Kakuda review: Riteish Deshmukh rescues fun moments from a grumpy ghost in this horror comedy

Kakuda review: Sonakshi Sinha and Saqib Saleem in Kakuda. The story pits the rational mind against an emotional bhoot, with an almost obsequious ghost hunter mediating. (Image courtesy Zee5)

Har sawaal ka jawaab science ke paas nahi hota (Science doesn't have the answers for all questions)," ghost hunter Victor James (Riteish Deshmukh) tells a newly married Sonakshi Sinha in horror-comedy 'Kakuda' on Zee5. It's still early in the film at this point. Sonakshi Sinha, who plays Indira (Indu for short), a rational girl with a supernatural problem, is at the hospital with her new husband Sunny (Saqib Saleem) who's been cursed by the local ghost of Ratauri village: Kakuda. Riteish Deshmukh who plays a ghost hunter with a track record of having vanquished or appeased 127 chudails (witches), 72 pisach (ghouls) and 37 bhoots (ghosts), is at the same hospital playing matchmaker to a newly dead maiden and a heavy metal musician who was electrocuted by his guitar. The science vs supernatural debate is quickly decided in favour of the supernatural, and the film moves on.

Sonakshi Sinha in horror comedy film Kakuda, streaming on Zee5. (Image courtesy Zee5)" width="3936" height="2216" /> Riteish Deshmukh and Sonakshi Sinha in horror comedy film Kakuda. (Image courtesy Zee5)

Kakuda finds its comic moments in the crevasses of what reads like a cautionary tale derived from Indian folklore: a remote village where a marginalized ghost curses those who fail to honour and welcome him by leaving a tiny door open - it could be the stuff of a Vijaydan Detha story.

Where the direction and cinematography help is in layering suggestions of Kakuda's fearsome curse. Where the movie drags a bit is in the later "horror" sequences with the scarecrow, the ghost and the possessed human offering nothing new in terms of how they are imagined, their place in the story or how they are enacted.

The ghost of Ratauri is foul and fly-infested yes, but he is rarely scary (the film is rated 16+). Of course, everyone has their own tolerance levels for spooks and spookiness. But if you can watch a bit of horror for fun, there's nothing to make you jump out of your skin here - far from it.

The comic sequence in this horror-comedy, though they tailgate each other, contain jokes that don't always land. There are some stale jokes, from essays on "Cow is my mother" and "Rahul is my best friend" to lady-ghosts who can't resist the charms of the ghost hunter from Delhi. But there are also some brilliant moments, like the we-told-you-so song the local ladies sing when Kakuda's curse befalls some unfortunate man.

Having said that, 'Kakuda' the film manages to rise above the sum of its parts to remain light-hearted, finding the comical in the small things, glances and exchanges. There's Qilbil's (Aasif Khan's) nervous laughter, for example, that is funny because it is so untimely. There is also the courtship between Indu and Sunny, where Sunny offers to die for his beloved, but the beloved tells him "pyaar jaan nahi, imtihaan mange hai" - she needs him to learn English so her Anglophile father will approve their marriage.

Kakuda, which released direct-to-digital on Zee5 on July 11, is the latest in a growing line of horror comedies that dip into India's folk tales for inspiration. (Image courtesy Zee5)

Kakuda movie review

Though not new, horror comedy films have found a larger audience in India lately. There are enough examples of commercial and OTT successes from Bollywood, including 'Bhool Bhulaiya', 'Stree' and now 'Munjya'. Equally, however, there are examples of horror-comedy films that have not worked at the box office. Case in point: 'Phone Bhoot'.

'Kakuda' is directed by Aditya Sarpotdar who also made 'Munjya' - which entered the 100 Crore Club after four weeks in theatres. The story of 'Kakuda' pits the rational mind against an emotional bhoot, with an almost obsequious ghost hunter mediating with the help devices that tell humans apart from ghosts, as well as capture audio frequencies of ghosts to translate them into Hindi.

The film is rarely laugh-out-loud funny and it's never quite scary, but it does have good bones with a folksy ghost and resolution in tow. There are boring bits, to be sure. But Riteish Deshmukh's ghosts-love-me, help-me-help-you and flattery-will-get-you-everywhere act can help to tide over those bits.

Saqib Saleem in Kakuda. The film is lukewarm as horror or comedy, but as a horror-comedy, it works in parts. Where it seems to stretch on is in the later scenes with the ghost. (Image courtesy Zee5)

Kakuda movie plot

'Kakuda', which released direct-to-digital on Zee5 on July 11, is the latest in a growing line of horror comedies that dip into India's folktales for inspiration.

Indeed, the movie begins in a way that is reminiscent of stories by GOAT writers like Rajasthani folklorist Vijaydan Detha. Here's how it goes: An elderly gentleman gets off a state transport bus in the middle of nowhere. The conductor is surprised as he takes the man's bicycle down from the bus: he wasn't aware there was even a village around here. The older gentleman cycles home as fast as he can, panicking as the village clock tower rings in 7 pm. The name of the village, we learn, is Ratauri, and the people here have a peculiar custom: Every Tuesday, at 7.15pm, they must shut the main door of the home and open a smaller door built especially for the local, not-so-friendly ghost Kakuda. Failing to do this brings Kakuda's curse upon a male member of the house. This cursed individual develops a hump, and dies within 13 days.

Ghost hunter Victor (Riteish Deshmukh) and newlywed Indu / Indira (Sonakshi Sinha) team up when the curse of Kakuda falls upon Indu's new husband Sunny (Saqib Saleem).

Saqib Saleem as Sunny in Kakuda. (Image courtesy Zee5)

Kakuda performances

The last time we saw Riteish Deshmukh in a movie, he was playing the bearded and brooding Ved in the Marathi film of the same name. In 'Kakuda', we see Deshmukh in a role that uses his comedy chops and charm with a bit of restraint. This is also Sonakshi Sinha's first film to release since her wedding on June 23. And it comes on the heels of her success in 'Heeramandi' (Netflix). Here, we see her in a double role again - the difference is that only one-half of her two-part act works well in 'Kakuda'.

Riteish Deshmukh as ghost hunter Victor and Aasif Khan as Sunny's nervous friend Qilbil steal the show. Sonakshi Sinha is interesting to watch as Indu. Saqib Saleem's role gives him little to do except play the martyr, but he manages to extract some laughs from this.

Ideally, the film should have carried a content warning, as there is ideation of self-harm and suicide in it - however brief it may be.

Kakuda director and writer

'Kakuda' is directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and written by Avinash Dwivedi and Chirag Garg. Director of photography Lawrence Dcunha ('Shanghai', 'Dear Zindagi') uses the camera smartly in places to offer suggestions of remoteness, ghostliness and doom.

Kakuda the ghost is more effective - and funnier - when we don't see him. When we do see him floating around, he looks grumpy. The ghost's guttural grunts are more animalistic than otherwordly.

Kakuda trailer

The trailer explains the premise, and introduces the main characters. Watch it here: