Is Vidya Balan’s Manjulika Based On A Real Ghost From Kerala?

Since Vidya Balan’s portrayal of the character Manjulika in the 2007 film Bhool Bhulaiyaa, audiences have wondered whether Manjulika was a real historical figure.

Vidya’s character, Avni, returns from London to India with her husband, reconnecting with his royal heritage, only to encounter the legend of Manjulika, a dancer with a tragic story.

Who Was Manjulika?

In the film, Manjulika is depicted as a royal dancer in love with another performer, Shashidhar. However, the king’s unrequited love for Manjulika leads him to kill Shashidhar. Heartbroken, Manjulika takes her own life by drinking poison.

Was Manjulika A Real Ghost?

No, the character of Manjulika is fictional, designed for a North Indian setting. However, Bhool Bhulaiyaa is actually a remake of the Malayalam film Manichitrathazhu, which draws from real events that reportedly took place in a traditional Ezhava family mansion, Alummoottil Meda, in Muttom, Kerala, during the 19th century.

The writer of Manichitrathazhu, a member of the Channar family, based the story on a murder that took place in Travancore’s royal court.

This incident, involving Kochu Kunju Channar, was financially motivated, and there was no real Manjulika involved. Some legends mention a royal dancer connected to the murder, but if she existed, she was not Bengali and did not have the motivations depicted in the film.

On the work front, Vidya will soon be seen in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 with Kartik Aaryan in lead along with Triptii Dimri and Madhuri Dixit.