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The horror-comedy genre, though increasingly popular, demands a delicate balance that many filmmakers struggle to maintain. Kapkapiii, the Hindi remake of the 2023 Malayalam sleeper hit Romancham, is a textbook example of how not to approach this hybrid genre. Lacking in both genuine scares and effective humour, the film quickly loses its footing, becoming a tedious watch.

Set in 2007, the film follows a group of unemployed young men living in a rented house in Faridabad. Their mundane routine takes a turn when two women move in next door. In a bid to impress one of them, Manu (played by Shreyas Talpade) introduces an Ouija board into the mix. To their surprise, the board actually works-soon, a steady stream of locals lines up at their door, seeking answers from the beyond. What begins as a harmless game spirals out of control when the spirit becomes increasingly aggressive. Manu seeks help from his enigmatic friend Kabir (Tusshar Kapoor), unaware that Kabir may bring more chaos than calm. And thus, the film's main narrative begins.

Shreyas Talpade delivers a controlled performance, but the lackluster script and inconsistent direction leave him with little room to shine. Tusshar Kapoor, entering the film post-intermission, shows flashes of comic timing and presence that have been absent from his recent work. Among the supporting cast, Varun Pande is the standout, bringing much-needed energy to an otherwise inert ensemble.

The film's first half meanders aimlessly, relying on clichéd gags and clumsy exposition that neither build suspense nor amuse. Despite a promising setup, the screenplay flounders under the weight of gimmicks. The second half, buoyed briefly by the Talpade-Kapoor dynamic, manages to inject some life into the proceedings but ultimately collapses under its own inconsistency. The climax, poorly conceived and executed, feels like an afterthought.

Visually, Kapkapiii fails to leverage its genre. Horror thrives on atmosphere and tension-both of which are sorely lacking due to uninspired cinematography and a lack of visual cohesion. The music, too, fails to leave an impression, with a jarring item number at the start of the film setting a disjointed tone that never quite recovers.

Director Sangeeth Sivan, in what is his final directorial outing, seems to have aimed for a commercially viable horror-comedy but ends up delivering a confused, lifeless product. Where Romancham found success in its simplicity and relatability, Kapkapiii attempts to compensate with loud humour, cheap thrills, and tired tropes-none of which land effectively.

In the end, Kapkapiii is a missed opportunity-a remake that forgets the core of what made its source material work. With a weak script, uninspired direction, and a failure to evoke either fear or laughter, the film is unlikely to resonate with audiences or critics. Neither spooky nor funny, it vanishes from memory almost as soon as the credits roll.

If you ever want to watch a film that satisfies your soul as well as your mind, you know you need to watch a short-middle-class film that revolves around a small indian town.

Bhool Chuk Maaf, a time travel rom-com revolves around Varanasi, an Indian town where Ranjan played by Rajkummar Rao and Titli played by Wamiqa Gabbi are madly in love with each other with more or less spikes from their own families trying to separate them. Somehow, accepted but on the word of Ranjan getting a government job as early as in two months.

Managing every demand from head to toe, Ranjan falls into the trap of time loop where the Wedding Day seems impossible to arrive. Here, the picture begins!

The gags and jokes seems fresh and makes you laugh out loud, here the credit definitely goes to the supporting cast starring Ishtiyak Khan, Raghuvir Yadav, Seema Pahwa and Sanjay Mishra. First half of the screenplay is engaging while the second half feels a bit stretched with too many repeated sequences lacking pace.

With mediocre sets of dialogues, the one standing out is one of the emotional performances in the latter half of the film played by Akash Makhija; Kudos to the actor. Rajkummar Rao's character feels like an extension of his last film Stree, acted well with some engaging punch lines and dialogues. On the other hand, Wamiqa Gabbi stands tall with her first full fledged theatrical film, some may say she overacted while I believe that was the demand of role, her performance was engaging.

Karan Sharma, the director, has almost held the story balancing it in a way to be a treat for the audience's eyes. Good job!

The cinematography complements the film, it even showcases the beautiful city of Varanasi aesthetically.

While, the music tracks being released a month prior to the film's release it eventually didn't gain that popular tag, maybe due to most of it's music being remade from pop hindi songs, audience has a better version of it which they could probably listen to.

The film definitely targets a social commentary on society while navigating relationships, regrets and redemptions.

The film is a family entertainer and could definitely be watched and enjoyed on a stress free weekend, being different from the mass action films we've been seeing from so long now, this short yet sweet film will bring smile to your face.