Nikhil Advani: From romantic dramas to gripping social thrillers

Starting from the romantic dramas Kal Ho Naa Hoo (2024) and Salaam-e-Ishq (2007) Nikhil Advani has created a distinct space for himself both on the big screen and also in the OTT space.

In a career spanning from 2003 to now, Nikhil Advani has donned various hats as a director, producer, writer and also creator for web series like the two seasons of Rocket Boys (2022, 2024) and The Empire (2021).

However, over the years, Nikhil Advani has moved from light-hearted romantic films to gritty tales about society, and history.

For example, the 2013 movie D-Day is a significant milestone in his career. At the box office, it was an average grosser but the critical reviews were very good.

Although an espionage thriller with all the nationalistic elements, the movie was nevertheless gripping showcasing a different facet of Nikhil Advani. The trials and tribulations faced by the four undercover agents in capturing the late Rishi Kapoor’s character modelled on Dawood Ibrahim packed an emotional punch.

Another TV show POW Bandi Yudk Ke was also directed by Nikhil Advani. The show based on two prisoners of war was taken off the air due to low viewership despite critical acclaim.

Nikhil Advani has aced many genres, including action thrillers like Batla House, sports dramas like Patiala House, and films on social issues like Vedaa. He has also dabbled in the OTT space, giving series like the recent Freedom At Midnight, and Mumbai Diaries Season 1 and 2.

Now let’s get into a little more detail about a few other projects that have been helmed by Nikhil Advani, showcasing how much he has grown as a director.

Batla House

John Abraham in Batla House
John Abraham in ‘Batla House’. (Instagram)

In 2019, Nikhil Advani directed the action thriller Batla House based on the real-life police officer Sanjeev Kumar Yadav. The film focused on the controversial encounter showcasing Sanjeev’s struggles in proving both the authenticity of it and also dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The movie isn’t entirely objective in its approach more or less siding with Sanjeev Kumar. Still, it was a taut film keeping the viewers engaged. Also, Nikhil Advani’s depiction of PTSD deserves major appreciation.

Nikhil Advani also pushed John Abraham beyond his action star image. On numerous occasions, the viewers see John battling with his inner demons, a particular mention must be made of the portions reminiscent of William Shakespeare’s play Lady Macbeth. Much like that play, here too John’s character is often haunted giving a much-needed emotional heft.

Vedaa

Sharvari Wagh in Vedaa
Sharvari Wagh in ‘Vedaa’. (X)

Vedaa (2024) headlined by Sharvari Wagh is flawed yet a gritty social drama about caste-based violence and discrimination. The movie was based on real-life events and Nikhil Advani did a fantastic job in showcasing the struggles of Dalits in climbing up the social ladder even after so many years of independence.

Vedaa deserved to be much more at the box office given its merits but unfortunately lost the box office battle with Amar Kaushik’s mega-blockbuster Stree 2.

A very strong point of Vedaa was how Nikhil Advani developed the character of its titular protagonist portrayed by the brilliant Sharvari Wagh. The character of Vedaa starts off as a timid girl but gradually she grows in confidence becoming a strong rebel refusing to bow down. This transition was wonderfully depicted by Nikhil Advani aided by Sharvari who didn’t miss a single beat.

Apart from Sharvari’s towering act, Nikhil Advani also created a strong antagonist in the form of Abhishek Banerjee’s Jitender Pratap Singh. As the man who firmly believes that one shouldn’t toy with the established caste system, Abhishek simply knocked it out of the park showcasing his immense range.

Mumbai Diaries Season 1 and 2

The two seasons of Mumbai Diaries directed and created by Nikhil Advani focused on two highly distressing real-life incidents.

A poster of the series Mumbai Diaries
A poster of the series ‘Mumbai Diaries’. (Instagram)

The first one was about the horrors of 26/11. Nikhil Advani along with Nikhil Gonsalves focused their lens on how medical professionals like doctors and nurses were pushed to their limits in a crowded hospital which is low on resources. The web series was also a tribute to the spirit of Mumbaikars.

A strong aspect of the first season was how it never portrayed the doctors as superheroes. All of them come with their own inner demons and have their backs to the wall both professionally and personally.

Nikhil Advani also did a very fine job in not pitting one religion or nation against one another. It was more about terror versus humanity. The strong acting performances led by Mohit Raina and Konkana Sen Sharma were another highlight of both seasons.

The second season of Mumbai Diaries focused on the rage of floods which had submerged the Mumbai city. Much like the first season this time too the focus was equally on both the doctors fighting against the unfavourable weather and their personal demons along with the fighting spirit of Mumbaikars.

A strong aspect of Season 2 was how Nikhil Advani along with his writers built a palpable sense of urgency. The viewers feel an emotional connection with the characters of Mohit Raina and Konkana Sharma among others.

The flood scenes were also authentically recreated, and the production design of Priya Suhass was simply top-notch.

Freedom At Midnight

Freedom At Might co-written by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins is a very difficult novel to adopt given the sheer vastness of the political turmoil.

A still from the series Freedom At Midnight
A still from the series ‘Freedom At Midnight’. (Instagram)

In today’s political environment numerous filmmakers are seen playing to the gallery to please the ruling party but Nikhil Advani’s adaptation of the vast novel stands out for not just the brilliant writing but also the way in which he never takes sides. He let the audiences make their own judgements by placing them amidst the powerful leaders who had fought for India’s independence.

The dynamics between Gandhi and Nehru were a treat to watch in particular. Gandhi’s unwavering idealism and Nehru’s internal struggle leading to discord were both wonderfully written and enacted. The series was also technically top-notch particularly the portions featuring the riot-torn neighbourhoods.

The show moves the viewers on many occasions like the scenes of religious discord leading to communal violence. Cannot wait to see how the second season unfolds.

Apart from the ones mentioned above a couple of other web series worth mentioning here are Rocket Boys and The Empire. Nikhil Advani didn’t direct either of them but he was still creatively involved. Both these shows further demonstrated Nikhil Advani’s versatility.

This is all about the evolution of Nikhil Advani as a filmmaker. Here’s hoping that he continues to do stellar work.

(Edited by Sumavarsha)

Vedaa: A flawed yet a gritty social drama that touches upon caste-based violence and discrimination

In spite of a bloated second half director Nikhil Advani delivers a hard-hitting tale based on real events. Sharvari Wagh has delivered her career best performance.

  • Starcast: Sharvari Wagh, John Abraham, Abhishek Banerjee, Ashish Vidyarthi and others special appearances (Tammanna Bhatia and Mouni Roy)
  • Director: Nikhil Advani
  • Writer: Assem Arora
  • Producers: John Abraham, Monisha Advani and others
  • Production Companies: Zee Studios, Emmay Entertainment and JA Entertainment
  • Music: Ammal Malik and Manan Bhardwaj
  • Cinematography: Malay Prakash
  • Running time: 2 hours and 36 minutes

Nikhil Advani has had a very interesting filmography starting from the romantic dramas Kal Ho Na Ho and Salaam e Ishq. He shifted gears successfully with the film D-Day a well-made action thriller. Nikhil further proved his versatility on OTT with the two seasons of Mumbai Diaries. Of course, the director has also fallen flat on his face with certain movies but there is no denying that Nikhil is a fascinating filmmaker. His latest directorial is based on some real-life incidents dwelling into the oppression of lower caste. Vedaa alternates between a social drama and a high-octane action thriller with dollops of blood. This mix doesn’t always work particularly the long-drawn climax however there is no denying that Nikhil Advani makes an important statement.

Vedaa alternates between a social drama and a high-octane action thriller

The story of Vedaa deals with an ambitious Dalit girl played by Sharvari Wagh. Vedaa aspires to be a boxer breaking the boundary of social stigma. However, that is easier said than done given her family background and the upper caste bigots. Abhishek Banerjee in his second release of the week plays an unhinged antagonist who firmly believes that one cannot toy with the firmly established caste system. The actor is simply phenomenal which I will elaborate on later. John Abaraham on the other hand is a typical hot headed solider who faces court martial for his rebellious streak. His character Abhimanyu comes to the village of Sharvari, his father-in-law stays here. Abhimanyu tries to lead a normal civilian life but an honor killing incident changes everything. Vedaa’s brother falls in love with an upper caste girl, she also reciprocates but expectedly there is no happy ending. Abhimanyu becomes the guiding force of Vedaa echoing Mahabharata.

Sharvari Wagh’s Vedaa aspires to be a boxer breaking free from social stigma

A strong aspect of Vedaa is how Nikhil Advani has showcased the humiliation that Dalits go through. Even after so many years of independence the social and economic conditions of Dalits leave a lot to be desired. There are some hugely disturbing scenes like the one where Vedaa is assaulted by upper caste hooligans, but she is not a position to fight back. There is also a scene where lower caste men rub their noses on the ground. Of course, the treatment is more in your in your face unlike Article 15 that was more nuanced but still these moments leave a strong impact.

Vedaa also benefits from the strong characterization of the central role. Sharvari Wagh starts off as a timid girl but gradually the character grows in confidence becoming a strong rebel. A scene which deserves a particular mention is Vedaa’s confrontation scene with the younger brother of Abhishek Banerjee’s character. A very violent fight ensues with Vedaa taking out all of her pent-up frustration. Sharvari proves to be a worthy action heroine, on a side note cannot wait to see her kick some serious ass with Alia Bhatt in Alpha.

Abhishek Banerjee proves himself as a supremely talented artist with his portrayal of Jitender Pratap Singh. The actor does a wonderful job in portraying an intimidating villain. He gives John Abaraham more than a tough fight in the hand-to-hand combat sequences. It is hard to believe that this is the same man who played the role of Jana in Stree 2. He is that good.

Abhishek Banerjee proves himself to be a supremely talented artist

The second half of Vedaa has numerous car chases and action sequences. These sequences offer a thrilling ride for the viewers. There is constant tension about how Vedaa is going to emerge victorious from all this. However, it has to be said that the fights become too elongated as well and the climax in particular becomes a never-ending saga. John Abraham’s Abhimanyu Kanwar is pumped with numerous bullets but still he stands up. The gritty texture of the first half is in complete odds with these scenes. Similarly, Abhishek Banerjee is seen walking normally even after being shot in the stomach.

Talking about John Abraham the actors hulk like presence goes completely with the role. Abhimanyu is a man of few words letting his fists doing the talk. However, John’s performance feels like a letdown in comparison to his character of Jim in Pathaan.

Vedaa’s music also leaves something to be desired. The only song that makes an impression is Arjit Singh’s ‘Zaroorat Se Zyada’. Malay Prakash’s cinematography coupled with Manoj Sikka’s sound design deserves a major appreciation. The hinterland of Rajasthan has a lived-in feel.

Vedaa in spite of some flaws is thought provoking making the viewers root for the titular character.

Stree 2 Sarkate Ka Aatank: A rollicking sequel with the right mixture of scares and humor

Apart from the horror and scares director Aamir Kaushik also does a fine job in blending impactful social commentary

  • Starcast: Rajkummar Rao, Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurana, Pankaj Tripathi, Shraddha Kapoor and others special appearances (Varun Dhawan, Akshay Kumar and Tamanna Bhatia)
  • Director: Aamir Kaushik
  • Writer: Niren Bhatt
  • Producers: Dinesh Vijan and Jyothi Deshpande
  • Production Companies: Maddock Films and Jio Studios
  • Music: Sachin Jigar and Justin Varghese
  • Cinematography: Jishnu Bhattacharjee
  • Running time: 2 hours and 27 minutes

Aamir Kaushik’s Stree 2 is one of those few sequels that matches up to its first part. For those who haven’t seen Stree 1 the plot revolved around a female spirit wreaking havoc in the small town of Chanderi. This female ghost by the name of Stree attacked men at night that too during a particular festival period. She only kidnaps those men who turn around when she calls. Apparently looking into her eyes confirms permission to abduct. There is an underlying satire about how consent doesn’t matter for men. Women even in their non-human form are more evolved. Stree 1 had the right doses of suspense and humor along with a touching origin story. The film also benefitted from the fantastic male cast led by an adorable Rajkummar Rao. Not surprisingly Stree 1 was a major hit.

Stree 2 is one of these few sequels that matches up to the first part

Now you have Stree 2 again set in Chanderi. At the end of Stree 1 the female ghost had left the town, fear has been replaced by respect which was denied to her when alive. Instead of O’ Stree Kal Anna (O Stree, come tomorrow) the new instruction is O Stree Raksha Karna (O Stree, protect us) The mindset of Chanderi people has also undergone a significant change, they have become more liberal with woman marrying outside their caste and having big dreams. However, the peace is short lived thanks to a new demon who abducts girls with modern outlook. His name is Sarkate, a hugely grotesque creature with no head. This Sarkate had burned Stree and her lover alive. Once again, the responsibility of saving Chanderi falls on the shoulders of Vicky (Rajkummar Rao continuing his splendid form). Shraddha Kapoor returns back as the mysterious figure with whom Vicky deeply fell in love. Thankfully the viewers get to know more about her character this time around. Apart from Shraddha Kapoor Vicky gets help from his usual trusted allies Abhishek Banerjee as Jana and Pankaj Tripathi as Rudra. Aparshakti Khurrana as Bittu has as an interesting arc which I will get to later.

Shraddha Kapoor returns back as the mysterious with whom Vicky had fallen in love with

A strong aspect of Stree 2 is how Aamir Kaushik has used the character of Sarkate to explore the patriarchal mindset. Very often we see leaders blaming a women’s mindset for the crimes happening on them. The way Sarkate chooses only those girls who think beyond the traditional boundaries reminds the viewers of the numerous sexist leaders.

There is a hugely poignant moment in Stree 2 when all the Chanderi women break out in unison late into the night, fully aware of the dangers lurking. Stree 2 also touches upon women empowerment briefly while talking about the kidnapped girls. Aamir Kaushik doesn’t go very deep but still these moments are mighty effective.

The humor quotient of Stree 2 is also very strong. Niren Bhatt’s dialogues are filled with punches and often leave the viewers in splits. Abhishek Banerjee as the gullible friend often manipulated by his friends raises many laughs particularly in his interactions with Pankaj Tripathi’s Rudra. The way both of them feed on each other is wonderful to watch. Pankaj Tripathi as the ghost expert continues his great form delivering many laughs. He has also gets a charming romantic subplot with Tamanna Bhatia, it doesn’t last for long but makes for a fun watch.

Aparshakti Khurana as Bittu gets more to do this time around and he does a fantastic job. He is charming as the lover singing a lullaby to his girlfriend. His portrayal of anguish upon his girlfriend being taken away by Sarkate is palpable. At the same time there is a different shade too when Bittu becomes an alpha male as a result of Sarkate’s strong spell. The actor brings out both these shades in a wonderful manner.

Rajkummar Rao as Vicky is spot on in acing the different aspects of his role. Whether it is his lover boy act, or scenes of physical comedy. With this movie he once again proves his ability in jumping genres successfully.

The cameos of Tamanna Bhatia, Varun Dhawan and Akshay Kumar have been smartly integrated. Akshay Kumar plays a lunatic who thinks of himself as Shah Jahan. Akshay’s character is the one who sends a warning letter to Rudra in the beginning. The ending shot suggests that he might be an important part of Stree 3. Tamanna Bhatia sizzles in the special song “Aaj Ki Raat. She adds a lot of glamour with her sexy belly moves. Talking about the songs apart from “Aaj Ki Raat the other two “Aayi nai ” and “Tumhare Hi Rahenga Hum” also make for a good listen and watch. Varun Dhawan as Bhediya gets a dashing entry at a critical juncture. His scene with Abhishek Banerjee deserves a particular mention. Varun’s Bhediya gets attracted to Shraddha and asks him on how to impress her. In response Abhishek Banerjee says that you are Bhediya remain like that and don’t become an animal.

Tamanna Bhatia in Aaj Ki Raat

What drags down Stree 2 much like the first part is Shraddha Kapoor’s character. She has the same set of expressions from Stree 1. The romance between her and Rajkummar feels largely one sided with him doing most of the heavy lifting. The sequences of Sarkate meeting his end also needed to be crisper. The viewers get a feeling of eternity before Sarkate gets defeated.

Keeping aside these small niggles Stree 2 is truly a blockbuster sequel.

Apurva : Tara Sutaria Delivers A Knockout Punch In This Predictable Yet Gritty Survival Drama

Keeps you hooked.

Apurva (Hindi)

  • Cast: Tara Sutaria, Abhishek Banerjee, Rajpal Yadav, and Dhairya Karwa
  • Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
  • Producer: Murad Khetani
  • Music: Vishal Mishra
  • Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar

Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s Apurva is based on an extraordinary real-life story of a girl named Apurva who was kidnapped by some goons in the Chambal area.

With no substantial help, Apurva fought them all alone and emerged as a victor.

The film begins by establishing the extreme cruelty of the four bad guys.

The main antagonists among these are Abhishek Banerjee and Rajpal Yadav. From there, we see how Apurva’s (Tara Sutaria) path crosses with these four local dacoits.

Excellent characterisation

Tara Sutaria in Apurva
Tara Sutaria in ‘Apurva’. (X)

To put it briefly, the story of Apurva is about how a city girl transforms herself into goddess Durga and kills the bad guys, of course, not literally.

The big area where Apurva scores is the gritty atmosphere that pulls the viewers into the story.

Despite tonal similarities with NH10 (2015), director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat and his technical team stage the Chambal area with authenticity. There is no artificiality whatsoever.

What also works for the film is a sense of dread that the director creates among the viewers with the help of the background score.

The characterisations of the dacoits are another major plus for the film.

Abhishek Banerjee and Co are truly scary as psychopaths. As a result, the viewers anxiously wait for Tara Sutaria’s Apurva to come out safe.

The characterisation of Apurva from a city girl to finding herself in a life-threatening situation has been written well. Her love story with Sid (Dhairya Karwa) gives some much-needed light moments. Both actors share good chemistry.

A brilliant Tara Sutaria

Tara Sutaria debuted with the sequel of Student of The Year 2 in 2019. Since then, she faltered in the selection of roles.

But here, the actress has an author-backed part, and Tara delivers a commendable performance. It is a juicy role with different shades, and Tara doesn’t miss a single beat.

Dhairya Karwa also does well as the supportive fiancée. He succeeds in portraying the love and desperation of Sid.

Coming to the local dacoits, Rajpal Yadav and Abhishek Banerjee successfully make the audiences hate them, particularly Abhishek, who plays an unhinged man with a lot of glee.

The major problem with Apurva is the excessive bloodshed and cuss words that won’t go down well with all. The serious hangover of NH10 also acts as a deterrent in some parts.

The police characters feel cardboard, more like an add-on, and don’t serve any purpose.

Same case with Apurva’s parents. They are hardly there.

Final take

To sum it up, watch Apurva if you are a fan of gritty dramas and real-life stories.

Rana Naidu: A Gripping Father-Son Saga Bolstered By Real-Life Chacha-Nephew Combo

Venkatesh is the icing on the cake!

Rana Naidu (Hindi)

  • Cast: Rana Daggubati, Venkatesh, Surveen Chawla, Sushant Singh, Abhishek Benarjee, Gaurav Chopra, and Aditya Menon
  • Directors: Suparn Verma and Karan Anshuman
  • OTT platform: Netflix
  • Number of episodes: 10

Over the years, web shows have not just opened doors for newer stories but also given mainstream actors an opportunity to explore a different facet of their acting skills — something which doesn’t always happen on the big screen.

Rana Naidu directed by Karan Anshuman and Suparn Verma feels a little long with its duration of 10 episodes. The use of swear words and also an overdose of sex scenes get bothersome at times.

But still, there is a lot to enjoy here: particularly, the confrontation scenes between Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh.

I must say, Venkatesh has the guts to play a role that is quite different from his onscreen image.

For those who are not aware, Rana Naidu is based on the English web drama Ray Donavan. Since I have not seen the original, this will be a standalone review.

Synopsis

Rana Daggubati plays a fixer called Rana Naidu whose profession is cleaning up the mess of his high-profile clients. He takes his job seriously and successfully solves the problems of his clients.

But, at home, it is an altogether different story. His relationship with his family — wife and two children — is on tense ground. Adding to his woes is Rana Naidu’s estranged father Naga Naidu (Venkatesh).

Naga Naidu comes out of prison after 15 years for a crime that he did not commit. He has two more sons — played by Abhishek Banerjee and Sushant Singh.

Naga wants to fix his relationship with his sons. This is the story in brief.

A gripping drama

The best part of the Rana Naidu web series is how the undercurrent of the drama is maintained throughout.

As the layers peel off, audiences become more and more excited about what will happen next. There are ample twists and turns that shock you.

Another major highlight of Rana Naidu is the drama generated by the protagonist’s profession.

Gaurav Chopra as the Bollywood superstar may come across as a tad dramatic but the character is deliberately designed in that manner. And it works in the favour of the web series.

The directors also dwell on the different psyches of parents through the characters of Rana Naidu and Naga Naidu. They present some fascinating insights into exploring this aspect.

The confrontation scenes between Rana Dagubbati and Venkatesh, though less in number, still pack a punch.

The face-off between this real-life mama and nephew gives the show some of its best solid moments.

Rana and Venkatesh are top-notch

Rana Daggubati is supremely effective in essaying a protagonist who is torn between his high-profile job and his crumbling family.

He is top notch in not just portraying the menace and the intensity required but also shines in the vulnerable moments — whether it is with his wife and children or with his two brothers.

Venkatesh Dagubbati is equally solid as the wronged father who is at loggerheads with his son. The actor brings a certain warmth to his part beneath all the roughness.

The senior actor also brings much-needed humour to this otherwise serious show.

His Hyderabadi Hindi gives the show some of its most amusing moments. He successfully oscillates between being a chilled-out guy, who is desperate to reunite with his family and someone who is thirsting for vengeance.

Abhishek Banerjee nails it

Although the primary focus is on Rana and Venkatesh, the directors give ample space to others as well. Particular mention must be made of Abhishek Banerjee and Sushant Singh.

Abhishek Benarjee’s Jaffa, a recovering alcoholic, gets abused by a swamiji during his childhood. He is severely affected by those scars.

Sushant Singh’s Tej Naidu is a stuntman with Parkinson’s disease.

Suparn Verma and Karan Anshuman handle the complicated back story of Jaffa with the right amount of sensitivity.

Abhishek Banerjee is someone who is known more for his comic roles. But here, he successfully presents a different facet of himself.

The scenes between the three brothers are filled with a lot of warmth. As audiences, we earnestly want them to come out of their childhood scars.

Surveen Chawla and Ashish Vidyarthi stand out

The supporting cast is equally solid in their parts but the ones who stand out are Surveen Chawla and Ashish Vidyarthi.

As the fierce wife, Surveen Chawla more than holds her own opposite — both Rana and Venkatesh. The refreshing aspect of her character is that she is no pushover at any point.

Ashish Vidyarthi makes a surprise entry towards the end and sends chills down the audience’s spine. The coolness with which he goes about things makes him even scarier.

Too much adult content

The technical department starting from the cinematography and the background score also deserves equal credit for creating the right atmospherics.

What pulls down Rana Naidu is the length of the series. Instead of 10 episodes, the makers should have restrained it to seven. This would have made the web show crisper.

Also, there is an overdose of cuss words and uninhibited sex scenes. This becomes a tad too much to digest.

Final take

In a nutshell, Rana Naidu isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, But, if you are in the mood to watch a twisted family drama, then this one is definitely for you.

Bhediya: A Strong Cautionary Tale On The Importance Of Environment

Varun is brilliant, while Kriti gets relegated to the background!

Bhediya (Hindi)

  • Cast: Varun Dhawan, Abhishek Benarjee, Deepak Dobriyal, Paalin Kabak, and Kriti Sanon
  • Director: Aamir Kaushik
  • Producer: Dinesh Vijan
  • Music: Sachin-Jigar
  • Runtime: 2 hours and 36 minutes

Aamir Kaushik is known for his wacky sense of storytelling: his previous films Stree and Bala are examples.

Stree was based on the folk tale, “Oh Woman Come Tomorrow”. He gave it a feminist touch, elevating the film from the usual horror-comedy genre.

In Bala, Kaushik used humour to convey an important message on baldness and societal standards of beauty.

With Bhediya, Kaushik once again scripts a folk tale with a strong message. This time, the setting is Arunachal Pradesh.

In Bhediya, he focuses his lens on how progress should not be at the cost of the environment. There is also a commentary on how the northeast people are alienated.

These are heavy themes but Kaushik makes them non-preachy through his storytelling.

The plot of Bhediya is centred on a small-time contractor Bhaskar (Varun Dhawan). He gets the opportunity of a lifetime when he is given a road-construction contract inside the dense forests of Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh.

This is his biggest project. But he is aware that this project will destroy the environment.

He also knows that the project would not benefit the local population. Still, he wants to continue the work for the benefits it brings.

His cousin Janardan (Abhishek Banerjee) accompanies him. He has a local friend, Jomin (Paalin Kabak).

Deepak Dobriyal plays sub-contractor Panda. One night, Bhaskar is stranded in the jungle and is bitten by a bhediya (wolf).

Veterinary doctor Anki (Kriti Sanon with a weird hairstyle) provides him first-aid.

However, things start getting worse for Bhaskar because he was bitten by a supernatural wolf. As a result, he too gets some supernatural powers now.

On the other hand, certain people associated with this controversial project are getting killed due to a particular animal.

The rest of the story is about how this mystery is solved and how Bhaskar manages to overcome his inner conflict. This is the synopsis of Bhediya.

Terrific visual effects

The best thing about the movie is how the director balances horror and comedy.

The scenes of Varun transforming into a werewolf at night will give goosebumps to the audience, more so if you are watching it in 3D.

The background music by Sachin-Jigar coupled with the cinematography of Jishnu Bhattacharjee heightens the impact of these scenes.

The computer-generated ‘wolf effects’ are in perfect sync with the nature of the film. The hard work that has gone behind the scenes is evident.

Comedy is a mixed bag

Abhishek Benerjee mostly handles the comedy part. He is a real hoot and often leaves the audience in splits.

Varun’s camaraderie with both Abhishek Benerjee and Paalin Kabak gives the film some of its best moments.

Paalin Kabak also stands on his own, particularly in the scene where he expresses his frustration about the stereotypes associated with northeastern people.

Deepak Dobriyal is fun to watch.

But some of the jokes are rather in bad taste. A case in point is the scene where Varun’s bum becomes a point of discussion; there is also some unnecessary toilet humour which dragged quite a bit.

There are also some avoidable racist jokes.

Varun is brilliant, Kriti is underused

Another major win for the film is how the character of Varun has been designed coupled with the actor’s terrific performance.

Bhaskar is someone who starts with an indifferent attitude towards nature. Becoming rich is his only ambition. However, all these changes after he gets bitten by the supernatural wolf.

The audiences get to see him going through a lot of internal conflicts and eventually changing for the better.

Varun captures all these shades meticulously. He also deserves huge credit for the physical transformation that he goes through when the wolf takes over.

Kriti Sanon has a mysterious presence much like Shraddha Kapoor in Stree. And just like Shraddha, Kriti is largely relegated to the background except for the pre-climax twist.

It has a good emotional touch. However, the impact would have been more if Kriti was better used it from the beginning. Her romance with Varun is rather half-baked.

Sachin-Jigar’s music was better in Stree than in this film but they more than make it up with their background score.

Rajkumar Rao and Aparshakti Khuranna make a surprise appearance, in the end, leaving the audiences curious about a possible crossover film between Bhediya and Stree in future.