Roohi is a 2021 Indian Hindi language film that blends comedy and horror in a narrative that is as bizarre as it is captivating. It was directed by Hardik Mehta and produced by Dinesh Vijan.
This film is a part of the Maddock Supernatural Universe, following its predecessor, Stree. The story revolves around the abduction of brides by a ghost. The film features Rajkummar Rao, Janhvi Kapoor, and Varun Sharma in pivotal roles.
Why did Kattani and Bhawra abduct Roohi?
The story begins with Bhawra Pandey and Kattani Qureshi, two men caught in the world of crime under their boss, Guniya Bhai. Their job is to kidnap women for forced marriages, a task they perform with dubious efficiency. The movie opens with them abducting a woman for a client. The operation is successful. However, it leaves the woman distraught and married against her will.
Their next assignment from Guniya is to kidnap Roohi, a timid girl. The duo executes this task with a mix of deception and brute force. Kattani distracts Roohi’s father with astrological babble while Bhawra snatches her away in a pick-up truck. However, their plan hits a snag when they’re informed that the groom who was to marry her faces a family tragedy. This information further delays the wedding. They’re instructed to keep Roohi in a woodwork factory until the situation is resolved.
At the factory, Roohi’s appearance shifts startlingly from timid to terrifying. With bushy hair, veiny skin, red eyes, and the ability to climb walls, Roohi changes to Afza, a witch possessing her. This transformation shocks Bhawra, though Kattani remains oblivious, seeing only Roohi’s scared and helpless side. Even as Bhawra is wary, they continue to feed her, sliding plates of omelets under the door.
Meanwhile, Roohi’s father, anxious about his daughter’s disappearance, seeks police help. He also shares a disturbing past incident. He reveals that one year back, Roohi was possessed by a ghost, or ‘chudail,’ on the eve of her wedding.
Why did Bhawra and Kattani defy Guniya’s orders?
Bhawra and Kattani find themselves in a bizarre love triangle with Roohi and her ghostly alter-ego, Afza. Bhawra, concerned for Roohi, seeks a way to exorcise her. On the other hand, Kattani, inexplicably enamored with Afza’s supernatural form, wants her to stay. Their loyalty to Roohi leads them to defy Guniya’s orders to abandon her. In return, Guniya sends more henchmen to resolve the situation.
Bhawra’s quest for an exorcist leads him to an old woman who suggests a peculiar solution – Afza must be tricked into leaving Roohi by getting her to marry a man who is already married. Bhawra, in a desperate and bizarre move, marries a dog and films the ceremony, believing this will drive Afza away.
As the climax approaches, the town discovers Roohi’s possession, and Guniya, seeking revenge for his fallen henchmen, finds her contemplating suicide on a rooftop. Here, Afza expresses her protective side, reminding Roohi of her inner strength. In a twist of events, Afza almost marries Kattani until the old woman intervenes, revealing the truth about the dog marriage.
Did Afza leave Roohi?
Roohi, gaining a sense of independence and empowerment, decides to marry herself, symbolically wrapping a dupatta around her wrist and applying sindoor (vermilion), thus freeing herself from Afza’s grasp. The movie concludes with Roohi driving away on a motorcycle, leaving Bhawra and Kattani behind, still uncertain of her feelings for them. The mysterious old woman’s disappearance, leaving only her slippers behind, hints at her possibly being a witch or an ally of Afza.
Roohi presents a blend of horror, comedy, and romance, wrapped in a narrative of empowerment and self-discovery, making it a unique addition to Indian cinema.