19 Years of Bhool Bhulaiyaa!
Original inspiration
The movie is an official remake of Malayalam classic Manichitrathazhu, which itself was loosely inspired by a 19th-century tragedy at the Alummoottil Meda.
Real-life historical Maze
The real Bara Imambara Labyrinth in Lucknow was originally built in 1784 by Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula to generate employment for locals during a severe Awadh famine.
Title track origins
The title track was originally cut & released only as a promotional number, but was later added directly into the film for its massive public popularity.
Late entry by Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar didn`t make his screen entry until a full hour into the movie, mirroring his famous late entry in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi.
Original casting choices
Vidya was not the first choice to play Manjulika; Aishwarya was the initial top choice for the lead role, while Katrina was considered for the role of Radha.
Priyadarshan`s connection
Director Priyadarshan was connected to the source material. He worked on the 2nd unit for the original 1993 Malayalam film.
Intensive Kathak training
Vidya Balan underwent rigorous, dedicated training in the classical dance form Kathak specifically for her complex dance numbers as Manjulika.
Unresolved plot details
The movie features a few loose ends, such as Avni effortlessly lifting a heavy bed all by herself or learning fluent Bengali overnight.
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