Bhool Chuk Maaf

Cacophony establishes the families and friendships of Titli Mishra (Wamiqa Gabbi) and Ranjan (Rajkummar Rao) as a botched elopement lands them all at the police station. “Papa” (Zakir Hussain), petulantly uttered by Titli, won’t allow her to marry the unemployed Ranjan until he gets a sarkari job. Writer-director Karan Sharma gets the decibel right (loud, louder, loudest) with Banaras as the backdrop for his entertainment whirl that winds up on a noble note. Ranjan’s arc that goes from personal pursuits (naukri, chokri, shaadi) to discovering what the gods intended him to do and thereby understanding what life should revolve around, is a potent plot for a joyride with a social message. Add to it Rajkummar Rao who can switch from fun and frolic to sober-serious without losing a beat. It’s the ideal playground for Karan to have the viewer rollicking with amusement before slipping the conscience into the fray. There are plenty of situations too for dance, song and merriment (romance, pre-wedding ceremonies, comic moments, drama, Shiv mandir, masjid and Allah too).

Bhool Chuk Maaf explores the time loop concept for the first time in Bollywood. The concept was rampant in Hollywood movies in early 2000s for chick flicks and made a comeback few years ago with comedy elements. However, Rajkummar Rao’s film gives its own spin to it. Still focusing on the social lesson behind it, the film brings along a comedy family entertainer about wedding which is just right for the season. Apart from good performances and comic relief the film’s music is also worth visiting theatres for. The film follows Ranjan and Titli’s love story and what the two go through to make sure they end up with each other. While Titli’s struggle is more based in reality and how women sacrifice in relationships, Ranjan’s struggle to win her over is more supernatural. Bhool Chuck Maaf begins with Ranjan and Titli running away from home to get married, but ending up in police station to get permission from their parents. Their wedding in fixed on one condition, Ranjan has to prove he is capable of taking care of Titli by landing a government job. The father-in-law asks for the condition to be met in mere one month, but Titli asking for some consideration lands Ranjan extra 30 days to land the job.

Both hopeless romantics, Ranjan (Rajkummar Rao) and Titli (Wamiqa Gabbi) are desperate to get married. When they pull all the strings to make it happen, Ranjan finds himself stuck in a time loop. He keeps waking up on the same day – a day prior to his wedding day. Bhool Chuk Maaf’s release drama strangely and accidentally paid ode to its theme. From a theatrical release to OTT and back to theatrical release, it kept going in circles too. The film’s story tests your patience equally, but the outcome compensates for the scattered and meandering build-up. Oblivious to the demands of adulting, Banaras sweethearts Ranjan (Rajkummar Rao) and Titli (Wamiqa Gabbi) are obsessed with each other. He doesn’t have a job, and she is too reckless to care. They decide to elope but abort the plan midway because she realises it’s unfair for their parents to face the repercussions. They want to be together but not at the cost of their families’ wellbeing.