Kartik Aryan and Aakash Kaushik
Kartik Aryan and Aakash Kaushik

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’s writer Aakash Kaushik opens up about writing for horror comedies and his upcoming projects  

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 cast features Kartik Aryan, Kiara Advani and Tabu

The creative brain behind Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Aakash Kaushik loves playing with words, especially with comedy cinema. Known for previous work in movies such as Faltu and Houseful, he is delighted to have donned the hat of story and script writer and for Bhool Bhulaiyya‘s (BB) sequel starring Kartik Aryan, Kiara Advani and Tabu. An ardent fan of the horror-comedy genre, he tells us about the kind of work that went into preparing the script. He also wrote dialogues along with Farhad Samji.

Was there ever pressure about delivering a story as good as part one?

I wrote a horror story for Murad Khetani, the movie’s producer and we just couldn’t ignore the uncanny resemblance it had with Bhool Bhulaiyaa. We felt that could make for a perfect sequel. And as luck would have it, Bhushan Kumar was looking for a script for the sequel. So, while developing the script, we narrated it to him and everybody loved it. It had the essence of BB, but with a fresh take on horror-comedy.

Speaking of pressure, yes, there always was. BB has become a cult classic over the years, but I have taken the pressure only on a positive note. It has only helped me to improve the script and the dialogues.

How long did you work on the story?

BB2 has been a part of my life for three years now. While it took me a couple of months to wrap up the story, the pandemic has halted the project. We began shooting for it and then we had to stop and restart everything once again. I also visited the movie set regularly and would often brainstorm with the crew and cast and add a few more details. There were also times when I would come up with new punch lines that would crack everyone up.

Aakash Kaushik
Aakash Kaushik

How easy or difficult is it difficult to write comedy?

I don’t believe that comedy comes only in the form of punchlines. I prefer situational comedy, where the situations are so funny that it generates laughter from the audience. Honestly, writing comedy is something that I very much enjoy. And this genre is a mix of two opposite emotions, which makes writing more exciting. I had always wanted to write something like this and here we are!

Who do you think is the greatest writer from Indian cinema?

Well, if I have to name one, then Salim-Javed. The duo are the first superstar writers of the film industry and the writer community truly owes it to them for changing the outlook of Hindi cinema.

Today, several Bollywood filmmakers and producers are speaking about empowering writers as the only way to create successful cinema. Your thoughts?

The writer is the person who brings everything to the table. The very idea, the story, and what you watch on the screen are all because of the writer’s vision. Then, everybody else’s contribution makes a movie what it is. I am not undermining anyone’s effort, but they all are built on what? The script.

I believe that the credit for a writer’s work has been long overdue, but there is a lot more to be done in that de par tment. More credit, more recognition, and more relevance is what the writer community needs and deserves!

What’s next?

There are a few projects in the pipeline. There is Thank God, Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali, and a John Abraham-Ritesh Deshmukh starrer too.

BB2 is releasing today.

— bsuchitra@newindianexpress.com 

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