Upon his fateful return to his ancestral village, a young man unwittingly unleashes a vengeful spirit named Munjya. Now, he must navigate a treacherous path to protect himself and his love interest from its wrath. This encounter with the mischievous entity propels him into a comical yet spine-chilling journey, filled with suspense and mystery.
Abhay Verma’s portrayal of Bittu is delightful and convincing. He effectively captures the character’s fear and shines in comedic moments. Sharvari’s performance as Bela complements his role perfectly. Mona Singh, as Bittu’s fiery Punjabi mother, Pammi, and S Sathyaraj, as the quirky godman, both leave a memorable impact as supporting actors.
Director Aditya Sarpotdar presents a captivating horror-comedy inspired by Indian folklore. From the beginning, the film takes the audience on a thrilling and atmospheric journey. Set in the serene Konkan countryside in 1952, the story revolves around a young boy named Gotya who turns to black magic to win the affection of an older girl named Munni. As fate would have it, he dies in the process of fulfilling his obsession through black magic. As said above, the film’s lead character, Bittu, who happens to be the grandson of Gotya, unknowingly gets involved in the vengeance of Gotya. While the film’s initial segment offers thrilling content, the rest follows a mixture of both horror and comedy. While the fun moments work for most parts, the jump scares work only at times.
The movie ‘Munjya,’ much like its predecessors ‘Stree’ and ‘Bhediya,’ subtly conveys a social message about the importance of consent in love. Although some questions are left unanswered and certain elements may only partially align, the film’s engaging performances, humorous moments, and overall ambiance make it a delightful watch, especially for those looking for a blend of horror and comedy with a youthful twist. Be sure to stay until the end credits for an unexpected appearance. Saurabh Goswami, the cinematographer, adeptly captures the enchanting yet haunting essence of forests and ruins, with the interplay of light and shadow and occasional jump scares intensifying the atmosphere. The movie features a meticulously designed Munjya, which is realistically animated using cutting-edge CGI technology.
The momentum of the narrative wanes in the latter part of the film, as scenes such as spirits exchanging roles look unintentionally funny. Also, the portions before and after the interval appear a bit repetitive. For its potential, Munjya does not offer many horror moments except for the initial episode and a few jump scares here and there.
