Bhediya

''Bhediya'' (; ''Wolf'') is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language comedy horror film directed by Amar Kaushik. Produced by Dinesh Vijan from a story and screenplay by Niren Bhatt, it stars Varun Dhawan alongside Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee, Deepak Dobriyal and Paalin Kabak. The plot of the film is inspired by Arunachal Pradesh folklore about a Yapum, a shape-shifting werewolf, who wants to protect the jungle, even if they have to kill somebody. This marks the second collaboration between Dhawan and Sanon since Dilwale (2015). It is the second installment in the Maddock Supernatural Universe.

''Bhediya'' was theatrically released on 25 November 2022, garnering positive reviews. The film grossed about ₹90 crore against a production budget of approximately ₹60 crore at the box office. It received 13 nominations at the 68th Filmfare Awards, including Best Film (Critics), Best Actor (Critics) and Best Special Effects. A sequel is in development.

Plot

Road contractor Bhaskar, accompanied by his cousin Jana, visits Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, on a road construction assignment. There, they are welcomed by local residents Jomin, a friend of Bhaskar, and Panda, who show them around. One night, a wolf attacks Bhaskar on his rear end; he is immediately rushed to a local doctor Anika, who reveals herself to be a vet. Despite her inexperience, she treats him. The next day, Bhaskar finds himself miraculously cured and notices heigthened senses of smell and hearing; he also realizes that he can now communicate with animals. Meanwhile, local tribes and residents strictly oppose his project as it requires deforestation.

Following the deaths of two officials involved in the project due to alleged animal attacks, Bhaskar reveals to his friends that he has become a shape-shifting werewolf ever since he got bitten by the wolf and that he has been committing the murders, having no control over his actions. They decide to chain Bhaskar at night at a remote location to prevent further attacks. Nevertheless, a police officer discovers the truth and intimidates Bhaskar but he is subsequently attacked and killed by the wolf that bit Bhaskar. Horrified, Bhaskar and his friends consult a Shaman, who asserts that Bhaskar could be cured only if he gets bitten by the same werewolf on a New moon night at the same place. He then goes to the place with Jana and Jomin and realizes that Anika is the werewolf.

She reveals that she was bitten by a werewolf over a century ago and has since served as the guardian of the forest. She tells them that she was initially intent on killing Bhaskar for his involvement in the project but chose to spare him upon realizing that he has kindness and humanity within. Anika is subsequently shot and captured by the local police but Bhaskar transforms himself into a wolf and comes to her rescue. They subdue the cops and go to a cliff, where Anika succumbs to her wounds and dies, leaving Bhaskar, who has fallen in love with her, devastated. He announces that the road will be rerouted along the forest's border, thereby avoiding deforestation.

In the post credits scene, as Jana chains Bhaskar to contain his transformations, his friends Vicky and Bittu pay him a visit and plead with him to return home, seeking his help with a new issue. Bhaskar transforms into a werewolf and suddenly appears in front of them, leaving them terrified.

Cast

* Varun Dhawan as Bhaskar, a road contractor
* Kriti Sanon as Dr Anika, Bhaskar's love interest
* Deepak Dobriyal as Panda
* Abhishek Banerjee as Janardan "Jana"/ JD, Bhaskar's cousin; Banerjee reprises his role from ''Stree''.
* Paalin Kabak as Jomin
* Manoj Bakshi as Bhaskar's father
* Baharul Islam as Engineer Neri
* Dosam Beyong as Prakash Paja
* Madang Pai as Ojha
* Tai Tugung as Police Inspector Tempol
* Ligang Sallu as Kaso, Forest Range Officer
* Nending Uttung as PSI
* Bengia Morto as a youngster at Lapong
* Hage Apa as the doctor
* Tadu Omu as the hunter
* Surbhi Verma as News Reporter
* Amar Kaushik as the stud at the music festival

Special appearances

* Saurabh Shukla as Babanjeet Bagga
* Sharad Kelkar as Anika's father
* Rajkummar Rao as Vicky, Jana's friend, reprises his role from ''Stree''
* Aparshakti Khurana as Bittu, Jana's friend, reprises his role from ''Stree''
* Shraddha Kapoor in the song "Thumkeshwari", not reprises her role from ''Stree''

Production

The producer of the film, Dinesh Vijan, confirmed that ''Bhediya'' is part of his horror comedy universe consisting of films like ''Stree'' and '' Munjya''. ''Munjya'' will be the prequel to the 2018 film ''Stree''. The shooting for ''Bhediya'' took place in the regions of Arunachal Pradesh's Ziro (Lower Subansiri), Sagalee (Papum Pare) and parts of Pakke-Kessang district- over a span of two months, from March to April 2021. Over 70 percent of the artists in ''Bhediya'' are from Arunachal Pradesh, including a lead character, named Jomin. Besides that, Arunachal rapper K4 Kheko had sung and written the lyrics for the theme song of the film. While the film has several Arunachal dialogues, they are not subtitled, with the character of Panda acting as translator to the non-Arunachal characters. Sanon's bob cut hairstyle was inspired by her childhood looks.

During the shooting schedule, Varun Dhawan and his wife, designer Natasha Dalal donated to the victims of a massive fire in Arunachal Pradesh's Tirap and Longding districts in April 2021. Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu also visited the set in Ziro. The shooting schedule in Arunachal Pradesh completed on 19 April 2021. Filming wrapped on 10 July 2021.

Themes

''Bhediya'' explores wildlife conservation and speaks against deforestation. It also speaks against the racial discrimination that Northeast Indians face from other Indians, including them being treated as non-Indians and accused of having stereotypes of Chinese, Japanese and Korean people, including kung fu expertise.

Environmental conservation

''Bhediya'' addresses environmental concerns, particularly the impact of deforestation in Arunachal Pradesh. The plot involves a road construction project that threatens a forested area, with the narrative exploring issues related to ecological disruption and the consequences of human encroachment on natural habitats.

Racial stereotyping

The film includes depictions of racial stereotyping faced by Northeast Indians, such as being mistaken for foreigners or associated with East Asian cultures. These elements are presented through dialogue and character interactions, highlighting social dynamics within India.

Folklore and regional representation

The narrative incorporates elements of Arunachali folklore, including references to shape-shifting beings inspired by local legends such as the Yapum. The setting, characters, and plot reference cultural practices and beliefs from the region.

Personal transformation

The protagonist's character arc involves a shift in perspective toward the environment and local communities, following events that cause him to reconsider his role in the development project. This transformation is used to support the film’s environmental and social themes.

Music

The music of the film is composed by Sachin–Jigar while the lyrics are written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. The first single titled "Thumkeshwari" was released on 28 October 2022. The second single audio titled "Apna Bana Le was released on 5 November 2022 while its video was released on 7 November 2022.

Release

Theatrical

The film was released theatrically on 25 November 2022 along with the dubbed versions in Telugu (titled ''Thodelu'') and Tamil (titled ''Onai'').

Home media

Six months after the theatrical release, it released on JioCinema for streaming, for free, on 26 May 2023 in Hindi and the dubbed versions of Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam languages.

Reception

Box office

''Bhediya'' grossed ₹7.48 crore on its opening day and approximately ₹26.75 crore in its first week. The film was produced on a budget of ₹60 crore and, during its theatrical run, grossed ₹89.97 crore at the worldwide box office.

Critical response

''Bhediya'' received positive reviews from critics and audiences.

Amandeep Naang of ''ABP News'' rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote, "''Bhediya'' is a mad ride of a horror-comedy which feels different in the current climate of remakes, thrillers and period dramas." Siby Jeyya of ''India Herald'' rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote, "The impact of the film's visuals is by far its most noteworthy aspect. The vfx are incredible, and cinematographer Jishnu Bhattacharjee has masterfully captured the dark and fascinating realm of werewolves with the backdrop of the full moon in the midnight sky, ziro jungles, and mountains." ''Bollywood Hungama'' rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote, "''Bhediya'' works due to its novel idea, memorable performances, captivating climax, and VFX." Dhaval Roy of ''The Times of India'' rated the film 3.5 stars out of 5 and wrote, " Director Amar Kaushik handles both genres skillfully in his latest outing and strikes a fine balance to deliver a movie that’s spine chilling in some instances, rib-tickling in almost all, and leaves you with something to think about." Tushar Joshi of ''India Today'' rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Performances feel genuine and Kaushik’s USP of infusing humour and wit at the right moments helps in keeping the narrative engaging and entertaining."

Saibal Chatterjee of ''NDTV'' rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote, "''Bhediya'' is both enjoyable and thought-provoking, is helped along by lively performances. Varun Dhawan gives the unconventional role his best shot. Abhishek Banerjee and Paalin Kabak are terrific as much with their comic timing as with their dramatic flourishes." Devesh Sharma of ''Filmfare'' rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote, "The film’s creature effects and computer generated imagery is excellent. Cinematography and the background score are good as well." Shubhra Gupta of ''The Indian Express'' rated the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote "Varun Dhawan does a good job of aligning with the tone of the film-- the horror is pretty much ‘naam-ke-vaaste’, comedy is what it is interested in and does it well." Rohit Bhatnagar of ''The Free Press Journal'' rated the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote, "''Bhediya'' is a good one-time popcorn entertainment and a decent distraction from the monotony." Sonil Dedhia of ''News 18'' rated the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote, "''Bhediya'' has a message that resonates with current times. The film has its heart in the right place but it falters in its execution and writing." Sukanya Verma of ''Rediff'' rated the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote "Varun Dhawan ups his entertainer game exponentially in ''Bhediya''."

In a less positive review, Anna M. M. Vetticad of ''Firstpost'' rated it 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote, “Bhediya is not the first film in this world to sideline characters from social groups sidelined in reality, even while purportedly being about those communities... All the noble intentions in the world and even Abhishek Banerjee’s comedic genius cannot compensate for such mindlessness.” Himesh Mankad of ''Pinkvilla'' rated the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote "''Bhediya'' rides primarily on the strength of gags, visual effects, and performances, but warranted a bigger conflict with regard to a hero and villain in the second half." Rahul Desai from ''Film Companion'' wrote, "Bhediya is silly, stylish – and surprisingly poignant."

Notes

References

External links

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Maddock Supernatural Universe
2020s Hindi-language films
2020s monster movies
2020s supernatural horror films
2022 3D films
2022 comedy horror films
2022 fantasy films
2022 films
Environmental films
Films based on Indian folklore
Films set in jungles
Films shot in Arunachal Pradesh
Indian 3D films
Indian comedy horror films
Indian fantasy films
Indian monster movies
Indian mythology in popular culture
Indian sequel films
Indian superhero films
Indian supernatural horror films
Union Public Service Commission
Werewolf films
Maddock Films
Jio Studios films
Films set in Arunachal Pradesh