Bholaa
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAjay Devgn
Written by
  • Aamil Keeyan Khan
  • Ankush Singh
  • Sandeep Kewlani
  • Shridhar Dubey
Story byLokesh Kanagaraj
Based onKaithi (2019 film)
by Lokesh Kanagaraj
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAseem Bajaj
Edited byDharmendra Sharma
Music byRavi Basrur
Production
companies
Distributed byPanorama Studios
PVR Pictures (Worldwide)
Release date
  • 30 March 2023 (2023-03-30)
Running time
144 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget₹100 crore[2]
Box officeest. ₹111.64 crore[3]

Bholaa is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Ajay Devgn and jointly produced by Ajay Devgn FFilms, Reliance Entertainment, T-Series Films and Dream Warrior Pictures. It is a remake of the critically-acclaimed 2019 Tamil film Kaithi and stars Devgn in the title role alongside Tabu, Deepak Dobriyal, Sanjay Mishra, Gajraj Rao and Vineet Kumar.[4][5][6]

Principal photography took place from January 2022 to January 2023 in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Varanasi. The film score and soundtrack album are composed by Ravi Basrur with cinematography by Aseem Bajaj and editing by Dharmendra Sharma.

Bholaa was released on 30 March 2023 and received mixed reviews from critics. The film has grossed ₹111.64 crore (US$14 million) worldwide.[3]

Plot

SP Diana Joseph captures members of the Sikka Gang and confiscates a haul of cocaine worth 1,000 crores. An undercover officer Abbas Ali known as Raunak, has joined Ashwathama (known as Ashu) who is co-leader of the Sikka Gang. Raunak gives information about Ashu to Diana while Ashu seeks help from corrupt NCB officer Devraj Subramaniam who instructs another corrupt officer Deep Singh to add rohypnol to drinks made for police officers at the farewell party of IG Jayant Malik. Diana does not partake but everyone else falls unconscious.

A prisoner named Bholaa has been released from prison and Joseph tries to convince him to drive a truck taking the sedated officers to the hospital then on to Laalganj police station. Although he is reluctant at first, he agrees. Meanwhile, Ashu hires a bounty hunter on Joseph and the rest of her police force. As Joseph, Bholaa and sidekick Kadchi drive they are attacked by various gangs. The mole Deep Singh, who has hidden with the sedated officers, provides them with the location updates. Bholaa reveals his fighting powers and kills all the goons. Ashu also sends his gang to attack the police station and to free his brother Nithari, who was caught with the cocaine. A new inspector, Angad Yadav, who was recently transferred to Laalganj, gets assigned by Joseph to defend the police station.

When Ashu arrives with his gang, they try to breach the police station which is barricaded by Yadav and some students. Joseph is nearly tricked into ordering the release of the prisoners but she realizes that it was a trap set by Nithari. Ashu manages to get inside the police station but Yadav and the students manage to arrest him. The student Chetan gets strangled to death by Ashu's gang with a lasso through a window and Yadav, fuming with rage, kills Ashu. Joseph contacts medics to provide an emergency ambulance at a temple of Lord Shiva. As they wait, Bholaa narrates his past to Kadchi: he was a notorious gangster in Uttar Pradesh and fell in love with a doctor named Swara, who reciprocated his love after he saved her from being sexually assaulted. Before their marriage, Bholaa gave up his gangster life, but Swara was killed by a ruthless gang leader known as Chomu. Before dying, Swara gave birth to their daughter, Jyoti but Bholaa got separated from her after receiving a long term prison sentence. Joseph shares her story about how she lost her unborn child when she was pregnant. An ambulance finally arrives and takes the sedated officers to hospital, then Ashu's big henchman Bhoora also turns up. Before Bholaa is able to fight, Deep Singh stabs him and he is brutally injured. While Joseph and Kadchi are taken away, Abbas is killed when he is discovered as the mole. Bholaa later regains consciousness and single-handedly kills the whole gang, including Deep Singh, using the Trident of Lord Shiva. After this he chases after Bhoraa, rescuing Joseph.

After driving all night, Bholaa, Kadchi and Diana arrive in Laalganj police station using a secret passage and help the students along with Yadav to escape safely. Joseph burns the cocaine and after Ashu's reinforced gang finally breaches station, Bholaa destroys them all using a M134 Minigun. Shortly after, Nithari dies of shock after learning about Bholaa, and Devraj Subramaniam shoots himself after knowing that Bholaa was behind everything. Bholaa is reunited with his daughter Jyoti and they drive off happily in the truck with Kadchi and a puppy.

In the mid-credits scene, Chomu Singh learns about Bholaa's release and decides to destroy him.

Cast

Production

Principal photography for the film commenced on 13 January 2022.[7] Filming took place in Hyderabad, Madh Island, Kharghar, Mumbai and Varanasi.[8] The entire filming for Bholaa was wrapped up on 6 January 2023.[9]

Soundtrack

Bholaa
Soundtrack album by
Ravi Basrur
Released9 April 2023
Recorded2021-22
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length23:00
LabelT-Series
Saregama (1 song)
Official audio
Bholaa (Audio Jukebox) on YouTube

The music of the film is composed by Ravi Basrur while lyrics are written by Irshad Kamil. The first single titled "Nazar Lag Jayegi" was released on 20 February 2023.[10] The second single titled "Aadha Main Aadhi Vo" was released on 15 March 2023.[11] The third single titled "Paan Dukaniya" was released on 20 March 2023.[12] The fourth single titled "Dil Hai Bholaa" was released on 24 March 2023.[13] The fifth single titled "Aaraaro Aararo" was released on 6 April 2023.

Track listing
No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Nazar Lag Jayegi"Javed Ali3:56
2."Aadha Main Aadhi Vo"B Praak6:18
3."Paan Dukaniya"Kanika Kapoor, Swaroop Khan3:41
4."Dil Hai Bholaa"Amit Mishra4:46
5."Aaraaro Aararo"Hariharan4:18
Total length:23:00

Release

Theatrical

Bholaa was released theatrically on 30 March 2023 in 2D, 3D, IMAX 3D, 4DX and ICE 3D formats worldwide.[14][15]

Home media

The digital streaming rights of Bholaa were acquired by Amazon Prime Video in ₹30–40 crores.[16][17] The film was premiered on Amazon Prime Video on 25 May 2023.[18]

Distribution

It was distributed worldwide by Panorama Studios and PVR Pictures.

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 42% of 12 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.8/10.[19]

Bollywood Hungama rated the film 3.5 out of 5 and termed the film as "mass-appealing" with scale, grandeur, breathtaking action, and Ajay Devgn and Tabu's mind-blowing performances as its USP.[20] Harshada Rege of The Times of India rated the film 3.5 out of 5 and wrote "Bholaa packs in quite a punch with his strength, grit and charisma".[21] Sowmyabrata Gupta of Times Now rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and termed the film as an "engaging watch" and wrote "some fight sequences are excellent but the plot is slapdash".[22] Roktim Rajpal of India Today rated the film 3 out of 5 stars and stated that the film is a "treat for Ajay Devgn's fans" and wrote "It has everything, right from action scenes to punch dialogues, that one would expect from a big-screen spectacle meant for the mass audience".[23] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express rated the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote "Ajay Devgn-Tabu's all-out action film is not for the faint-hearted but it is bang for your buck".[24] Monika Rawal Kukreja of the Hindustan Times praised the action sequences and criticised the plot.[25] Udita Jhunjhunwala of Mint wrote in her review that "the film has a chaotic screenplay with video game like action sequences." She criticised the quality of 3D in the film by saying that "the 3D adds little to the experience, besides further darkening the visuals.[26]

Box office

The film grossed ₹11.20 crore on its first day.[3] On the second day the film collected only ₹6 crore.[3] While Day 3 and Day 4 collections were ₹11 crore and ₹12.20 crore respectively.[3] The film grossed ₹54.80 in its first week of release.[3] As of 4 May 2023 it has grossed ₹111.64 crore worldwide.[3]

Sequel

The film features Abhishek Bachchan as Chomu Singh, a former rival of Bholaa, in a cameo during a mid-credits scene as a setup to a sequel. A sequel, Bholaa 2, has been confirmed by Devgn and Bachchan.[27]

References

  1. ↑ "Bholaa gets 'UA' certificate from CBFC; Ajay Devgn and Tabu starrer to have a run time of 2 hours 24 minutes". Bollywood Hungama. 26 March 2023. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  2. ↑ "Bholaa: OTT streaming rights of Ajay Devgn's movie sold to Amazon Prime video for staggering amount, claim reports". The Economic Times. 29 March 2023. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Bholaa Box Office collection". Bollywood Hungama. 30 March 2023. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "Bholaa (2023)". Irish Film Classification Office. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  5. ↑ "Bholaa Box Office Collection Day 2: Ajay Devgn's Actioner Earns Rs 7.40 Crore On Friday". ABP News. April 2023. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2023. 'Bholaa', the action-adventure film starring Ajay Devgn and Tabu, is making a respectable sum at the box office.
  6. ↑ "Here's How Bholaa Has Fared Against Pathaan, Shehzada, Selfiee And TJMM On Day 1 At Box Office". Times Now. 31 March 2023. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023. Ajay Devgn starrer action adventure Bholaa has opened to Rs 11.20 crore at the box office.
  7. ↑ Hungama, Bollywood (13 January 2022). "Ajay Devgn starrer Kaithi remake titled Bholaa, goes on floors today : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  8. ↑ "Ajay Devgn's Bholaa teaser out. All you need to know about Kaithi remake, story and cast". India Today. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  9. ↑ "It's a wrap for Ajay Devgn's 'Bholaa', to release on March 30". Tribune. 5 January 2023. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  10. ↑ "Ajay Devgn and Amala Paul starrer Bholaa's first romantic track 'Nazar Lag Jayegi' out now!". Bollywood Hungama. 20 February 2023. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  11. ↑ "B Praak's Heartrending Song 'Aadha Main Aadhi Vo' Is The Essence Of 'Bholaa'". Outlook. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  12. ↑ "Ajay Devgn unveils audio version of peppy track 'Paan Dukaniya' from 'Bholaa'". ThePrint. 20 March 2023. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  13. ↑ "Dil Hai Bholaa: Ajay Devgn's much-awaited Bholaa anthem will give you goosebumps | WATCH". India TV. 24 March 2023. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  14. ↑ "Ajay Devgn dons director's hat for Bholaa, film to premiere on March 30, 2023". India Today. 4 July 2022. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  15. ↑ "Bholaa Teaser Launch: Ajay Devgn opens up on why he is releasing the film in IMAX: The film will provide an IMAX experience". Bollywood Hungama. 24 January 2023. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  16. ↑ "Bholaa OTT Rights Sold To THIS Digital Platform For A Jaw-Dropping Amount: Reports". Jagran Prakashan. 31 March 2023. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  17. ↑ "Bholaa movie OTT platform: जानें कब और कहां देखने को मिलेगी अजय देवगन और तब्बू की फिल्म 'भोला'". Zee News. 1 April 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  18. ↑ "Bholaa out on OTT: Here's where you can finally Ajay Devgn's directorial online". ottplay.com. Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  19. ↑ "Bholaa". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  20. ↑ "Bholaa Movie Review". Bollywood Hungama. 30 March 2023. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  21. ↑ "Bholaa Movie Review: Bholaa serves great action in this fast-paced thriller". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  22. ↑ "Bholaa Movie Review: Ajay Devgn, Tabu Excel In Action Extravaganza Despite Weak Script". Times Now. 30 March 2023. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  23. ↑ "Bholaa Review: Ajay Devgn shines bright in gripping remake of Kaithi". India Today. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  24. ↑ "Bholaa movie review: Ajay Devgn delivers no-holds-barred, high-octane actioner". The Indian Express. 30 March 2023. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  25. ↑ Kukreja, Monika Rawal (30 March 2023). "Bholaa review: Ajay Devgn brings some slick but mindless action in this 'dark' thriller". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  26. ↑ "Bholaa review: A chaotic screenplay with video game-like action scenes". Mint. 31 March 2023. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  27. ↑ Verma, Prakshi (6 April 2023). "Abhishek Bachchan Replies To Ajay Devgn's Bholaa Sequel Tweet: "Original Bol"". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
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