Bhool Bhulaiyaa: The horror-comedy franchise first began with the 2007 classic featuring Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan in the lead roles.
A remake of a Malayalam film by the same director, the movie was not only a box office success but also became a cult classic. The second part of the film was released in 2022 with no member from the leading original team in it. Kartik Aaryan shouldered the movie, which was at the time, credited for reopening cinema after the pandemic and also gave a fresh lease of life to the genre.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 became a massive hit and Aaryan’s career best, until the release of the third part. With a better production value and bigger budget, the film too, is all set to breach the ₹250 crore mark at the box office and has broken several records for the lead actor. Seldom does one see a new actor tracking over the lead role in a franchise film and being successful with it. A rarity, that Kartik Aaryan has proven his mettle in.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise becomes box office gold for Kartik Aaryan
Kartik Aaryan made his debut in 2011 and has since then featured in 14 films. However, non of them have yielded the actor benefits as much as the horror comedies. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 minted ₹ 184.32 Crore, as per Sacnilk and the third part which is still running in theatres, has raked in ₹ 240.52 Cr in the three-week theatrical run. Together, the two films contribute ₹462 crore to Aaryan’s filmography, as per Bollywood Hungama. The publication stated that both the Bhool Bhulaiyaa movies have accounted for a whopping 44% of Kartik’s total career collection.
Kartik Aaryan as Rooh Baba in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 | Image: XBhool Bhulaiyaa 3 requires a special mention here Despite releasing in a clash with Singham Again which led to screen division, audience’s attention division during pre-release and comparisons between the two films, the Kartik Aaryan starrer managed to hold its ground. The film has emerged as a winner in the Diwali clash with the actor’s performance credited as the top reason for the same. The success of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and 3 has proved Kartik Aaryan to be a bankable star and has cemented his stardom.
Kartik Aaryan is a case study for actors replacing the original cast in franchise film
Anytime a sequel to a movie is announced, the cast of the film becomes a point of anticipation among the audience. The same happened when Kartik Aaryan was announced as the lead face of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, replacing Akshay Kumar. However, over the years audiences have now associated the young actor with horror comedy over the original. What Kartik did with the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise remains a rarity in the industry. Time and again audience has rejected any changes in the original cast in the movie sequels. Saif Ali Khan replacing Abhishek Bachchan in Bunty Aur Babli 2, Omkar Kapoor and Sunny Singh replacing Divyendu Sharma and Raayo S Bkhirta in Pyaar Ka Punchama, Madhuri Dixit replacing Vidya Balan in Desh Ishqiya are all examples of how the audience is quick to reject new cast in sequels.
Ranveer Singh is said to be the fresh face of Don 3 and Akshay Kumar wont return for Singh Is Kinng sequel | Image: IMDbKartik’s success with Bhool Bhulaiyaa should be treated as a case study for upcoming sequels as well. Ranveer Singh in Don 3 is one such movie that has the potential of going either way with the cine-goers. With the Don franchise boasting a solid fandom, Singh has massive shoes to fill to prove his mettle as the new face of the gangster drama. The same holds true for the Singh Is Kinng franchise which is said to undergo major cast changes. As per reports, the director is not willing to rope in Akshay Kumar, but wants Diljit Dosanjh in the lead role. Will Don 3 and Singh Is Kinng 3 work as well as the Bhool Bhulaiyaa sequels did, only time will tell.