During the election season comes a film about elections. Bhoothnath Returns is filled with humorous situations and dialogues. Bhoothnath (Amitabh Bachchan) has come to Earth again to scare a few children to prove that he is a good ghost. What he ends up doing is contesting elections. Only one boy, Akhrot (Parth Bhalerao), can see him, and on his insistence Bhoothnath decides to contest against Bhausaheb (Boman Irani), a corrupt politician standing from Dharavi.
The film is a family entertainer. Amitabh Bachchan has once again given an endearing performance. Boman Irani is funny as the politician who has to fight it out against a ghost in the elections. Parth Bhalerao has also delivered a creditable performance. The film has cameos from Shahrukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap. Though the film tends to drag a little in the second half and the audience might feel that had it been a few minutes shorter, the end result would have been even better.
Having said that, Amitabh has a monologue towards the finale, which is quite topical considering that there are elections in India right now. The message of the film is made very clear, namely, everyone who can vote must do so. Abstaining from voting or casting your ballot under pressure from someone is a no-no. The dialogues are either witty or plain funny. The songs are melodious and to the point. There is minimal violence, which is good to see. The movie has its twists and turns, and this manages to keep the viewer engrossed. Bhoothnath Returns excels at delivering a message with the right amount of hilarity.
There isn’t anything that is amiss with this wholesome entertainer. The story is simple yet effective. Children will enjoy the tricks that Bhoothnath performs. Adults will concur with the message that the film delivers. Overall, Bhoothnath Returns is a fine film with some nice performances, and deals with a topical issue, namely, Indian elections. If there is one movie that viewers of all ages can sit together in the theater and enjoy then it is Bhoothnath Returns. This is a must watch for all Amitabh Bachchan fans.
What do you think?