoys a place of pride in our collective guilty pleasure.

Decades later arrives Bhediya , a creature feature boasting of a lot more sophisticated technology yet self-aware enough to let loose the inherent B-movie characterising this genre.

What comes off is an easy, entertaining, watch.

Like his previous films, meaningful conversations cloaked in merriment dictate Director Amar Kaushik's vision. Where Stree 's feminism and Bala 's beauty standards elevated it above a comedy of zesty zingers, Bhediya 's cautionary tale, penned by Niren Bhatt, juggles between serious and parody.

Werewolf is uncharted territory in Bollywood.

Equally infrequent are its trips to the north east of India.

Earlier this year, Anubhav Sinha's Anek tried and failed to communicate the region's resentment and marginalisation.

Bhediya avoids political eye contact, a superficial nod to insurgency aside, but mildly acknowledges a disconnect between its own and the outside world with the arrival of Bhaskar, a dog-detesting, worldly-minded contractor (Varun Dhawan) from Delhi.

Conditioned for capitalism, he peddles a proposal for building a highway that runs through the lush jungles of Ziro, a gorgeous town bursting with postcard frames of pine hills and paddy fields.

While the young members of the community immediately lap up his 'nature nahi Netflix chahiye ' pitch, the seniors hold their green belt sacrosanct.

Wish Bhediya looked more into this internal conflict, especially when a youngster groans about prioritising conservation over taking offence about comparisons with China but Bhediya has far more furry and furious objectives in mind.

Karma comes to bite Bhaskar in the butt and triggers off a series of blood splattered trails across full moon nights and folklore filled jungles.

Buoyed by a Spider Man inspired score and a belated realisation that with great power comes great responsibility, Bhediya dives into its madcap mix of cure, curse and cops.

Kaushik's Stree hangover is obvious in Deepak Dobriyal's wilier reworking of the Pankaj Tripathi reluctant know-it-all as well as the troika of male friendships he invokes in the camaraderie shared by Dhawan, a scene-stealing Abhishek Banerjee, playing his nerdy, shuddh Hindi blathering cousin and resourceful local mate, newcomer Paalin Kabak.

While Dhawan goes through the beats of the tragicomic target, Banerjee and Kabak's banter addresses racism in a tone that shifts from light-hearted to sanctimonious as wildly as the hair spiking on their friend's back.

The CGI delivers a bang for your buck.

I watched Bhediya in 3D and flinched on more than one occasion.

The movie doesn't hold back on its gross appeal.

Chewed off bum, freshly flushed out poop, pythons sneaking up from a man's undies, suffice to say, I flinched a whole lot.

On the other side of the spectrum, Jishnu Bhattacharjee's sleek camerawork captures the emerald green landscapes and dangerous darkness in a seductively bluish green palette.

What Bhediya could have done without are the surplus songs -- barring Baaki Sab Theek modelled along Sab Khana Khake 's ( Jagga Jasoos ) chilled-out vibe -- that slackens the movie's pace and drags it to a needless two and a half hours.

When not werewolf-ing, Bhediya 's identity crisis spills over in outbursts of relentless racism faced by the north east or the eternal tussle of man versus wild in a rather sanctimonious manner.

Kriti Sanon's Princess Mononoke haired veterinarian evokes Hayao Miyazaki's mystical animation exploring environmentalism but excessive ambiguity robs her of leaving any real impact. There is merit in Kaushik's ideas, but he struggles to give them shape or form.

He is no outsider to the area. Kaushik spent some of his growing years in Arunachal Pradesh. His first short, Aaba , which won a National Award, was also shot in Ziro and revolved around members of its indigenous tribe.

Despite stereotypical imagery of culture concentrated in myths, folklore and mumbo jumbo, the gaze is always respectful. And exotic.

Bhediya was an opportunity for them to do so much more.

People of Arunachal offer enthusiastic participation and ethnic flavour to the storytelling but are relegated to a supporting role.

Once again, Delhi wallah s and their sassy humour get to have all the say.

Having said that, some of the jokes land truly well.

Never thought Himesh Reshamiya's howl would have a far more hilarious impact than Gulzar's Jungle Jungle Baat Chali Hai ( The Jungle Book ).

Abhishek Banerjee's one liners are a source of continuous mirth.

'Korean gaana chodke Prateek Kuhad suno ,' he says, keeping that straight face like only he can.

Paalin Kabak's mellow presence compliments him perfectly.

But it's the discontent bottled up inside that deserved a little more screen time.

Varun Dhawan ups his entertainer game exponentially in Bhediya .

Between a smooth talker channeling Anil Kapoor, ever the symbol for all things hirsute (as if to confirm the similarity, a character actually quips, 'Anil Kapoor ki tarah kyun chal raha hai ?' and a lycanthrope bewildered by the sudden shift in skin and status quo until compelled to preserve the only pair of pants he's left, the actor finds much to wag his tail about.

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Quick-fix, unnuanced writing skims over some social issues preachily. Tries hard to have its heart in the right place. Loses out on a relatively fresh and charming take that had the potential to appeal to the urban conscience.

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Bhediya has long stretches where nothing happens—and that nothing happens in a boring fashion. Leaving you a lot of time to wonder if Bhediya really has its heart in the right place or if it is pretending so. If it really meant well, in all that time, it could have built a better world that conveyed the message with conviction rather than with fear and/or easy, convenient mocking.

The development versus environment and indigenous population arguments come out in spurts.

Some of the jeering might make sense because of how true to life it is. For instance, the stereotyping of the manner in which urban Indian population in the rest of India think of and talk about Indians from the North-eastern states of India seems about right. But then, when it tries to have a conversation around how problematic it is, it shabbily ends in a similar ‘joke’. Why the discomfort in accepting that putting someone down is not funny? And if you can’t own up to your uneasiness, are you doing any good?

This discomfort is even more jarring because the film has a clear agenda. It wants to say our attitude towards those who aren’t like us is not right. It wants to say our definition of development needs to change. But at the micro level, Bhediya chooses to add details in very superficial ways. It doesn’t bother with nuances and suffices itself with portraying the most drawing-room-level discussions on screen. No, parents showing nose hair on video calls isn’t enough to capture the world it is building, even if it is based on very real life.

Bhediya is stuck between wanting to be close to real life and building a fantasy world. The ideation of this world seems to be restricted to the one-line description of man turns into a wolf. Any fantasy beyond that isn’t given enough thought. Just saying the wolf can do whatever it wishes doesn’t explain why it does what it does? Why do storms brew suddenly? How can they open a locked door but not a locked cage? And so on.

Bhediya wants to convey a messages and few, and it wants to do it with a dose of humour. Unfortunately, it relies heavily on slapstick right down to toilet humour and innuendo. All of it, unfunny. When it is not trying to be funny, it is delivering preachy monologues. The inconsistency with its arguments are made worse by the logical gaps in the situations. It is also predictable with its sub-plot like in the “Boy who cried wolf.” Situation or in the main twist of the film.

What then makes the film worth watching even ‘sommme’ day? The basic concept is endearing. Also, Varun Dhawan has put in his all. While the other cast with very good actors are more or less required to stick to slapstick, Kriti Sanon does well in the one scene she has to show a different facet of her character. But Varun Dhawan makes up for the rest. The first time he’s shown transforming completely, you could sense his character’s resistance to the transformation. He plays the confused and reluctant hero well too. That along with the prosthetic work and the CGI brings some thrill.

The development versus environment and indigenous population arguments come out in spurts. And some bits are stretched and repeated. Enough for you to wonder if they did a carbon footprint analysis of going into the forest to shoot the film versus doing it all on CGI.

- meeta, a part of the audience

23 reviewers ( ? ) - 9 yays 13 so-so 1 nays

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

Thumbs up, by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...lastly f; lim like Bhediya are best enjoyed in the theatre as a collective watch. Though I personally prefer 2D but it does have a few jump scares demanding a 3D watch. Hence do not wait for OTT release of the film missing the theatre ecperience.... full review

Thumbs up, by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare : ...The film’s creature effects and computer generated imagery is excellent. Cinematography and the background score are good as well. The film is a tad long and could have been better at a crisp 140 minutes. It does keep you in the laughs throughout and has an important message to convey. If nothing else, it’ll make you want to explore the pristine beauty of the North East for sure…... full review

Thumbs up, by Nitin Jain, galatta.com : ...Overall, the film reminds us of the ‘Bhediya’ in all of us that we exert for our selfish motives and benefits without considering the damage that we are doing. The film leaves you with an experience and a thought to ponder upon, maybe deeper than the forests of Ziro. Waste no time, this one is a must watch.... full review

Thumbs up, by On another level, the film reminds us of our anima, Hindustan Times : ...Sachin-Jigar's music is decent, but not all songs leave a mark. Jungle Mein Kaand makes you groove for its peppy music, Baaki Sab Theek is interesting with the quirky rap. Background score is extremely on-point and creates an impact in the jump-scare moments.... full review

Thumbs up, by Tushar P. Joshi, india today : ...But if you leave aside these flaws, the rugged wolf on the full moon night is a howling entertainer. Watch this in 3D to get the full bang for your buck.... full review

Thumbs up, by Mayank Shekhar, MiD DAY : ...man vs nature... Nope, greed’s not good — this wolf’s against Wall Street, you know… Baaki sab? More than theek thaak!... full review

Thumbs up, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...Bhediya, both enjoyable and thought-provoking, is helped along by lively performances. Varun Dhawan gives the unconventional role his best shot. Abhishek Banerjee and Paalin Kabak are terrific as much with their comic timing as with their dramatic flourishes. Kriti Sanon has comparatively limited footage but does all that it takes not to be swamped out of the picture.... full review

Thumbs up, by Sukanya Verma, Rediff : ...Varun Dhawan ups his entertainer game exponentially in Bhediya. Between a smooth talker channeling Anil Kapoor, ever the symbol for all things hirsute (as if to confirm the similarity, a character actually quips, 'Anil Kapoor ki tarah kyun chal raha hai?' and a lycanthrope bewildered by the sudden shift in skin and status quo until compelled to preserve the only pair of pants he's left, the actor finds much to wag his tail about.... full review

Thumbs up, by Dhaval Roy, Times of India : ...On another level, the film reminds us of our animal instincts and how there could be a bhediya in all of us. But how we wish to unleash it, for better or worse, is up to us. Beauty and the beast are all in us, we only have to look deep within. The film leaves you with an experience and a thought, maybe deeper than the forests of Ziro. So, set out and watch this one. For a howling good time, this one's worth a hike to the theatres. There's also a delightful surprise at the end. The film that releases in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu is best viewed in 3D.... full review

So-So, by Nikita Thakkar, Bollywood Life : ...Bhediya is a one-time watch film but only if you watch in 3D.... full review

So-So, by Rahul Desai, Film Companion : ...The big picture is the actual picture; broad daylight is the only colour tone. After all, the fury beneath the frolic matters. Otherwise, Bhediya is just a film with a penchant for fleshy narrative jackets. Otherwise it’s just a sheepish creature comedy in wolf’s clothing.... full review

So-So, by Prathyush Parasuraman, Film Companion : ...Our man Bhaskar, who needed to be bitten in his bum, transformed into an animal, fall in love with a mysterious vet with dense bangs, and have that snake in his pants stare him in the face, to realize — hey, cutting trees is not cool.... full review

So-So, by Rohit Bhatnagar, Free Press Journal : ...Overall, Bhediya is a good one-time popcorn entertainment and a decent distraction from the monotony.... full review

So-So, by Akansha Tiwari, India TV : ...Director Amar Kaushik has done a good job and has taken up the subject of the film well. There is a need to work on the matter of environment which is shown in the film. The weakest part of the film is its music. Sachin Jigar's music is not showing anything special. Hard work has been done in the background score but the songs of the film are average. A star of the film can only do its VFX, which is amazing.... full review

So-So, by Shilajit Mitra, indian express : ...It feels strange to say, but Bhediya is more forthright and observant about the everyday problems of the Northeastern states than the more politically-minded Anek some months ago. Bhaskar’s appeal to the villagers isn’t so much evil as a practical eventuality. He too, in time, finds a compromise.... full review

So-So, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...A couple of moving moments, shared between Sanon and Dhawan, break the ha-ha-hee-hee, and provide a bit of depth. But so determined is the film to not get ‘serious’, that those moments come and go, making you wish there were more of them. Clocking 2.36 hours, ‘Bhediya’ starts wearing out its welcome around its stretched-out climax. But when the going is good, this rumble in the jungle is quite a romp.... full review

So-So, by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies : ...Bhediya could have been cleaner and sharper, but Kaushik does unnecessary and unwanted stuff to bring it down. That organic humor, like Stree and Bala, is badly missing. Don’t see any reasons why someone like Amar Kaushik would need the kind of “below the belt” humour and cheap jokes we see in Sajid Khan or Farhad Samji movies. Bhediya couldn’t hunt that myth of Bollywood filmmakers and, hence, remains at an average height. This one was expected to reach the top of the roof but jumped down somewhere close to the side windows. Watch it for some laughs and a few visually amazing scenes. Dinesh Vijan‘s horror universe seems to be in trouble again. They desperately need Stree back!... full review

So-So, by Sonil Dedhia, News18.com : ...shortcomings... full review

So-So, by Divya Bhonsale, NewsBytes : ...Since the time its trailer was released, high hopes were held with two actors—Banerjee and Dobriyal. Most of the film's humor is on Banerjee's shoulder which makes him the star of the film. Unfortunately, the makers could not utilize Dobriyal to his best, knowing his past performances, such as in the Tanu Weds Manu franchise. Dobriyal's character lacks the meat and falls flat.... full review

So-So, by Himesh Mankad, Pinkvilla : ...Bhediya rides primarily on the strength of gags, visual effects, and performances, but warranted a bigger conflict with regard to a hero and villain in the second half. Despite the flaws, it makes for a fairly entertaining watch for the youth, and families, who wish to experience something unique on the big screen from the Hindi Film Industry.... full review

So-So, by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in : ...Kaushik’s shaky hold on his narrative steadies when it comes to his actors. Deepak Dobriyal and Paalin Kabak are memorable foils to an in-form Varun Dhawan. Putting his buffness to good use and sportingly letting himself be the butt of humour, Dhawan display heroic levels of commitment to a film that doesn’t trust its audiences or its own animal instinct enough.... full review

So-So, by Pratikshya Mishra, The Quint : ...Jishu Bhattacharjee as the DOP does a commendable job and editor Sanyukta Kaza uses his well-shot scenes to their maximum potential to tell a story. The music by Sachin-Jigar with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya is catchy but for some might be an acquired taste... full review

Thumbs down, by Akash Hegde, Deccan Herald : ...Bhediya’ fails to emotionally resonate with the viewers because of poor character development and weak chemistry between the leads. The man vs nature conflict too is resolved in a rather unspectacular fashion. Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/bhediya-review-an-over-the-top-varun-in-a-tame-horror-comedy-1165803.html... full review

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This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review .

Parental Guidance:

• Violence : Animals devouring humans.
• Language : Curse words muted.
• Nudity & Sexual content : Varun Dhawan in his boxer shorts
• Concept : Development verus environment and indigenous population
• General Look and Feel : Can get scary with its sudden cuts to ferocious animals running in the forest.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Bhediya - cast, crew, links.

Bhediya - Trailer

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Comments (2)

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Dear Meetu, extremely well written review, and left a smirk on my face with the last line.

@Raj Glad you notices ;)

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