PLOT SUMMARY: A series of unexplained murders causes the people of a village to believe that something supernatural is afoot.
Have you ever wondered when the stories of witches and demons came about? There was a time when incidents occurred that couldn’t be explained, probably because the law enforcers were restricted by the knowledge that later led to the development of forensic science and technology that has made it so much easier to nab criminals.
But centuries ago, a victim found bloodied and with wounds on his neck meant it the villagers were being stalked by a demon.
These stories spread over time and have given us something to inspire us to write and be enthralled by them.
In India, the most common evil to plague villagers was the Chudail, a witch with long hair and backward feet. She is thought to sit atop trees, searching for her next victim.
That is why there is a superstition about going under certain trees as soon as the sun sets.
The theme has been brought forward in Bulbbul but it is the climax that refutes the superstition while bringing forward another take on what or who was behind mysterious incidents.
BULBBUL Movie Plot
In 1881, a young boy roams around a wedding hall, wearing a garland, and absolutely mesmerized by the rituals. He goes to find the bride and finds her climbing trees. Her nanny scolds her for spoiling her wedding attire.
But the girl is barely six and unaware of what is going on around her. She is told that she must get married and leave home. The boy comes to her and introduces himself as Satya. He makes a remark about her being shabby but that she would do.
The girl’s name is Bulbbul and she gets dressed again and is taken to get married. At night, she’s travelling in a palanquin with Satya and he tells her a ghost story.
When she’s taken to her bedroom, a man approaches her and she enquires about Satya. The man tells her that she hadn’t married Satya but him, Indranil.
Indranil has a brother Mahendra who is mentally challenged and married to Binodini.
Years later, Satya is all grown up and returning home after studying law in London. His carriage driver tells him about a Chudail lurking in the forest and who is responsible for unexplained murders. Satya is convinced there is no Chudail and a vicious mind at work. The carriage stops as the driver leaves to check on something. A woman standing upside down on a tree above the carriage watches Satya but disappears when he opens his eyes.
He reaches home and is surprised by the changes. Mahendra has died, Binodini is a widow and is attired in a white sari and has a shaved head.
Bulbbul has become the mistress of the house and is full of confidence. She is also in charge of sorting the villagers' problems and Satya is even more surprised by her attitude and Binodini’s fear of Bulbbul.
Clearly, something has happened to change the dynamics in the family but Satya is tasked with solving murders and sets about to do his job.
Every night, the Village is masked with a red hue and the blood moon, further perpetuating the villagers’ belief that a Chudail is present amongst them. He tells this to Bulbbul who giggles. She reminds him of the ghost stories they wrote and read to each other when they were young.
Bulbbul is also visited regularly by Dr Sudip and she shares a warm, almost flirtatious relationship with him. Satya isn’t amused because he thinks she is having an affair with him when she should be worried about where Indranil was.
Bulbbul barely cares about his whereabouts.
She reminisces about her childhood and it is apparent that she has developed some feelings for Satya though she never acts upon them. Binodini continues to taunt her though, trying to create a rift between her and Indranil so that she herself can continue her affair with Indranil.
Another murder occurs, this time of an older man in a tub. The only witness claims to have seen a woman but is too scared to give a proper account of the incident.
Satya checks the reports and begins to suspect Dr Sudip for the only reason that he doesn’t like his closeness to Bulbbul.
Bulbbul thinks about the way the family had treated her, Binodini’s taunts and the way she convinced Indranil that Bulbbul was having an affair with Satya. Indranil decides to send Satya away for further studies to London in three months.
Bulbbul, timid as she used to be, is heartbroken because Satya was her only friend and the one who would talk to her. She is also uncomfortable with the way Mahendra keeps trying to touch her.
Indranil decides to take Satya to Calcutta to get the travel papers done and when he returns, Bulbbul runs to him and asks for Satya. He informs her that Satya has already left for London.
Bulbbul cries her heart out and burns the book in which Satya and she used to write horror stories. She realizes her mistake and tries to save a few papers, then lets them burn as if accepting her fate as Indranil’s wife.
She knows she cannot be with Satya as Binodini is already looking for a girl for him.
Indranil is miffed that his wife has feelings for his younger brother, but it doesn’t stop him from sinking wine in Binodini’s bed. He goes back to his room to find the remnants of the book in the fireplace and sees the name Bulbbul and Satya.
Convinced that his wife was shamelessly carrying an affair with his brother, he goes into the bathroom where Bulbbul is relaxing in the tub, pulls her out by her hair and throws her to the ground. He uses a fire poker to strike her legs. The old saying of breaking legs if you do something against someone’s wishes probably takes birth from this scene.
In a cinematic scene, we see Indranil strike Bulbbul repeatedly and her screaming as blood drips from the fire poker.
Later she’s seen on the bed, being tended by Dr Sudip who suspects Bulbbul did not fall down the stairs. He bandages her legs and elevated them, hanging bells so she can call if she needs assistance.
Bulbbul is barely conscious because of the pain when Mahendra visits and starts playing with the straps holding her legs. She begs him to stop, but seeing that she is helpless, he falls on top of her and gets excited.
He rapes Bulbbul and her body gives away after suffering pain. She died and Mahendra freaks out. He runs to his bedroom where Binodini realizes what her husband did.
Outside the statue of a goddess is angered that a woman has suffered such pain and disrespect. The moon and sky turn blood red.
Bulbbul is resurrected and she behaves strangely at first. Binodini comes to her and wipes away the blood and any evidence left behind by her husband.
Dr Sudip too suspects something terrible has happened but Bulbbul dismisses him.
Following that the men who abuse women are murdered.
BULBBUL Ending Explained with Spoilers!
Satya is hellbent on blaming Dr Sudip for the murders, meanwhile, another man has approached Bulbbul complaining about his mother being thrown into the river.
Bulbbul comes to her true form as a goddess of revenge. The man who threw the boy’s mother in the river was the carriage driver taking Satya and Dr Sudip.
Bulbbul kills him and Satya realizes Dr Sudip isn’t behind the murders as he was with him in the carriage. He roams around with a shotgun looking for the attacker.
Dr Sudip finds Bulbbul on the tree and is upset to find that her legs had never fully healed after she was abused by her husband. Her legs healed backwards which is why everyone thought she was a Chudail.
Before he can say anything, Satya shoots Bulbbul without properly seeing her. Bulbbul thinks about her childhood as the forest burns around her.
Dr Sudip tells Satya he shouldn’t have done what he did.
Satya is curious why he’s trying to defend the Chudail, then understands why when he sees Bulbbul up a tree.
The forest burns down.
Sometime later, Satya has sent a letter to Indranil telling him he hopes he never turns into his brother and that he’s going on his own way. Indranil is depressed.
Later at night, he awakens to find burning embers. It’s Bulbbul, back again with a smile.
This movie was surprisingly entertaining and it helped that the pace didn’t drag. There was a bit too much back and forth in events that got a tad confusing sometimes. The scenes didn’t fall in seamlessly. But the story and the acting was compelling enough to warrant a watch.
Scare scale: 4/5
Comments
Post a Comment