As someone who isn’t really a fan of the horror genre, I do like it better when they add comedy to the mix. The sub-genre can boast of entries such as Stree, followed by the decently humorous, Bhediya. The latest entrant in this horror comedy universe, Munjya, is definitely the weakest, not only in terms of the star power but mostly for its screenplay and direction which makes it an average watch with nothing spectacularly scary.

For a supernatural horror comedy, Munjya, directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, blends way too many elements that intrigue you in the beginning, but gradually, end up only as a series of comedic instances that struggle to scare you. It starts with a Marathi folklore in Maharashtra’s Konkan region with a CGI ghost-like figure that’s not scary at all. The entire screenplay is peppered with generous amount of humour that mostly lands but does the movie frighten you? No. Is it even intended to scare you? Doesn’t seem like it. It’s funny for most part, and where it’s not, the loud background music and jump scares do the trick.

The plot

The story begins in 1952, when a young Brahmin boy names Goya wished to marry Munni who is seven years elder to him. Since his family disapproves, he performs some rituals in the jungle but dies tragically in the process, and is buried under a tree. Cut to present day Pune, a geeky college student Bittu (Abhay Verma) works at a salon with his mother Pammi (Mona Singh), and enjoys sweet moments back home with his aaji (Suhas Joshi). He carries a flame for his childhood friend Bella (Sharvari), but is reluctant to express those feeling because she is with an English guy, Kuba. Bittu often gets nightmares and hears muffled voices from the peepal tree haunted by Munjya. Along with his mum and grandmum, he soon visits their family in the village where Bittu learns buried secrets about his father, and the family’s history with a deadly place called chetuk-baari where Munjya’s spirit dwells in peepal trees. Bittu’s life turns upside down when he is trapped by Munjya and the story unfolds in the most unexpected yet hilarious way.

What works, what doesn't

At the outset, Munjya has a pretty interesting plot, that touches upon the legends of an eponymous child demon-cum-monster that many believe in, and others are simply curious to know more about them. Munjya is perceived as a creature that is both monstrous and childlike due to dying at a young age. Once a demon, he is visible only to people from his bloodline, and he tends to trouble them to fulfil desires, mostly fixated of marriage and finding Munni.

Munjya brings spooky horror that’s barely scary; and comedy, most of which come from the ghost himself, or actually for the way he speaks. Whoever has done the voice over for this CGI character needed to have a better brief about the film being a horror first, and then a comedy. Niren Bhatt’s screenplay with a solid story backed by Yogesh Chandekar does offer a fast-paced and engaging first half, and the second half takes the story forward with the same pace putting together all the pieces. Special mention to Saurabh Goswami’s cinematography, which makes the settings look spooky, especially with the aerial shots of the village, that peepal tree and the stunning beach leading to it. There’s a scene where Bittu’s grandmother is moving barefoot on the beach strip leaving her footprints on the wet sand; it’s shot so spectacularly that you can’t help but notice.

Actors' scorecard

Abhay Verma flawlessly fits the character he is portraying, and he showcases a fine blend of being scared and courageous. There’s an eerie camaraderie between Bittu and Munjya, and while some scenes between them are disturbing, there’s something about these two that is cute. I have to mention Bittu’s friend Diljit (Taran Singh), who adds a heavy dose of laughter with his jokes. Sharvari delivers a decent performance in the beginning, and gets to shine only in the second half. Mona Singh is magical as a protective mother. She showcases some typical traits, and when it’s about comic timing, nobody’s matches her. Oh, not to forget the Punjabi touches she brings here that reminded me of Bulbul from Made in Heaven. Suhas Joshi is a veteran and has the most endearing screen presence, especially her scenes with Abhay are too sweet. And then enters the saviour, Hand of God, Elvis Karim Prabhakar (S Sathyaraj), who claims to free people from evil spirits by chanting ‘hallelujah’. His character is a bit caricature-ish yet not insane like tantrik babas etc. He does add to the comedic element and doesn’t disappoint.

In a nutshell, Munjya is a heady mix of love, obsession, possession, black magic and horror. Munjya isn’t your perfect horror comedy, but offers you something new, something old and something to laugh about. Do sit back for end credits, the song and the surprise reveal that links Munjya to its cousins in the horror comedy franchise.

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