A pre-wedding day stuck in a loop makes for a fun rom-com premise, but the film struggles with consistent engagement. Rajkummar Rao is good, but it’s Wamiqa Gabbi who truly steals the spotlight.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️ ( 2 / 5)
By Mayur Lookhar
Maddock Films’ Bhool Chuk Maaf (2025) finally released today (23 May). Just two weeks ago, the film sparked controversy when Maddock pulled it from its scheduled theatrical release at the last minute, opting instead for a direct digital premiere on a major OTT platform—which also happens to be a co-producer. In response, PVR Inox filed a lawsuit against Maddock, demanding Rs60 crore in damages. The Bombay High Court placed a temporary stay on the digital release, with the case set to be heard again after the second week of June.
A few days later, both parties reached an out-of-court settlement. The film was then scheduled for a theatrical release on 23 May, with its digital premiere pushed to eight weeks later. Looking back, the whole episode felt strange from start to finish. Was it all just a PR stunt? Word has it that before its original release date (9 May), Bhool Chuk Maaf hadn’t created much buzz, and advance bookings were underwhelming. Ironically, the film’s plot centers on a man stuck in a time loop, reliving his haldi ceremony over and over, frustrated that his actual wedding day never comes. In a way, the off-screen drama echoed the film’s theme.
So maybe, just maybe, the controversy was a clever marketing move. After all, it brought the film a lot of attention. But its true success will ultimately be judged at the box office. That said, let’s get back to what this article is really about: the film itself.
Story
Written and directed by Karan Sharma—best known for the acclaimed web series Maharani—Bhool Chuk Maaf follows the story of Ranjan Tiwari (Rajkummar Rao), a hapless groom stuck in a bizarre time loop. Every morning, he wakes up to find it’s the 29th again—the day of his haldi—with his actual wedding day never arriving.
So how did our man from Benares end up in this strange situation? Eager to marry his girlfriend Titli (Wamiqa Gabbi), Ranjan had prayed wholeheartedly to Mahadev for a government job, believing it would make the marriage possible. His wish is granted, but the wedding still doesn’t come. Confused and desperate, he turns to a wise pandit (played by Vineet Kumar), who suggests it could be a karmic issue—one that requires forgiveness. And that’s where the film gets its title, Bhool Chuk Maaf (meaning ‘Forgive my mistakes’). Ranjan goes on an apologizing spree, but the loop doesn’t break. As the day repeats, a frustrated Ranjan tries to uncover whether he’s unknowingly hurt someone—or if something else is at play.
Screenplay
The time loop adds a unique twist to the rom-com genre, but Karan Sharma’s film struggles to maintain consistent engagement. The writing is decent, and the first half isn’t exactly dull—but given the premise, viewers find themselves waiting for the main plot to truly kick in. Unfortunately, that moment doesn’t arrive until just before the interval.
Ranjan’s predicament, though funny on the surface, is a reminder that there’s always a price to pay—for both known and unintended mistakes. Often, we aren’t even aware of the latter. But karma has a way of catching up with you.
You can’t help but feel for the countless people who chase a dream, only to be disillusioned when their efforts don’t bring the results they hoped for. In the Indian context, this is often the phase when people turn to faith, astrology, and search for upayas (solutions) to end their misery and achieve long-awaited success. But when even those upayas don’t work, and the struggle drags on for years, frustration only deepens.
It’s in these difficult times that many forget: sometimes, the best thing you can do is let go. As Lord Krishna says in the Gita, “Karm kiye ja, phal ki chinta na kar”—Keep doing your duty, and don’t worry about the outcome.
Karan Sharma’s film also serves as a subtle commentary on the obsession with sarkari naukri (government job) in our society, where a man’s respect is often tied to his social and economic status.
An interesting aspect of Bhool Chuk Maaf is how it helps restore Maddock Films’ image of inclusivity—something that was questioned during Chhaava (2025). Of course, we can’t disclose what exactly makes Bhool Chuk Maaf inclusive, as that would give away a key reveal.
Acting
Rajkummar Rao played the small-town guy perfectly in Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017) and later in Stree (2018) but it seems like producers and filmmakers have stuck with his ‘Bicky-like’ persona. The trailer for Bhool Chuk Maaf made us worry that we’d see the same old Rajkummar Rao in his latest film. At first, it looked like he was heading down the same path, but a better second half and a more intense performance helped Rao truly leave his mark in this rom-com.
As Ranjan kept dwelling on which bhool he had committed, we felt it might be his disrespect toward the post of a chaprasi (peon), especially when he mocked his best friend (played by Ishtiaq Khan) by saying he doesn’t even look good enough to be a chaprasi. While Ranjan goes on an apologizing spree, there is no repentance for this act of disrespecting the profession.
Rom-coms and family dramas are Bollywood’s bread and butter, but there’s no denying this genre is getting overused. While many will cheer for Ranjan’s crazy love, this desperate rush to get married perhaps feels outdated—even for small-town stories.
Rao has played his share of small-town roles, but this is perhaps a first for Wamiqa Gabbi in Bollywood. The trailer didn’t raise high hopes, but the Punjabi girl steals hearts in her papa-ki-pari avatar in Bhool Chuk Maaf. Though not the only child, Titli (Gabbi) is clearly the most pampered among the sisters. She’s eager to settle down with Ranjan and was even the one who suggested they elope. It’s an interesting relationship—she doesn’t hesitate to spend her father’s money on her unemployed boyfriend. She even mortgages her mother’s jewelry to help him land his dream government job. The Rao-Gabbi chemistry is likable too. Gabbi nails the role, charming us with her innocence, stubborn attitude, and, above all, a nearly flawless performance.
Raghubir Yadav and Seema Pahwa, who is a regular in Maddock films, stay true to their talents playing Ranjan’s parents. Seasoned actor Sanjay Mishra makes a special appearance, but it’s more than just a cameo—his character is vital to the film’s bhool angle. He plays Bhagwan Das, a name that first appeared in Maddock’s earlier film Zara Hatke Zara Bachke (2023).
In that film, the lesser-known Innamulhaq brilliantly played a corrupt peon in a Gwalior municipal office who helps Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan’s characters get a flat through shady means. That Bhagwan Das paid for his crimes by going to jail. But Sanjay Mishra’s equally corrupt Das surprisingly goes scot-free. On the contrary, he has a moral awakening and stands up for a battered Ranjan at the end with a powerful monologue.
Zara Hatke Zara Bachke featured desperate protagonists resorting to illegal means to achieve their dreams, and we see a similar theme in Bhool Chuk Maaf. The deja vu isn’t entirely misleading.
Music / Technical aspects
A Bollywood rom-com usually doesn’t offer great production design or strong visual appeal, since much of the action and conversations happen around family homes. Bhool Chuk Maaf’s unique story keeps you more focused on deciphering the unknown bhool than looking for any visual treats.
It’s also unusual to have Tanishk Bagchi compose songs with lyrics by Irshad Kamil. The few tracks in the film are hardly appealing, though the final song during the end credits is worth a listen.
Final Verdict
Given its plot, conflict, and resolution, Bhool Chuk Maaf feels a bit stretched even at 121 minutes. Maddock Films thrives on its sah-parivar entertainment promise. To be fair, they’ve succeeded with a few films, but going forward, they need to reassess how to better handle such subjects. Bhool Chuk Maaf has its flaws, but it still has enough moments to keep the family audience hooked.
Watch the video review below.