Munjya movie review: A spooky yet entertaining folklore

Cast: Abhay Verma, Sharvari Wagh, Mona Singh, Sathyaraj, Suhas Joshi, Bhagyashree Limaye, Taran Singh

Director: Aditya Sarpotdar

Well, whenever you think about Bollywood, the genres that come to your mind are either rom-coms, sports dramas, actioners, biopics, masala entertainers or even sci-fi but if explored well folklores can be a great genre not only for filmmakers but also for the audience as the plot doesn’t only take you to a new and authentic world but also find relevance as it belongs to the heartland of the country.

Films like Stree and Bhediya have garnered acceptance from the audience and now Munjya, which belongs to the Supernatural Universe like the previous two has hit the screens today. While the trailer has garnered immense excitement among the audience, does it surpass the expectations? Let’s find out…

The story begins in 1952 in Konkan’s Chetukwadi (Maharashtra), where a young boy named Gotya between 7 to 10 years is getting beaten up by her mother as he is in love with a girl named Munni, who is 7 years older than him. He even tried to kill Munni’s husband during their wedding by mixing rat poison in the food but got saved.

Later, just after his Mundan ceremony (tonsure), he goes to Chetukwadi’s place near a tree with her younger sister. While his sister is scared as it’s a sunset he assures her that she is safe under her company. As soon as the duo reaches the tree, in front of a mystic idol Gotya starts performing black magic so that Munni marries her and for that, he tries to sacrifice her younger sister.

While attacking her sister with a knife, Gotya’s leg slips on the root of the tree and he dies. As the kid died before completing 10 days of his Mundan ceremony, a group of priests tie a sacred thread around that tree so that once he turns Munjya or Brahmarakshas he doesn’t come out of that place and attack villagers or his family members.

Years passed, and Gotya’s younger sister is an old lady and is now settled in Pune with her daughter-in-law (Mona Singh) and grandson Bittu (Abhay Verma).

Bittu is a lanky and simple guy, who helps her mother in their salon as a stylist. He also gets a full scholarship for the course of cosmetology but his mom doesn’t allow him to go. He is in love with his childhood friend Bela (Sharvari), who is in a relationship with a foreigner named Kuba. While he tries many times to confess his feelings, he is scared of rejection. Later, Bittu gets a video call from his cousin staying in Konkan, who is getting engaged and hence invites the family.

Bittu’s mother, who is not on good terms with her late husband’s brother doesn’t get a happy welcome at their hometown Chetukwadi. Soon, Bittu’s uncle asks his mother to sign the document as he is selling the plot of Chetukwadi. His mother refuses to sign and tells him that she won’t allow him to sell it as it is a cursed place and Gotya has turned Munjya and is staying there.

That uncle now removes old quarrels that how she was earlier willing to sell that plot for his older brother (Bittu’s father) as he wanted to set up the salon in Pune. And when he tried to burn that tree at Chetukwadi, he died mysteriously.

Bittu listens to all this and since he has no idea about it, his uncle tells him in anger that if he wants he can go and ask any villager about this incident. In anxiety and anger, Bittu reaches to the tree of Chetukwadi and encounters Munjya.

Now, Bittu’s mother and grandmother are in stress as there is no information about him. Soon, they come to know that he has gone to Chetukwadi. His grandmother takes a lantern and a stick and reaches the place. She sees his brother as Munjya, who has made Bittu his hostage. She beats him with a stick and takes Bittu out of that place. However, Munjya has already embossed his claw on Bittu’s back and now he is out of Chetukwadi.

The creature kills his grandmother in front of him and demands him that he wants his childhood love Munni and he should bring her to him or he will kill his mother. Since only Bittu can see him, he sits on his shoulder and they hunt for Munni.

Through his Konkan cousin, they find out that Munni is now shifted to Pune and she is no one but Bela’s grandmom. When Munjya sees Munni, he changes his mind and tells Bittu that he wants to Bela.

Well, now Bittu is panicked and shocked. How will he save Bela, his mother and end Munjya’s fear by defeating him? Well, for that, you have to watch Munjya in cinemas.

Director Aditya Sarpotdar, who earlier made successful Marathi movies like Faster Fene and Zombivli, takes you to the mysterious land of Konkan and makes you believe in the local legend and the cultural nuances of the place.

Film aces in the technical departments, especially in VFX, camera and SFX with crisp editing. Talking about the performances, everyone in the cast has done a splendid job but it’s a VFX character of Munjya, who has stolen the show.

Munjya is a theatrical experience and deserves a watch for its novelty and authenticity.

Rating: 3.5 (out of 5 stars)

Munjya is playing in cinemas