When the pair of Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan returns to the cinema screen, the audience expects the same flood of laughter that films like ‘Hera Pheri’ and ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ had generated. ‘Bhoot Bangla’ was released, Akshay’s comic timing garnered applause and the theaters echoed with laughter, but by the time the film ends, a void remains in some corner of the heart. While watching the film, one gets the feeling again and again that despite everything, something big is missing. Such a sharp eye, such a pen which could turn even the simplest scene into a cult, was nowhere to be seen this time. The direction and acting of the film is strong but that magical touch is missing which gets an average film registered in the pages of history. After all, who is that person whose absence is being missed by every cinema lover today?
Lack of that real ‘Shahenshah’ of comedy
As soon as the screenplay of the film gets loose, only one name comes to everyone’s mind – Neeraj Vora. While watching ‘Bhoot Bangla’ today, it is natural to think that if Neeraj Vora was alive today, the fate of this film would have been different. Neeraj Vora was not just a writer or actor, but he was the creator of the grammar of comedy which Priyadarshan brought to the screen. Neeraj Vora changed the direction of Indian comedy cinema by writing screenplays and dialogues for films like ‘Hera Pheri’, ‘Bhool Bhulaiya’, ‘Garam Masala’, ‘Phir Hera Pheri’ and ‘Awara Pagal Deewana’. His biggest quality was that even in the crowd of characters, he gave a unique identity to each one. If Akshay Kumar’s character in ‘Bhool Bhulaiya’ is still remembered, one of the major reasons for it was the witty dialogues and well-crafted screenplay written by Neeraj Vora.
Neeraj Vora.
What would have changed if Neeraj Vora had written the screenplay?
The biggest flaw in ‘Bhoot Bangla’ is seen in its scattered screenplay. The first part of the film is fantastic, but in the second part the story starts losing its direction. If Neeraj Vora had been here, he would have maintained such a balance between the horror and comedy of the film that even in the midst of fear, the laughter would not have faded. A combination of logic and magic was seen. The way he linked superstition with psychology in ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ was a marvel of his logical thinking. He would have rectified the weak links and lack of logic in ‘Bhoot Bangla’ with his pen. The expansion of the characters would also have been better. Veterans like Rajpal Yadav and Paresh Rawal had a lot to do in the film, but the limitations of the script restricted them. Neeraj Vora knew the art of making every character a meme material.
When did Neeraj Vohra die?
Neeraj Vora, a versatile talent, died on 14 December 2017 in a hospital in Mumbai. He remained in coma for about 13 months. In 2016, he suffered a brain stroke and heart attack, after which his friend Firoz Nadiadwala converted a part of his house into a hospital to serve him, but ultimately he died due to multi-organ failure. Bollywood comedy is considered incomplete without Neeraj Vora. He wrote classic screenplays of films like ‘Hera Pheri’, ‘Golmaal’, ‘Bhool Bhulaiya’, ‘Garam Masala’, ‘Awara Pagal Deewana’, ‘Khatta Meetha’, ‘Chup Chup Ke’, ‘Bhagam Bhag’, ‘Deewane Hue Pagal’, ‘Hungama’ and ‘Ajnabee’. As a director, he gave cult classic films like ‘Phir Hera Pheri’. Even in acting, he left his indelible mark with characters like ‘Rangeela’ and ‘Badshah’.
The film missed becoming a cult classic
Priyadarshan tried his best, Akshay gave his all, but ‘Bhoot Bangla’ could not achieve the success that ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ did. Neeraj Vora’s untimely demise is such a wound for the film industry which has reopened today after seeing the weak script of ‘Bhoot Bangla’. His absence proved that a film can be made a hit by an actor, but only a great writer can make it ‘cult’ and ‘immortal’. The truth is that after watching ‘Bhoot Bangla’, only one prayer comes out of the heart of every fan – I wish! Neeraj Vora would have been among us today.
Also read: Bhooth Bangla Surprise: Who is the ghost of ‘Bhoot Bangla’, double blast hidden in the climax of Akshay Kumar’s film
Bhool Bhulaiyaa Vs Bhooth Bangla: In what respects ‘Bhoot Bangla’ lagged behind ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’, despite strong comedy, 5 things that make it a cult are missing
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SK Sharma is a content writer who writes on news, entertainment, and lifestyle topics. She has over four years of experience and is known for conveying information in simple and clear language.
