The Bhootnii () a 2025 Indian Hindi-language comedy horror film written and directed by Sidhaant Sachdev, and produced by Deepak Mukut and Sanjay Dutt. The film stars Dutt with Sunny Singh, Mouni Roy and Palak Tiwari.
"The Bhootnii" was released on 1 May 2025.
Plot.
Set in Delhi's fictional St. Vincent College, the story revolves around the legend of the "Virgin Tree", believed to grant true love to those who pray beneath it on Valentine's Day. However, every year on Holika Dahan, a student mysteriously dies, their soul claimed by a vengeful spirit.
Shantanu, heartbroken after a recent breakup, seeks solace under the Virgin Tree, yearning for true love. His plea awakens Mohabbat, a ghost who becomes infatuated with him. As Mohabbat's obsession grows, she begins haunting anyone who comes between her and Shantanu, leading to a series of eerie events on campus.
To combat the escalating supernatural occurrences, the college administration enlists Baba, a seasoned para-physicist and alumnus of the institution. Armed with unconventional gadgets, Baba delves into the mystery, uncovering Mohabbat's tragic past and her connection to the college.
Release.
The Bhootnii was originally slated for a theatrical release on 18 April 2025 but the release got postponed due to delay in post-production work particularly VFX.
The film didn't get much support from the entertainment industry, thus getting a limited screen release. Sanjay Dutt pleaded with the audiences to watch the movie and the filmmakers requested the distributors and cinema owners for allotting their film more screens.
The film was released on 1 May 2025 to positive reviews from audiences and critics alike.
Reception.
"The Bhootnii" received mixed-to-positive reviews from audiences, with praise for cast performances particularly Sanjay Dutt, Palak Tiwari and BeYouNick (as a newcomer), and funny one-liners. Most reviewers lauded the comedy in the movie and dialogue delivery of the whole cast. Many believed the movie is more of a comedy than horror, a notch below the Stree franchise in every aspect.
Ganesh Aaglave of the "Firstpost" rated the film 3/5 stars and opined "On the whole, The Bhootnii works well because of its narrative and novelty." Dhaval Roy of "The Times of India" rated the film 2/5 stars and opined "Despite moments of humour, The Bhootniistruggles with inconsistent storytelling, underwhelming horror elements, and predictable twists."
Sna Farzeen of "India Today" rated the film 2 out of 5 stars and wrote "Sanjay Dutt and Sunny Singh deliver a lackluster performance in a horror-comedy that fails to amuse or engage audiences. Despite its attempt at blending romance and supernatural elements, the film ends up as an uninspired two-hour ordeal."
Rajiv Vijayakar of "Koimoi" rated the film 1.5/5 stars and wrote "With nothing really to recommend, neither the comedy, certainly not the horror element, and a very ordinary romantic tenor, I would rather revisit other horror comedies in Hindi cinema instead of The Bhootnii." Shubhra Gupta of "The Indian Express" rated the film 0/5 stars and summarized "Sanjay Dutt-Mouni Roy 'film' proudly and flagrantly stands apart from any vestiges of plot and production values, forget about sense and sensibility."