Booo... Sabki Phategi Review: A palatial mansion, that at times look like a bland picture pasted on a blue screen, is the centre of attraction in ALTBalaji's new web-series, Booo... Sabki Phategi. Advertised as a honeymoon hotel, a group of friends, led by Maanav (Tusshar Kapoor) comes to stay in the mansion, that is owned by a blind man Deewana (Sanjay Mishra). What promises to be a weekend of fun and raging hormones turns out to be a haunted vacation, with the friend seeing spirits around, while a mysterious lady clad in a skimpy red ghagra (Mallika Sherawat) hovers around. Booo – Sabki Phategi Trailer Out! Tusshar Kapoor – Mallika Sherawat’s Horror-Comedy Series Promises a Laugh Riot (Watch Video).

For the first time, Tusshar Kapoor is acting in a series produced by Ekta Kapoor, after the latter did her best to make a star out of him through very forgettable movie ventures. Joining him in the mayhem is the controversial star Mallika Sherawat, making her Indian web debut here. There is also the talented Sanjay Mishra along with popular telly stars Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda, Shweta Gulati and Shefali Zariwala for company. Directed by Farhad Samji (of Sajid-Farhad duo before they went the 'Ambani Bros' way), Booo... Sabki Phategi could have been our answer to Scream Queens. Or the very least, a bearable telly take on Golmaal 4.

Unfortunately, like every ALTBalaji attempt at comedy, Booo... Sabki Phategi fails to deliver any genuine guffaws. It is a humourless drivel with OTT performances, bad actors, nonsensical sequences and absurd writing. It feels like that unholy offspring you get when you cross Ragini MMS Returns with Kyaa Kool Hai Hum 3.

Unless you are taken back by the atrocious theatricality on display, there is nothing to be scared about in this horror-comedy. As for the laughs, that depends on whether you guffaw over Krushna Abhishek's antics in The Kapil Sharma Show. Or Sanjay Mishra's by-now repetitive attempts to literally translate everything English. Or the frequent references to Mallika Sherawat's 'assets'. Or if you are amused by the frequently racist jibes (the Sardar in the gang is the most bumbling one) or at speech defects. Then the show might be not at fault here...

In case any joke or subtle meta humour (those 'Ekta' jokes, and mentions to Golmaal franchise, reminding why Tusshar is here) goes over the head, don't worry. The actors will make sure that they will spell out the precious jokes pointedly and repeatedly for you. Farhad Samji Talks Booo, Laxmmi Bomb and Replacing Sajid Khan from Housefull 4.

As for the performances, nearly everyone grates your nerves in one way or the other. Especially Tusshar Kapoor, who looks like a hapless fish out of the water here, without the company of Riteish Deshmukh or his Golmaal gang. Mallika Sherawat reflects a frequently perplexed expression on her face, perhaps reflecting the viewer's state of mind. The only two actors who I found somewhat remotely decent are Krushna Abhishek and Sanjay Mishra. The former, for trying too hard to make the lamest of scenes laughable. The latter, despite the now boring schtick, at least make lines like 'Priyanka of Time' ('Nick of time' is now passe) generate some sort of smirk.

Yay!

- Sanjay Mishra, Somewhat

- A Couple of Rare Jokes That Actually Land

Nay!

- Our Sense of Humour, After Watching This

Final Thoughts

ALTBalaji's attempt to make you laugh through scares turns out to be a lame duck. With bland, over-stretched gags, average production values and regressive writing, Booo... Sabki Phategi is episodes-worth of cringe. Sabki Phategi nahi... Par Bajegi zaroor! (Booo... Sabki Phategi is streaming on ALTBalaji from June 27)

Rating:1out of 5

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 27, 2019 02:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).