‘Telephone Bhoot’ film evaluate: Siddhant Chaturvedi-Katrina Kaif’s horror comedy does not stick the touchdown

Horror comedies aren’t straightforward. The script has to strike the proper stability between humour and horror — it ought to have loads of each. That is why most horror comedies are principally comedies with zombies or demons thrown in. Gurmmeet Singh’s ‘Telephone Bhoot’ additionally struggles to search out that stability all through its 10-hour runtime (or so it appeared) and by no means actually succeeds. It is not completely with out its charms, although. However extra on that later. 

The movie follows Main (Siddhant Chaturvedi) and Gullu (Ishaan Khatter), two buddies who breathe and stay all issues spooky. Their abode appears to be a set of a shlocky Eighties horror film — lurid lighting, cranium props, serial killer masks, a phone formed like a grinning cranium, a life-sized determine of a ghostie that’s ensconced like a diety, and so forth. 

The 2 have been making an attempt to change into occasion managers of horror-themed events, however there aren’t any takers. They’re approached by a ghost Ragini (Katrina Kaif) who affords them her terror providers — she would hang-out unsuspecting individuals and they’d cost cash from the haunted particular person to do away with the spectre from their life. 

They initially refuse and simply steal her thought. However after all truly dealing with ghosts, demons, and different supernatural nasties with out the help of a ghost-like Ragini shouldn’t be a cakewalk. They quickly run into precise demonic bother and in the long run, should crew up together with her.

However what does a misplaced soul (actually) like Ragini get from this association? Seems, she has motives of her personal which will deliver them into battle with a sinister and highly effective Tantrik Atmaram (Jackie Shroff).

‘Telephone Bhoot’ is filled with references to old-time horror motion pictures, each Indian and Hollywood. ‘Ghostbusters’ franchise is the most important affect right here. Some, unkind individuals would possibly name ‘Telephone Bhoot’ by-product in that regard. The brand of Telephone Bhoot (the corporate) bears a resemblance to Ghostbusters’s, their automotive and Ectomobile are alike, and there are comparable jumpsuits. 

One other large affect is the cinema of the Ramsay Brothers, on issues as diverse because the rocky cave-like lair of the Shroff’s Tantrik, the posters on the partitions of Main and Gullu’s house, and even just a few plot factors.

To me, these felt like good homages and callbacks, and I deeply loved them. However these nonetheless find yourself as simply fascinating additions. The meat of this matter– the script of ‘Telephone Bhoot’ — didn’t do a lot to me. The dialogue is trite, with actors doing the heavy lifting and making an attempt their finest to make it sound like conversations people can even have.

The humour can be a hit-and-miss. That is regardless of the trio of Chaturvedi, Khatter, and Kaif giving fairly good comedic performances that vibe properly with the tone. Talking of tone, its lightness, silliness, and stylistic decisions do assist the movie retain a self-referential air for some time, however that runtime ensures that by the point we’ve got reached the top, the movie is nothing however a slog.

There are additionally minor annoyances like in-your-face product placements. In a single scene, I child you not, Katrina briefly reenacts that Slice commercial wherein she does unspeakable issues to a mango. The movie grew to become form of horrifying simply then, simply not in the best way the writers needed. 

‘Telephone Bhoot’ had an fascinating premise, however a badly written and poorly-paced screenplay made certain all of the cool stuff was buried below drained jokes and exposition. Good writers are price their weight in gold. About time the makers of our business cinema realised that.