Since time immemorial there has been a very deep connection between nature and man: both are complementary to each other. But when we humans try to play unnecessarily with nature for our selfish needs and greeds, we have to be ready for its repercussions. Set against the backdrop of Arunachal, the Varun Dhawan starrer “Bhediya” sees Amar Kaushik back at helming the horror-comedy genre after 2018’s “Stree”.
The film is set in Arunachal Pradesh, where Bhaskar (Varun Dhawan), an aspiring Delhi-based contractor along with his cousin Janardan (Abhishek Banerjee) comes in with a contract to build a highway road. To bag this contract, Bhaskar has mortgaged his ancestral house and is determined to complete his project at any cost, unaware of the fact that what is just a project for him is the life of the people out there. There he meets Jomin (Paalin Kabak) and Panda (Deepak Dobriyal) who help him in the project.
One night while returning from the forest after work, Bhaskar comes under the grip (literally) of a wolf which bites him in his rear. Aftet this, Bhaskar’s life changes as he realizes that he now has the power of wolves. He becomes a willful wolf. Unaware of his truth, Janardhan and Jomin bring him to veterinary doctor Anika (Kriti Sanon) to get him treated. Meanwhile, Panda reveals that for years these forests have been inhabited by a virus (the wolf) and whenever someone tries to harm the forest, the virus harms them. Will Bhaskar be able to become a common man from a wolf? Will he be able to complete his project? What is the truth of the virus?
When in recent times we have been stuffed with a lot of remakes and biopics from bollywood, it is quite refreshing to see a new genre getting explored which is wonderful at the level of idea. Amar Kaushik brings in light important and serious issues like destruction of nature in the name of development, the racial discrimination against the people of North-East while not recognizing Arunachal as a part of the country. Though, the overall story of the film is a bit loose but the comedy sequences, excellent visuals and strong acting cover up for it beautifully.
The special attraction of the film is its visual effects. A lot of hard work has been put in here and it is every ounce visible. The dark world of wolf and jungle is successfully created by excellent VFX and cinematography. Varun’s transformation from human to wolf is so convincing to watch. The magic of Jishnu Bhattacharyaji’s camera is such that you get lost in Arunachal’s Ziro city from the very first frame. He has depicted the beauty of Arunachal Pradesh, the mystical forest and the milky moon of poonam so beautifully that every shot looks so captivating on the screen. However, the music of the film is a big letdown. Neither Amitabh Bhattacharya’s lyrics are effective nor Sachin Jigar’s music.
In the acting department as well, the film is no less. Varun manages to strike a balance between humor and horror as Bhaskar and Bhediya. Honestly, before watching the film I had kept my expectations pretty low and was all prepared for highly dramatized, over-the-top sequences but Varun does not disappoint you anywhere. After watching his performance, we are all in to see him in more intense and serious roles in future. Actor Paalin Kabak and Deepak Dobriyal give promising performances in the role of friends, but it is Abhishek Banerjee as Bhaskar’s cousin who steals all the attention. His one-liners, comedy-filled innocent face wins your heart throughout the film.
The editing of the first part is tight and keeps you hooked till the interval whereas after the second half the pace of the film slows down a bit. All in all, ‘Bhediya’ gives a good dose of entertainment with a deep message which is very important to understand. After watching the film you’ll definitely be left with this thought that what can be done on our part to save the damage being done to nature in the name of progress and I think the film has more and less done its job here. The movie is now showing in theaters near you.
