Exclusive! Bhool Chuk Maaf writer Haider Rizvi on Hindu-Muslim jokes in the film

Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi starrer Bhool Chuk Maaf, which courted controversy over its release during Operation Sindoor, delves into the concept of time loop with a dash of comedy. Set in Benaras, the Karan Sharma directorial is co-written by Haider Rizvi, who speaks exclusively to Mid-day about using a story deeply rooted in Indian culture that delivers an important message when the curtain falls.

How does a writer invoke laughter?

Haider maintains that the time loop as a concept is explored mainly internationally. Still, it felt fresh for Bhool Chuk Maaf, considered a rom-com setting, grounded in Indian culture with quirks, warmth, and the everyday poetry of Benaras. The penman, whose paternal home is in Balrampur, states that the place is packed with humour and satire. 

“The jokes and banter there are naturally humorous—people even fight humorously. So it’s only natural that it came to me by default. These days, you just have to be careful that the humour feels like it’s coming from the scene itself, not like a separate gag or a stand-up bit. The reactions should feel real, like something the character would genuinely do or say, not something written just to get a laugh,” he says.

Creating jokes that are funny and not offensive 

Those who have watched the film are aware of how the story transcends into the Hindu-Muslim brotherhood narrative. In one scene, Wamiqa’s character Titli tells Rajkummar’s Ranjan that he prayed to a Hindu deity, and therefore his good deed does not apply to a Muslim man. Haider shares that a joke cannot be offensive if there’s no hate behind it. 

He explains, “I’ve spent a lot of time in Benaras—there, I’ve seen Muslims saying `Har Har Mahadev` and Hindus kissing the taaziya during Muharram. That’s the spirit of Benaras. Even the ‘gaalis’ there don’t sting—so how could a joke?”

Did Titli deserve a jobless Ranjan?

A section of the Bhool Chuk Maaf audience felt that the idea of Titli marrying a jobless Ranjan was quite regressive. Haider thinks otherwise and maintains, “Ranjan is Titli’s childhood love, and there’s something pure about that kind of love—it doesn’t care about paychecks or status. Her father’s just being practical. After seeing his elder daughter’s husband sitting at home, he naturally wants a son-in-law who’s stable and dependable. But Titli’s not the kind to give up easily. She’s smart, she’s bold, and she knows what she wants—and that’s why she stands by her love, no matter what.”

Bhool Chuk Maaf was released in theatres on May 23. 

This article first appeared on Mid Day