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Bulbbul
Official poster
Directed byAnvita Dutt
Written byAnvita Dutt
Produced byAnushka Sharma
Karnesh Sharma[1]
Starring
CinematographySiddharth Diwan
Edited byRameshwar S. Bhagat
Music byAmit Trivedi
Production
company
Distributed byNetflix
Release date
  • 24 June 2020 (2020-06-24)
Running time
94 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi

Bulbbul is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language period horror film[2] written and directed by Anvita Dutt.[3][4] It was produced by Anushka Sharma and Karnesh Sharma under Clean Slate Filmz[1] and starred Tripti Dimri in the lead role alongside Avinash Tiwary, Paoli Dam, Rahul Bose, and Parambrata Chattopadhyay. Tripti Dimri was praised in many reviews.[5][6] Set against the backdrop of the 1880s Bengal presidency, the film revolves around a child bride and her journey from innocence to strength. Bulbbul was released on Netflix on 24 June 2020.[7][8]

Plot

[edit]

During the 19th century in a village of Bengal Presidency, Bulbbul is married off to Indranil, a wealthy lord, when she is barely five years old. She is close with Satya, Indranil's youngest brother, who is closer to her age. Bulbbul and Satya grow up together, telling each other stories of a witch ("chudail").

Twenty years later, as Bulbbul and Satya have grown up, Satya returns home from London after spending 5 years over there. In the interim, Indranil's mentally-challenged twin brother Mahendra was killed in what is believed to be a chudail's attack. His widow Binodini now lives in an outhouse. Indranil has left the village and Bulbbul has taken over his responsibilities. The village doctor, Sudip, regularly visits to check Bulbbul's feet due to an incident she refuses to discuss. When another man is killed, Satya suspects Sudip. Meanwhile, Bulbbul is informed by a village boy that his mother has committed suicide after her husband chose his second wife over her; Bulbbul seeks out the man.

In flashbacks, it is revealed that Binodini had been jealous of Indranil and Bulbbul and hinted to him that Bulbbul had feelings for Satya. With his mind poisoned, Indranil sent Satya to London to separate the two. Bulbbul and Satya had been collaborating on a story together, but heartbroken, she burned the manuscript in the fireplace. Influenced by Binodini, Indranil attempted to retrieve the burned pages and managed to recover only the title page. Seeing their names together, he became convinced of Bulbbul's feelings for Satya. Enraged, he beat her and mutilated her feet with iron bars. While she is bedridden, Mahendra rapes her, accidentally suffocating her while caught up in his sadism.

Following this, there is a supernatural change in Bulbbul — she's surprisingly transformed from a soft and well spoken girl to a powerful and strong woman. She returns with a mission to help the women in her village fight back against injustice. She goes through a symbolic transformation each time, represented by a blood-red moon which indicates that the goddess Kali is supporting her. She punishes men who abuse, murder, or take advantage of girls by killing them; she is in fact the chudail the villagers attribute the killings to, distinguished by backward feet. Bulbbul also killed Mahendra.

In the present day, Satya is escorting Sudip to Calcutta. The driver of the carriage (the village boy's father Bulbbul had been seeking) is killed by the chudail, making Satya realise that Sudip is innocent. Satya shoots the woman but is confronted by Sudip. During a brawl with Sudip, Satya accidentally sets the forest on fire and also discovers that Bulbbul is the chudail. Upon realizing this, he cries in agony, while Bulbbul takes refuge on a tree and is slowly engulfed by the flames.[9][10]

A year later, Indranil returns to his empty estate without any knowledge of what had happened. Satya has departed, guilt-ridden for what happened to Bulbbul and feeling like he too was becoming like his brothers. That night, Indranil is awoken by Bulbbul, who smirks at him, hinting that she will kill him as revenge.

Cast

[edit]
Tripti Dimri played the titular role Bulbbul
  • Tripti Dimri as Bulbbul Chaudhary, a former child bride who secretly fights against the injustices females face in her village.
  • Avinash Tiwary as Satyajeet Thakur, Indranil's younger brother and Bulbbul's childhood friend.
    • Varun Buddhadev as Little Satya
  • Paoli Dam as Binodini Chaudhary, Mahendra's widowed wife.
  • Rahul Bose in dual roles as twins Thakur Indranil Chaudhary/Mahendra Chaudhary. Indranil is Bulbbul's husband whom she married at 5 years of age. Mahendra is Binodini's husband.
  • Parambrata Chattopadhyay as Dr. Sudip, a local doctor who regularly checks up on Bulbbul's mutilated feet.

Production

[edit]

The story of the movie was written by Anvita Dutt who has been a commissioned writer for films.[11] She wrote the first two pages of the story after waking from her sleep one night and outlined the chudail, the myth, and the idea behind her in this first draft. She completed the rest of the story after returning from a trip from Kolkata, after seeing a bulbul make a nest outside her house and after some encouragement from her colleagues. She intended the story to resemble a fairy tale and set it in the neoclassical era of Bengal to fulfill that. She was also inspired by Rabindranath Tagore's portrayal of women; Binodini is the name of one of the characters in his work.[12] The premise has similarities with Tagore's novella Nastanirh, which was adapted by Satyajit Ray as the 1964 film Charulata.[13] Dutt describes, "Now in reality what happens to women is much worse. The emotional, the physical and the psychological abuse is much, much worse. In telling of the story, I chose to tell it this way. I wanted the cold rage of women to find an outlet... It's a tragedy. The story is set 200 years ago but it's still relevant."[14]

The film was shot over a period of thirty-three days in the Bawali Rajbari built by the Bawali Raj, and other locations near Kolkata and Mumbai.[11] Siddharth Diwan led the cinematography. With inputs from Dutt, the artwork of Raja Ravi Varma and Caravaggio were used as inspiration, in addition to influences from Expressionism and Surrealism. Diwan also took inspiration from photographers like Man Ray and Raja Deen Dayal. Satyajit Ray's poster of the film Devi was an inspiration for the lighting. Some examples of symbolism used include the grass, kaash phool, the bird and flower motifs, all significant to the goddess Durga.[15] The mansion used in the film is Bawali Rajbari, located 30 km (19 mi) from Kolkata in the village of Nodakhali. The mansion has previously featured in the film Chokher Bali by Rituparno Ghosh.[13]

Themes

[edit]

Set in the late 19th century in Bengal, the film delves into the idea of aristocratic Bengali women embracing ideologies of freedom. Aruna Chakravarti's Jorasanko described Tagore's relationship with his sister-in-law, the child-bride Kadambari, which Shreya Paul of Firstpost noted as the foundation behind the relationship between Bulbbul and Satya. Chakravarti described how Kadambari was devastated when she was separated from Tagore (due to his marriage). Further, Tagore's older brother, Birendranath, suffered from a mental illness but was still married off and abused his wife, similar to Binodini being married off to Mahender.[16]

Aditya Mani Jha of Firstpost noted that the film is "a postmodern example of the Gothic genre", the most common example of which is Bram Stoker's Dracula. Satya is similar to Jonathan Harker, the protagonist of Dracula, in that they have the same "cold, unemotional logic" that leads them to investigate the case (much like Sherlock Holmes) and eventually decide to kill the monster themselves. The supernatural element (chudail in this case) embodying repressed emotions or desires is a trope of the Gothic genre. Bulbbul's disclosure as the chudail frames her like a goddess, specifically like Kali. Binodini subtly planting the idea of Bulbbul and Satya in Indranil's head makes her similar to Iago.[17]

Reception

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of 18 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.1/10.[18]

Bulbbul opened up to generally positive reception from the critics with a particular praise for its stand on feminism.[19]

Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express stated: "Bulbbul is very much its own film, the mix of classic pre-Renaissance Bengal and desi horror gothic making for gripping viewing... It is a powerfully feminist, revisionist tale of a woman wronged, and it is told with economy, precision and feeling...Dutt uses the ancient trope of a bloodthirsty 'chudail with ultey pair', a familiar creature tale in our scary 'kisse-kahaani', to create dread and fear. The writing is skillful and stays on point, and the performances are all solid."[20] Namrata Joshi of The Hindu applauded the rebellious idea of Dutt and stated: "Anvita Dutt mixes the feudal with the supernatural, the spooky, the mythological and the fablesque in a thoughtful, moving and engaging manner."[21] Stutee Ghosh of The Quint gave it 3 stars and mentioned that "One of the questions that the film throws up and doesn't answer is if the binary between being a devi or a chudail is the only recourse that feminine power has to navigate in this patriarchal setup."[22]

Rohan Naahar of Hindustan Times reviewed the film as over-directed but underwritten. He wrote that the characters are thinly written, the surprises are carelessly telegraphed, and a weak script lets down the film in spite of visually striking imagery.[23] Baradwaj Rangan of Film Companion South wrote "What we’re left with is a fever-dreamscape quasi-giallo movie, which transforms the pulp premise of a female vigilante...into something very human and emotional and deeply mysterious...the film’s imagery may be teasingly ambiguous, but the "hell hath no fury" messaging couldn't be clearer".[24]

Director Anurag Kashyap tweeted and called the film one of the best he had seen in this millennium and also praised the performance by the lead actors and Anvita Dutt.[25]

Accolades

[edit]
Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
2020 Filmfare OTT Awards Best Film (Web Originals) Anushka Sharma and Karnesh Sharma Nominated [26]
Best Actress in a Web Original Film Tripti Dimri Won
Best Supporting Actor in a Web Original Film Rahul Bose Won

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Bulbbul

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Bulbbul is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language period supernatural horror film written and directed by Anvita Dutt in her directorial debut. Starring Triptii Dimri as the titular character, Avinash Tiwary as Satya, Rahul Bose in dual roles as Indranath and adult Satya, and supporting cast including Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Paoli Dam, the film was produced by Anushka Sharma and Karnesh Sharma under Clean Slate Filmz and released exclusively on Netflix on 24 June 2020.
Set in the Bengal Presidency during the 1880s under British colonial rule, the narrative centers on Bulbbul, a five-year-old girl married to an much older zamindar, who matures into an enigmatic figure presiding over the household amid a series of mysterious deaths afflicting men who perpetrate violence against women in the village, marked by supernatural claw injuries suggestive of a chudail (witch) from Indian folklore. Her brother-in-law Satya returns from studies in England to investigate, uncovering layers of familial trauma, abuse, and empowerment.
The film employs supernatural elements as a metaphor to examine patriarchal structures, child marriage, domestic violence, and female agency, drawing on Bengali folklore while critiquing historical gender oppression in rural India. It garnered acclaim for its gothic visuals, haunting score, and Dimri's performance, achieving an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though some reviewers noted its blend of horror and social drama occasionally prioritizes thematic messaging over suspense, with predictable twists.

Background

Historical and Cultural Context

The narrative of Bulbbul unfolds in 1881 within the of British India, amid the entrenched zamindari system formalized by the of 1793. Under this colonial policy, were designated as hereditary revenue collectors from peasant cultivators, receiving a fixed share while retaining substantial control over land and labor, which solidified their status as semi-feudal elites in rural estates. Havelis like the film's Thakur household functioned as microcosms of this , where zamindar families wielded authority over dependents, perpetuating economic exploitation and in agrarian . Hindu social practices in 19th-century routinely involved s, with girls frequently wed before age 10 to much older grooms to safeguard family lineage, , and perceived purity under prevailing interpretations of religious texts. This custom, documented in parish records and reformist critiques, subjected prepubescent brides to isolation in joint family setups dominated by elder males, fostering vulnerabilities to abuse and limiting female agency. Colonial interventions were limited; while the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act of 1856, championed by reformer , legalized widow remarriage to address post-marital widowhood, persisted until the Age of Consent Act of 1891 raised the age threshold following public outrage over cases like the 1889 death of 10-year-old Phulmoni Dasi from marital consummation. The film's invocation of supernatural retribution echoes Bengali folklore surrounding the chudail (or regional variants like shakchunni and petni), a spectral entity arising from women who perish unnaturally—often in , , or from spousal —transforming into nocturnal predators with inverted feet who target male transgressors. Rooted in oral traditions blending tantric rites, cults, and pre-colonial Persian influences on unsatisfied female desires, these tales proliferated in rural Bengal's lore, serving as cautionary narratives against domestic injustices while mirroring cultural dread of unchecked feminine power amid blurred divine-demonic boundaries. Such motifs, disseminated through village , underscored empirical patterns of gender-based harms rationalized via rather than institutional recourse.

Production

Development and Pre-Production

, a and , conceived the story for Bulbbul approximately 12-13 years prior to its release, drawing from childhood fascination with dark fairytales, , and cautionary tales such as those involving . The idea originated one morning at 3:30 a.m., triggered by a vivid image of a young girl fearfully pulling her feet into her to evade threats, which Dutt expanded into the initial two pages of the script that day. She completed a full draft about a year later, focusing on a of female empowerment amid patriarchal , set in 19th-century and incorporating chudail (witch) mythology reinterpreted through a lens of social critique rather than mere superstition. Dutt refined the script through multiple iterations, producing around 12 drafts over the years, with the project initially remaining dormant for 8-9 years as she prioritized other writing commitments. Influences included Rabindranath Tagore's works like Noshtonir and Chokher Bali, Satyajit Ray's Charulata, and authors such as Ursula K. Le Guin and Stephen King, which shaped the story's blend of mysticism, emotional depth, and subtle horror. During her work on dialogues for the 2011 film Patiala House, Dutt pitched the concept to producer Karnesh Sharma, brother of actress Anushka Sharma, who responded positively but deferred production until his company, Clean Slate Filmz, was established. Recognizing the story's personal resonance, Dutt decided to direct it herself, marking her feature debut, after initially envisioning it solely as a writing project. Pre-production advanced under , with Karnesh and as producers, emphasizing a fairy-tale aesthetic suited to the period setting in neoclassical for its evocative and costumes. The script underwent further polishing following Netflix's involvement, which provided the and distribution, allowing Dutt to avoid traditional constraints and maintain the narrative's unflinching portrayal of and retribution. Early preparations included location recces, during which improvisations like the iconic swing scene emerged after weather disrupted planned shoots, underscoring the adaptive approach to capturing the film's hyper-real, mystical atmosphere.

Filming and Technical Aspects

Principal photography for Bulbbul took place over 33 days in locations near and . Much of the interior and exterior shooting occurred at Rajbari Bawali, a heritage hotel and former zamindari estate outside , which provided period-appropriate architecture for the film's 19th-century setting. The film's was handled by Siddharth Diwan, who employed a curated visual style emphasizing saturated red tones to evoke themes of , passion, and the . Technical specifications included shooting on RED Weapon Monstro cameras in Redcode RAW format, with an of 2.00:1. Visual effects were provided by Red Chillies VFX, contributing to elements such as the witch's manifestations and atmospheric enhancements like moons and ghostly apparitions. Production design by Meenal Agarwal focused on authentic period details in sets, costumes, and props to immerse viewers in rural . The runtime totals 94 minutes.

Cast and Characters

Principal Cast

The principal cast of Bulbbul is led by , who portrays the titular character Bulbbul, a young bride who evolves into a mysterious figure amid supernatural events in rural during the early . plays Satya, Bulbbul's younger brother-in-law who returns from to investigate village occurrences. assumes dual roles as Indranil, Bulbbul's scholarly husband, and Mahendra, the village physician, contributing to the narrative's exploration of patriarchal structures. Paoli Dam depicts Binodini, a complex character embodying and social tensions within the household. Parambrata Chattopadhyay portrays Sudip, a local figure involved in the unfolding mysteries. These performances, particularly Dimri's nuanced portrayal of trauma and , anchor the film's blend of and .

Character Analysis

Bulbbul, the titular character played by , begins as a five-year-old child bride married to the elderly Indranil in 1881 , embodying the era's practices that exposed young girls to adult marital duties and vulnerabilities. Her initial innocence is depicted through playful interactions with , Indranil's younger brother, whom she initially mistakes for her husband during the chaotic wedding night, highlighting her confusion and the abrupt loss of childhood. Over time, Bulbbul matures into a poised estate manager in Indranil's absence, but underlying trauma from assaults—particularly by , Indranil's predatory twin—transforms her into a vengeful figure who targets men abusing women, blurring lines between victim and vigilante. This evolution positions her as a symbol of resistance against exploitation, with villagers viewing her either as a chudail (witch) or (goddess), reflecting where empowered women are demonized. Indranil, portrayed by Rahul Bose, represents the archetypal patriarchal landlord, significantly older than Bulbbul and frequently absent due to travel, leaving her isolated in the haveli. His character remains underdeveloped, serving primarily as a symbol of absentee and traditional male dominance, with rare appearances underscoring his jealousy and , such as beating Bulbbul upon suspecting her affection for Satya. Indranil's dual role with his twin Mahendra/Binod amplifies the theme of fraternal predation, as the mentally impaired twin exploits household power dynamics to assault Bulbbul, revealing systemic failures in protecting women within elite families. Satya, played by , functions as Bulbbul's childhood confidant and eventual skeptic, returning from studies in in the early 1900s to investigate village deaths attributed to a supernatural entity. Educated in rational Western thought, Satya initially dismisses local superstitions, attempting to apply logic to events like the branded feet of victims—marks left by abusers—yet his arc confronts the limitations of imported against entrenched cultural . His lingering affection for Bulbbul complicates their reunion, positioning him as a bridge between colonial modernity and indigenous , though he ultimately fails to fully comprehend her agency. Binodini, enacted by , emerges as Bulbbul's complex foil and potential ally, the childless bhabhi entangled in her own desires and resentments within the patriarchal . Seeking fulfillment through with Indranil, Binodini embodies suppressed female sexuality, yet her relationship with Bulbbul evolves from to mutual recognition of shared , culminating in subtle support for Bulbbul's retribution. This dynamic underscores intra-gender tensions exacerbated by scarcity of power, with Binodini's and unrequited longing mirroring broader restrictions on women's in the narrative's feudal setting.

Narrative Structure

Plot Summary

Set in the 1880s , the film opens in the present day with , the younger brother of Indranil, returning to his ancestral village after studying in for nearly two decades. He finds the estate managed by his former sister-in-law Bulbbul, now a poised young woman in her twenties who was married to Indranil as a five-year-old child bride, while the village is gripped by fear over mysterious deaths of men—typically abusers of women—who are found with their feet charred and reversed. Through flashbacks, Bulbbul's early marriage to the much older Indranil is depicted, marked by her initial and fascination with , alongside a sibling-like bond with the adolescent . Indranil, suspecting an inappropriate attachment between Bulbbul and Satya, dispatches Satya abroad and subjects Bulbbul to , including beatings that injure her feet. Further trauma ensues when Indranil's mentally impaired twin brother, , rapes the adolescent Bulbbul, leading to her severe injuries and presumed death after an attack by a wild animal; however, under a blood-red moon evoking the goddess , she resurrects with abilities, transforming into a chudail-like figure who targets and kills men guilty of or spousal abuse, inverting their feet as a mark of retribution. In the present, as Satya investigates the hauntings with the help of the family physician, suspicions fall on Bulbbul, whose bare feet bear reversed prints and who exhibits unnatural knowledge of the crimes. The narrative culminates in a confrontation in the forest where Satya sets a fire to end the curse, seemingly killing Bulbbul, only for her spirit to reemerge as Indranil returns home, implying the cycle of vengeance persists against patriarchal oppressors.

Themes and Interpretations

Supernatural Folklore and Rational Alternatives

In Bulbbul, the draws on the chudail from North Indian and Bengali , depicting a vengeful female spirit originating from women who suffer violent deaths, often linked to marital abuse or complications, and who return to prey on predatory men by seducing and draining their life force. These entities are traditionally identified by backwards-facing feet, a motif symbolizing their inversion of societal norms, and they manifest during twilight or in trees, locations tied to rural superstitions in 19th-century . The film's plot integrates this lore through a series of nocturnal killings of abusive husbands, leaving claw marks and reversed footprints as evidence of the chudail's presence, which villagers attribute to supernatural retribution against gender-based violence prevalent in the 1880s zamindari system. Bulbbul herself, after enduring , physical maiming of her feet by her husband Indranil with a heated iron rod on an unspecified date in the late 19th century, and subsequent by his brother , appears to embody the chudail, with her injured feet mimicking the folklore's diagnostic trait and her survival of aligning with tales of resurrection. Alternative rational explanations frame these events as products of human psychology and rather than otherworldly forces, positing Bulbbul's "transformation" as a trauma-induced enabling calculated disguised as . Analyses interpret her —gained from village tales and self-study—and knowledge of local superstitions as tools to exploit patriarchal fears, where the killings result from deliberate acts by Bulbbul or sympathetic women, amplified by collective hysteria in isolated rural communities prone to attributing unexplained deaths to amid high rates of documented in colonial-era records. This ambiguity serves the film's subversion of , rationalizing the chudail as a cultural projection of suppressed female agency rather than literal , with Bulbbul's suffocation during the marking a psychological "death" and rebirth into defiance, unsupported by for supernatural claims but corroborated by historical patterns of witch-hunting accusations against assertive women in pre-independence . Such interpretations prioritize causal links between , survival instincts, and myth-making over unverifiable elements, aligning with broader scholarly views on as encoded social critique.

Depiction of Patriarchy and Gender Dynamics

The film Bulbbul, set in late 19th-century rural , illustrates structures through the of , with the protagonist wed at age five to the much older Indranath, reflecting historical norms among upper-caste Hindu families where girls were betrothed early to secure alliances and ensure . This union confines Bulbbul to a subordinate role within the joint family, subject to male authority and intra-female rivalries, as seen in her isolation and the elder Binodini's advice to remain silent ("chup rehna") amid abuses. dynamics emphasize women's expected passivity and , symbolized by toe rings that "ground" them to domesticity and reproduction, while men exercise unchecked control over female bodies, exemplified by Bulbbul's by her brother-in-law Mahender and physical assault by Indranath, who breaks her feet to immobilize her. These acts underscore causal links between patriarchal entitlement and , with societal norms blaming women for ensuing misfortunes rather than interrogating male agency. Bulbbul's supernatural transformation following the assault inverts these dynamics, granting her chudail-like abilities—marked by inverted feet and nocturnal predation—to target and kill male abusers, particularly on nights, repositioning the traditional witch folklore from a patriarchal tool for disciplining nonconforming women to a mechanism of . The forest emerges as a space of liberation, contrasting the haveli's enclosure, with symbols like kash flowers evoking and resistance. Her alliance with the progressive doctor Sudip contrasts with figures like , who enforces veiling and propriety, highlighting tensions between egalitarian potential and entrenched hierarchies. This shift embodies "monstrous femininity," where Bulbbul's hybrid sacred-profane power challenges binaries of , attributing her monstrosity not to inherent vice but to patriarchal violation. Interpretations frame this as a of systemic , with Bulbbul's serving as symbolic reckoning against historical realities like enforced widowhood and bodily denial, though the film's binary portrayal—oppressive men versus victim-avengers—has drawn for oversimplification, reducing males to uniform villains and overlooking complicit women like Binodini, who perpetuate norms for gain. Some analyses view it as organic rooted in indigenous visuals and , succeeding in visceral on violence's psychological toll without . Others contend it functions as a "safety valve" for patriarchal frustrations, relying on over realistic reform and gratuitously deploying as a transformative trope, potentially reinforcing stereotypes of damaged victims without broader institutional . While evoking real-era constraints akin to Bengali literary depictions of stifled housewives, the arc prioritizes mythic empowerment over empirical historical causality.

Ideological and Cultural Critiques

Critics have contended that Bulbbul's feminist framework falters by relying on as the catalyst for the protagonist's , thereby entrenching the problematic narrative that women require profound victimization to achieve strength or retaliation. This approach, evident in the film's depiction of Bulbbul's transformation after , echoes tropes in other media where trauma "breaks" female characters before their supposed liberation, potentially diminishing portrayals of inherent agency and resilience. The film's handling of gendered violence has also faced scrutiny for aestheticizing abuse scenes, such as slow-motion sequences of beatings and , which some argue glorify rather than condemn patriarchal brutality, leaving viewers with trauma-laden imagery absent substantive analysis of systemic causes. Similarly, the portrayal of a mentally unstable individual as a rapist invokes offensive linking mental illness to predatory behavior, a trope that reinforces stigma without exploring underlying social or psychological factors. Ideologically, Bulbbul has been faulted for substituting for practical critiques of , presenting the chudail figure's killings of abusive men as while bypassing real-world mechanisms like community reform or legal accountability. This fantasy resolution, critics note, functions more as an emotional outlet for frustration with patriarchal norms than a call for , and it risks endorsing extrajudicial retribution, particularly when the victims include figures like a child molester whose actions, though heinous, are dispatched without . Culturally, the film's reimagining of Bengali —transforming the chudail from a spectral entity born of untimely deaths, often in , into a deliberate avenger of wrongs—has been seen as a selective that prioritizes modern ideological messaging over historical or folkloric fidelity. Set in 1880s amid colonial influences and practices like , Bulbbul evokes Tagore-esque settings but introduces supernatural elements that diverge from documented , where such spirits embody uncontrolled feminine power rather than targeted feminist , potentially distorting cultural motifs to fit a revenge-oriented . Additionally, the lack of explicit condemnation of , despite its centrality to the plot, underscores a superficial engagement with entrenched customs, treating them as atmospheric backdrop rather than subjects for rigorous interrogation. From perspectives wary of , the film's binary framing—women as eternal victims ascending to divine punishers, men as monolithic oppressors—has elicited backlash for lacking nuance, such as acknowledging intra-gender complicity (e.g., women's roles in enforcing norms) or male vulnerability, thereby fostering polarized views that oversimplify causal dynamics in historical society.

Reception

Critical Reviews

Critics praised Bulbbul for its atmospheric visuals, folkloric elements, and exploration of gender dynamics in a period setting. On , the film garnered an 83% approval rating from 18 reviews, with an average score of 6.1/10. Reviewers frequently highlighted director Anvita Dutt's debut as visually arresting and suspenseful, blending horror with effectively. For example, one assessment called it a "visually stunning mix of , horror, and " that maintains narrative momentum through its acts. Another described it as "suspenseful, visually arresting, and chock-full of charismatic performances," marking an impressive directorial effort. The film's feminist reinterpretation of supernatural tropes received commendation for subtlety over preachiness, with critics noting its focus on patriarchal harms like without overt moralizing. A review in The Movie Buff labeled it a "bold movie that isn't preachy about its message and shows more than it tells," emphasizing strengths in production design and thematic restraint. Similarly, portrayed it as a "powerfully feminist, revisionist tale of a wronged," executed with "economy, precision, style and feeling" and a 3.5/5 score. Performances, particularly Triptii Dimri's portrayal of the titular character, were often singled out for emotional depth and expressiveness. However, some critiques pointed to narrative shortcomings, including a slow pace and underdeveloped relationships. Renuka Vyavahare of awarded 3/5 stars, critiquing the "languid pace" that struggles to sustain attention and an "underwhelming" production design for a period piece, though acknowledging strong acting and visuals. Others noted predictability in the plot twists despite atmospheric buildup, with one critic review observing that while unique in setup, it failed to fully realize its horror potential due to design choices. No score is available, reflecting limited aggregation from major Western outlets. Overall, consensus favored its stylistic achievements and , though tempered by pacing concerns in tighter edit suggestions.

Audience Response

Bulbbul garnered a generally favorable response from audiences, evidenced by aggregate user ratings on major platforms. On , it received a 6.6 out of 10 score from 16,058 ratings as of recent data. audience score stands at 76% positive from over 50 verified ratings, with viewers noting its blend of , horror, and . users rated it 3.4 out of 5 based on approximately 18,000 logs, indicating solid appreciation particularly for its stylistic elements. Common praises centered on the film's visual artistry, including haunting red-hued and atmospheric depiction of colonial , which amplified the tension. Triptii Dimri's as the grown Bulbbul was frequently highlighted for its emotional depth and commanding presence, with some users awarding personal 10/10 scores and lauding it as a gothic horror standout in Indian cinema. The narrative's exploration of and female agency resonated with viewers seeking culturally rooted horror, often described as gripping and innovative in intertwining nostalgia with dread. Detractors pointed to slow pacing, predictable twists, and underdeveloped aspects overshadowed by social themes, alongside occasional weak CGI in horror sequences. Some expressed frustration over a perceived conservative approach to scares and untapped narrative potential, viewing the script as safe rather than boldly subversive. Despite these, the film's motifs drew enthusiastic support on social platforms, positioning it as a memorable original for genre enthusiasts.

Controversies and Backlash

Upon its release on June 24, 2020, Bulbbul faced significant online backlash primarily over the inclusion of an age-old Bengali folk song featuring lyrics that depicted the goddess in a derogatory manner, referring to her as a "shameless hussy." Critics, including influencer Hindustani Bhau, accused the film—produced by —of promoting Hinduphobia and disrespecting Hindu deities, particularly Lord Krishna and , by incorporating such content into a mainstream production. The controversy escalated rapidly, with the hashtag #BoycottNetflix trending on Twitter (now X) by June 29, 2020, as users expressed outrage over perceived insensitivity toward Hindu religious sentiments in the film's portrayal of elements. faced personal trolling for allegedly prioritizing commercial appeal over cultural reverence, though defenders argued the lyrics reflected authentic regional traditions rather than intentional mockery. Additional criticism targeted the film's feminist undertones, with some reviewers and online commentators labeling it as overly propagandistic in its critique of patriarchal structures, potentially oversimplifying complex gender dynamics through . Others contended that the narrative's resolution via mystical elements romanticized over rational inquiry into societal ills like and abuse, though such views remained minority opinions amid predominantly positive reception elsewhere. No formal legal challenges or platform-wide repercussions ensued from these debates.

Accolades and Legacy

Awards and Nominations

At the inaugural in December 2020, Bulbbul achieved notable recognition in the web original film categories. won the Best Actor (Female) award for her lead performance as the titular character, praised for its emotional depth and nuance in portraying trauma and . The film itself was nominated for Best Film (Web Originals) under producers Anushka Sharma and Karnesh Sharma, though it did not secure the win, which went to Raat Akeli Hai. Paoli Dam also received acclaim, with the production earning a win for Best Supporting Actor (Female) in a Web Original Film for her role as Binodini, highlighting the film's strong ensemble contributions to its atmospheric storytelling. Beyond OTT, Bulbbul did not receive major nominations from traditional cinematic bodies like the National Film Awards or for theatrical releases, reflecting its status as a streaming-exclusive production amid the early expansion of OTT recognition in Indian cinema. Triptii Dimri's performance further earned her a 2021 jury award for in a Digital Film at an additional ceremony, underscoring the film's influence on emerging digital acting standards.

Cultural Impact and Retrospective Views

Bulbbul has influenced discussions within Indian independent cinema on reinterpreting regional folklore through lenses of gender oppression, particularly by reframing the chudail (a spectral female demon in Bengali mythology) not as an inherent evil but as a manifestation of trauma inflicted by patriarchal violence. This approach draws from 19th-century Bengal's socio-cultural milieu, where superstitions historically disciplined women deviating from norms, positioning the film as a revisionist that challenges such myths' embedded . Analyses highlight its ecoGothic undertones, linking habitat disruption to the supernatural unrest, thereby extending folklore critiques to environmental causality in colonial-era settings. The film's production under Anushka Sharma's banner underscored a push for female-led stories in , blending horror with period aesthetics to evoke indigenous visual traditions like bat-tulsi motifs and influences, which resonated in niche critical circles for avoiding overt didacticism in favor of atmospheric subtlety. It prompted scholarly examinations of "monstrous femininity" as a tool for folkloric against abusers, influencing subsequent works in South Asian horror that hybridize tropes with , though direct cinematic successors remain limited. Retrospective assessments, particularly in 2025, affirm Bulbbul's enduring visual and thematic potency in spotlighting historical injustices like child brides and spousal abuse, with reviewers noting its role in provoking reflection on how legal and societal failures perpetuate cycles of retribution. Critics from outlets attuned to gender dynamics view it as a cultural mechanism allowing expression of frustration with institutional , yet question its depth in proposing alternatives beyond symbolic vengeance. While praised for organic feminist undertones over explicit , some analyses caution against romanticizing responses, emphasizing empirical scrutiny of folklore's role in reinforcing rather than dismantling power imbalances. Overall, five years post-release, it holds as a visually arresting artifact of Netflix-era Indian streaming, valued for aesthetic innovation but critiqued for narrative ambiguities that prioritize mood over rigorous causal resolution.

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