Tutak Tutak Tutiya review: This Prabhudeva, Tammannah film is more comedy, no horror

Touted as a ‘horror-comedy’ writer-director Vijay’s Tutak Tutak Tutiya will remind you of Priyadarshan’s Bhool Bhulaiya and while there’s plenty of lowbrow humour in the film there’s barely any horror. Only one special-effects-driven scene on a movable set displays anything supernatural, otherwise the merit of Tutak Tutak Tutiya is entirely on Tammannah’s shoulders to show off her acting chops as she coolly straddles two characters. Clearly designed for a South Indian audience, many of the tropes and character traits conform to the expected – a chauvinistic protagonist with an inflated sense of self who is obsessed with marrying a “modern girl”. His friend, who accompanies him everywhere, also encourages him. [caption id=“attachment_2998940” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Tutak Tutak Tutiya poster.[/caption] To Krishna (Prabhudeva) modern girl means an English-speaking independent woman. But more than 30 of his proposals have ended up in the dustbin (and it’s no wonder). Prabhudeva as a suitor? Perhaps not. It’s better when he sticks to his rehashed Michael Jackson moves. Krishna’s disrespect for women is on full display when he is emotionally forced into an arranged marriage with a simple gaon ki gori (village belle). Devi (Tammannah) is the ideal wife – simple, sweet, obedient, good at housework and thick-skinned. She’s everything Krishna does not want. Back home in Mumbai, an embarrassed Krishna keeps his marriage secret. But a strange presence in their new apartment changes everything. A chance to meet superstar Raj Khanna (Sonu Sood, who gives himself plenty of shirtless shots) sparks a personality change in Devi. Gradually Krishna begins to realize that a restless spirit, who harbours unrealised dreams of super-stardom, has possessed his wife. He even engages the services of Devil Travels that conducts exorcism by drone – one of the more clever moments in the film. But Devi remains none the wiser; an exhausted victim who thinks she is losing her mind even as Ruby, the ghost, borrows her body to dance, act and smoulder on screen while also subjugating the outwitted Krishna. It takes a modern, ambitious, English speaking ghost and jealousy towards a six-pack flaunting hero to set for Krishna to realize the value of his wife (and also to make Prabhudeva act). When he convinces you that he genuinely cares for his wife, Prabhudeva is the actual surprise element in this romantic drama, with humour that’s likely to appeal to a particular palette. One gripe is the sloppy dubbing. With the Hindi dialogue lip movements not matching the lip movements of the actors, it became obvious that the film has been made in several languages.