BOLLYWOOD star Vidya Balan, who played the iconic character of Manjulika in 2007's Bhool Bhulaiyaa, on Wednesday said she is happy to be part of the third installment of the film, which has earned her ‘immense love’. She was speaking at the trailer launch of the much-anticipated horror comedy, held at Jaipur's iconic Raj Mandir cinema hall. Also present were co-stars Kartik Aaryan, Triptii Dimri, and Rajpal Yadav, along with director Anees Bazmee and producer Bhushan Kumar. Balan thanked Bazmee,whoalsohelmedBhoolBhulaiyaa 2,for casting her in the new film. “I’d like to thank AneesBazmee first.Thankyouverymuch forbringing me into Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. Otherwise, I would have possessed Bhushan,” she quipped.

 

Theactoralsoexpressedgratitude toKumar,whoheads the production banner T-Series. “After 17 years, I'm back in the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise. I'm overjoyed.This film has givenme immense love over the past 17 years, and I feel I'll receive even more in the next 17”, she added. Balan explained the reason behind unveiling the trailer in Jaipur. “As Kartik said, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 was shot here, justlike the firstBhoolBhulaiyaa,whichwas entirely shot in Jaipur. Jaipur shares a long-standing connectionwith the franchise,whichiswhywe'relaunching our first trailer here," she said. Also starring newcomers Madhuri Dixit and Triptii Dimri, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 promises an unforgettable mix of horror and comedy when it releases in theatresacross thecountry thisDiwali.The trailer sees Aaryan returning as Rooh Baba, a character he first portrayed in 2022's Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2.

 

“If you enjoyed Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, you'lllovethis film evenmore.Onceyou step into the theatre, you'llrealise this is a beautifully crafted film, packed with comedy and thrilling horror,” Bazmee teased. “We have pushed the limits of the horror-comedy genre to bring something fresh and entertaining,” he added. Aaryan described working withBalan andDixit asmesmerising. “I was just mesmerized watching them. They make such complicated things look seamless on screen; they are soeffortless.Theymade reels, cracked jokes with us, but once the camera starts rolling, they get into their characters. I have learned so much from these twolegendary actors,”he said. Madhuri Dixit missed the trailer launch event due to prior work commitments. ■