The Eternal Manjulika, Vidya Balan, Celebrates 1 Year of ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’!
When Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 hit theatres last Diwali, it didn’t just become one of the biggest blockbusters of the year — it also brought back a familiar chill, a nostalgic thrill, and the unforgettable magic of Manjulika.
And there could be only one woman who could truly embody that — #VidyaBalan, the OG Manjulika whose haunting presence still defines the franchise’s soul.
A Full-Circle Moment: For audiences who first met Manjulika back in 2007, watching Vidya’s return in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 was nothing short of goosebump-inducing. The moment she appeared on screen, it felt like cinema coming full circle — a reminder of how one performance can become legend.
While Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 redefined the franchise for a new generation, BB3 was the film that united eras — bridging nostalgia and newness with Vidya Balan’s commanding screen power and Kartik Aaryan’s unmatched charisma as Rooh Baba.
The result? A film that roared at the box office, setting benchmarks for sequels and cementing its place as one of Bollywood’s most successful horror-comedies ever.
The Legacy of Manjulika: Vidya Balan’s Manjulika is more than a character — she’s an emotion, a symbol of how strong storytelling and performance can transcend time. Her portrayal in Bhool Bhulaiyaa gave Hindi cinema one of its most iconic female characters — one who could terrify and mesmerize in the same frame.
In BB3, she didn’t just revisit the character; she reclaimed her — proving that true brilliance never fades, it only evolves.
A Franchise Built on Faith, Fear & Fun: Producer Bhushan Kumar and director Anees Bazmee managed to create a rare mix of horror, humour, and heart — and with Vidya’s return, the film found its emotional and nostalgic anchor.
Critics and fans alike hailed her performance as the soul of the story — the perfect balance between nostalgia and reinvention.
A Year of Rooh Baba and the OG Queen: As Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 marks its one-year anniversary, it remains not just a blockbuster but a cultural phenomenon — one that reminded audiences why Vidya Balan will forever be remembered as the Original Manjulika, the woman who made fear look beautiful and madness look poetic.
By Keerti Kadam