Roohi: A Tale of Possession and Romance

Maddock Supernatural Universe Stories: Part 2

Prologue: The Myth of Mudiya Pairo Waali

The movie begins with an eerie voice-over explaining the legend of Mudiya Pairo Waali, a demon-witch who abducts brides on their wedding day. According to folklore, this spirit, known as Afza, kidnaps young women and possesses them, waiting for a man to fall in love with the possessed bride so that the demon can marry him and become a permanent part of the world.

This prologue sets the tone for the supernatural horror that will follow, establishing Afza as the looming threat, but the film’s dark humor is hinted at when the narration abruptly cuts to modern-day life.

Act 1: Bhawra and Kattanni’s Unusual Job

The film shifts to a small town called Baagadpur, where we meet Bhawra Pandey (Rajkummar Rao) and Kattanni Qureshi (Varun Sharma), two bumbling reporters who moonlight as “kidnappers.” They work for a local gang leader, Guniya Bhai, who specializes in a rural practice called pakdai shaadi (bride kidnapping), a tradition where a groom’s family kidnaps a woman to force her into marriage.

Bhawra, a superstitious man, has a knack for speaking to the spirit world, while Kattanni is more grounded but just as fearful of ghosts. Despite the moral ambiguity of their job, they justify their actions as “helping the groom” when the bride’s family doesn’t agree to the match.

The duo is tasked with kidnapping Roohi (Janhvi Kapoor), a timid young woman, for a man named Manraj, whose family believes Roohi would never agree to the marriage without coercion. The scene is comedic as Bhawra and Kattanni are far from professional criminals, fumbling and arguing during the kidnapping.

They successfully abduct Roohi and plan to hide out with her in a remote, abandoned factory until the wedding preparations are complete. However, something feels off from the moment they bring her to the factory. Roohi remains eerily calm, but strange incidents begin happening around her.

Act 2: The Possession Unfolds

Soon after Roohi’s abduction, Bhawra and Kattanni notice bizarre and supernatural occurrences around the factory. Bhawra, who is easily spooked, starts sensing an evil presence around Roohi. His suspicions are confirmed when Roohi begins to act strangely, speaking in a low, terrifying voice that clearly doesn’t belong to her. Her eyes turn menacing, her body moves in unnatural ways, and she starts to physically transform into the demon Afza.

One night, Afza fully manifests, revealing that Roohi is possessed by her. Afza explains that she is looking for a groom to marry, and until then, she will remain inside Roohi, taking over her body at will. She makes it clear that if someone falls in love with her (Afza), she will marry them and take over the bride’s body forever.

This revelation terrifies Bhawra, who wants to escape the situation but is bound by Guniya Bhai’s orders to keep Roohi safe. Kattanni, on the other hand, seems oddly charmed by Afza, finding her fierceness attractive, despite the obvious danger. Thus, a bizarre love triangle begins, with Bhawra feeling protective toward the innocent Roohi and Kattanni developing a strange infatuation with the demon Afza.

As the days pass, the contrast between Roohi and Afza becomes more pronounced. Roohi is quiet, shy, and vulnerable, while Afza is bold, aggressive, and powerful. Bhawra begins to fall for Roohi’s innocence, feeling sympathy for her plight, while Kattanni’s fascination with Afza grows into an obsession.

Act 3: Searching for a Solution

Bhawra becomes determined to free Roohi from Afza’s possession. He seeks out a local healer and exorcist, thinking that an exorcism might be the only way to separate Roohi from the demon. The healer, however, warns Bhawra that Afza is no ordinary spirit—she is a powerful demon with a deep connection to Roohi’s soul. If they attempt to force Afza out, it could harm Roohi permanently.

Undeterred, Bhawra convinces Kattanni that they need to save Roohi. However, Kattanni is reluctant, since he has now fallen for Afza and believes that she deserves love too. This creates tension between the two friends, as they are now on opposite sides of the situation: Bhawra wanting to save Roohi, and Kattanni wanting to keep Afza around.

The two bumbling friends continue to search for ways to deal with the possession, leading to a series of comedic encounters with quirky spiritual healers, exorcists, and even superstitious villagers. Each attempt to exorcise Afza fails miserably, adding humor to the escalating supernatural drama.

Act 4: The Climactic Showdown

The tension between Bhawra and Kattanni reaches its peak when they realize that Manraj, the groom Roohi was originally kidnapped for, is ready for the forced marriage. Bhawra is desperate to stop the wedding, knowing that Afza will use the ceremony to cement her hold over Roohi’s body forever. Meanwhile, Kattanni, still infatuated with Afza, is conflicted but ultimately helps Bhawra.

In a dramatic showdown, Bhawra confronts Afza directly, pleading with her to leave Roohi. He tells Afza that Roohi deserves to live her life without being controlled by a demon. In a surprising twist, Afza reveals her own vulnerability, explaining that she was once a victim, much like Roohi, and that all she ever wanted was love.

This emotional confrontation leads to a change in Afza. She begins to question her motives and expresses regret for possessing Roohi. But as the wedding ceremony begins, Afza takes over Roohi’s body one final time, forcing Bhawra to make a choice: let Afza marry Manraj and doom Roohi, or find a way to stop the wedding.

Bhawra interrupts the wedding in a chaotic, action-packed sequence. With the help of Kattanni, who finally sees that saving Roohi is the right thing to do, they manage to break the ceremony before Afza can complete the possession. In a last-ditch effort, Bhawra confronts Afza in her full demon form and convinces her to let go of Roohi. The emotional connection between Bhawra and Roohi proves stronger than Afza’s grip on her soul.

Afza eventually releases Roohi, disappearing into the ether with a heartbroken yet understanding look, knowing that she cannot force love.

Epilogue: A New Beginning

After the ordeal, Roohi is free, and Bhawra and Kattanni return to their normal lives. Roohi begins to heal from the trauma, and Bhawra hints at his growing feelings for her, though they remain understated. Kattanni, though sad to lose Afza, realizes that his obsession with the demon was misguided.

In the final moments, as the trio walks away from the wedding venue, there is a subtle hint that Afza might not be completely gone—perhaps leaving the door open for future hauntings.

Roohi blends horror and comedy in a quirky love triangle involving a human, a ghost, and a demon. The film explores themes of possession, love, and self-discovery, with its unique balance of dark humor and supernatural elements.

Roohi, directed by Hardik Mehta and released in 2021, is a supernatural horror-comedy and spiritual sequel to Stree. The film features Janhvi Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, and Varun Sharma in lead roles. The story revolves around the central character, Roohi, who is possessed by an evil spirit called Afza. The film explores the duality of possession, blending horror, comedy, and an unconventional love triangle.

Read more about Maddock Supernatural Universe here.

For more stories, click here.

Connect with us on X/Twitter here.