In town to shoot Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 with Kartik Aaryan, filmmaker Anees Bazmee — known for cult comedies like Welcome and No Entry as well as many others — chatted with t2 about the world of Bhool Bhulaiyaa, what made him want to shoot a schedule of Part 3 in Calcutta and what goes into making a good ha-ha watch...

What prompted the shoot of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 in Calcutta?

Even in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, I used a lot of Bengali elements. I love the language, I feel that it is a very sweet language. Aami je tomar, the song, is a big hit and has come to be integrally associated with the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise. I loved the song so much that I retained it in the second film, even though it was set in Rajasthan.

This time, I thought: 'Why don't we set the third film in Bengal?' In fact, almost the whole of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is based in Bengal. The costumes are Bengali, the whole culture is Bengali. We have recreated an entire Bengal village as a set in Mumbai.

What kind of texture does Calcutta lend to the film?

The city has an old-world and mysterious feel in many pockets, which I feel goes very well with the theme and tone of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. It is a very beautiful city and looks very good on camera. So even though we face certain logistical problems shooting here, so many Bollywood films continue to be shot in Calcutta. Even though we could erect a set and shoot it completely in Mumbai, we wanted to come to Calcutta to shoot in order to lend an authentic feel to the film.

And your original Monjulika, Vidya Balan, comes back to the franchise with this film...

Vidya did a very good job in Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007). She was fantastic as Monjulika and when we decided on the direction that the third film would be taking, I was very keen on having Vidya on board. Luckily, when we approached her, she liked the story a lot and was happy with the way Monjulika had been conceived in this film. She also liked the overall story very much and signed the film.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa was one of the first horror-comedies in Bollywood. The first film was, of course, a remake of the 1993 Malayalam film Manichitrathazu. Since then, what has gone into sustaining the interest and excitement around the franchise?

With the Bhool Bhulaiyaa films, what you see is what you get. It has horror, but the kind that every member of a family can watch and enjoy. Even the comedy is very clean and the characters have made a place in the audience's hearts.

There is a certain expectation from a Bhool Bhulaiyaa film. But that also involves a delicate balance. The audience wants to see the same kind of film, but they don't want to watch the same film. Every film in the franchise has to be a step up or at least a step parallel to the previous film. We have to be very careful to avoid repetition, no matter how well a certain element may have worked previously. That is a challenge but also very exciting for me as a filmmaker.

I feel that the first film was an iconic film. It was made in a flawless manner (Priyadarshan directed that film) and the characters remain memorable even now. Also, the first film was a psychological thriller. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022) was completely different. We moved more towards horror and comedy instead of making it a thriller like the first one.

What does Kartik Aryan bring to the franchise?

Kartik is a very good actor. His comic timing is fabulous and he is very on-point with his expressions, whether it is horror, comedy or drama. In the Bhool Bhulaiyaa films, his character is never made to look like a hero. He is a normal young man who gets scared like all of us. He is scared of ghosts. Kartik does complete justice to the character. He is a very honest actor and extremely popular with all kinds of audiences.

You had surgery on your leg a few months ago and plunged right into shooting Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. Hasn't that been a challenge?

I actually fractured my leg the last time I was in Calcutta. Initially, I thought it was a serious sprain but then the fracture was bad enough to warrant surgery.

Directing is a very demanding job. Not only is one in charge of everything that is happening on set, the director has to be on his toes all the time. I have been told that I should have probably given my leg some more rest, but I am happiest when I am on set doing my job. It gives me an adrenaline rush.

Six months ago, we had decided that Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 would go on the floors on April 9, and that is what happened. We didn't delay shoot even by a day. The producers told me that I should rest and we could start the film 12-15 days later than the scheduled date, but I insisted that I wanted to get back because work is my only remedy. That is how it has always been.

Having made some cult Bollywood comedies, how do you think the genre has evolved in Hindi cinema over the last decade?

It has evolved a lot. Earlier, in the name of comedy, sometimes we would be made to watch a lot of buffoonery. But now the audience is very intelligent and they know how to appreciate a good comedy film. Over-the-top comedy works sporadically and only when done very well.

And the fun of comedy is that it has good repeat value, if done well. A well-done comedy will make you invariably laugh, no matter how many times you watch it. That is true for my films No Entry, Welcome and even Sinngh is King, all of which are enjoyed by audiences even after repeat viewings. You may know all the dialogues and punchlines by heart, but they will still make you laugh.

Comedy is much-needed in today's world where people, in general, have forgotten how to laugh. That is why the shelf-life of these comedies I just spoke about is so big. No Entry doesn't feel like a film that was made about 20 years ago. It still feels so fresh. Welcome memes still make people laugh.

Kartik Aryan shooting a sequence of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 on Howrad Bridge on Tuesday. Pabitra Das

Who among the current crop of actors has good comedic skills?

I just mentioned how Kartik is able to ace every comic expression with minimal effort. I am about to start working with Varun Dhawan and he is extremely good at comedy.

You are about to start working on No Entry 2 with Varun, Arjun Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh...

Yes. I am very excited about going back to the No Entry universe. If all goes well, we will roll in January next year.