Bhool Chuk Maaf Review: A Poor Man’s Brahmastra

Bhool Chuk Maaf tries hard to present an ambitious love story against the vibrant backdrop of Varanasi, but it ends up feeling like a low-budget version of Brahmastra. Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi play a couple wandering through the city’s narrow gullies and sacred ghats, but the story never lets Varanasi come alive. The filmmakers use aerial shots and cultural cues to remind viewers of the setting, but they fail to anchor the plot to the city, making it feel interchangeable with any other Indian town.

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A Promising Setup Undone by Shallow Comedy

The story follows Ranjan, who desperately wants to marry Titli, a spoiled and sharp-tongued girl. Her father demands that Ranjan secure a government job within two months before approving their marriage. The film initially hints at tackling the real struggles of India’s competitive job market, but it quickly shifts gears and dives into a world of shortcuts and slapstick comedy. Instead of addressing social issues like dowry seriously, the film uses them for laughs and avoids digging deeper.

Rao and Gabbi portray characters who operate on completely different wavelengths, which drains their chemistry. Gabbi, despite her screen presence, plays a character that the writers develop poorly. The film occasionally teases a more compelling subplot involving Ranjan’s enterprising mother, who runs a pickle business, and Titli’s disruptive presence in their lives. But the writers abandon that thread before it fully takes shape.

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A Clumsy Shift to Morality Derails the Narrative

As the film progresses, it suddenly tries to become a moral tale. It awkwardly forces in themes like communal harmony, and Karan Sharma, who also co-wrote the film, seems overwhelmed by the ambitious tonal shifts. He tries to juggle too many ideas at once, which causes the narrative to stumble and lose direction.

The supporting cast delivers strong performances, and several scenes manage to evoke genuine laughter. However, those moments can’t save the film from its overall inconsistency. Ironically, people may remember Bhool Chuk Maaf more for its off-screen drama—its confused release strategy between theaters and OTT—than for the story itself. The film promises a lot but never commits to a clear path, leaving viewers with a scattered and forgettable experience.