A film’s success isn’t the sum of its lead star: Even as Bollywood applauds Kartik Aaryan for delivering one of the biggest hits of his career with ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’, and buoying the spirits (no pun intended) of the film industry that has been floundering at the box office, it is still astonishing to see that the collective efforts of a whole team of talented cast and crew is overlooked yet again to bolster a lead star. If ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’ has recorded a bumper opening of Rs141.2 million on day one, then credit should be given in equal weight to filmmaker Anees Bazmee who helmed this horror-comedy and veteran actress Tabu who all but lifts the second half of the film on her shoulders. If a film performs well at the box office then it is only due to each player delivering on his or her promise. Yes, Aaryan’s impeccable sense of comic timing, which elevates the film, cannot be denied, but nor should we regress to the patriarchal tropes that has plagued Bollywood for a century - Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor
Ahmed Ramzan