Bhool Chuk Maaf the film captures small-town romance between Ranjan and Titli. The girl’s father sets a precondition that the boy should have a government job for which the boy resorts to help by bribing a middleman scamster for securing the job.
Their romance blooms across the ghats, narrow streets of Benaras, Uttar Pradesh. Accepted, that it gives a realistic feeling but aren’t there too many other films who have showcased the interiors of Uttar Pradesh. Where is the scenic beauty? We are bored watching the small streets and the nukkads of our interiors.
Coming back to the story, much to Ranjan’s horror, the scamster vanishes leaving him to a dead end when the boy takes a vow at Lord Shiva’s temple to perform a noble deed if his wish is fulfilled.
As Ranjan prepares for his wedding, a bizarre time loop occurs, with Titli being oblivious to it, repeatedly resetting the days before his marriage.
One day prior to their marriage, Ranjan is trapped in a time loop as he is unable to fulfil his vow and that’s where scenes are repeated often with various possibilities with the boy stuck on the same date prior to his wedding, repeatedly resetting the day to the Haldi ceremony leaving Ranjan stuck in the frustrating world of a time loop.
So far so good, but post the intermission there is a secular angle thrown in with the reason that Rajan has been appointed for the job which was initially allotted to a man of the minority community. The repeated scenes of jumping down the bridge, then another onslaught of the various permutations of Rajan’s decision whether to take up the job and get married. On the flip side is the result that he responds to his heart and ethically gives up the job.
Sanjay Mishra appears during the climax with a sermonising lecture on the various options and possibilities that Ranjan could have adhered to.
Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi play lead roles in Bhool Chuk Maaf. Sanjay Mishra, Raghubir Yadav, Zakir Hussain and Seema Pahwa are in supporting characters.
These talented actors are underutilized, except for Raghubir Yadav, Zakir Hussain and Seema Pahwa who are just likeable.
It is a big question – why a bundle of talent like Rajkummar Rao signed up for this role in Bhool Chuk Maaf.
Cast of Bhool Chuk Maaf:
Rajkummar Rao as Ranjan
Wamiqa Gabbi as Titli Mishra
Seema Pahwa as Ranjan’s mother
Sanjay Mishra as Bhagwan Das (the scamster)
Zakir Hussain as Brijmohan Titli’s father
Jay Thakkar as Sushil
Raghubir Yadav as Raghunath Ranjan’s father
Ishtiyak Khan as Kishan
Purnima Sharma as Sweety
Anubha Fatehpuria as Anandi
Pragati Mishra as Keri
Dheerendra Gautam as Hari
Dhanashree Verma as Jugni
Credits of Bhool Chuk Maaf:
Written & Directed by Karan Sharma
Produced by Dinesh Vijan
Production companies – Amazon MGM Studios, Maddock Films
Cinematography – Sudeep Chatterjee
Edited by Manish Pradhan
BGM Score – Ketan Sodha
Songs: Tanishk Bagchi