2020 · Film
Bulbbul
Anvita Dutt's Hindi period horror film about a former child bride in 1880s Bengal whose village is gripped by killings blamed on a witch.
Reviewed by Movie Mandala, Sun, 18 Oct, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 18 October 2026, Bulbbul is streaming in India on Netflix with a subscription.
The story
In the Bengal Presidency of the late 19th century, a little girl named Bulbbul is married off to Indranil, a wealthy lord, and grows up in his mansion alongside his younger brother Satya, who shares her love of stories about a chudail. Twenty years later, Satya returns from London to find Bulbbul running the household in Indranil's absence. Several men in the village have been found dead, and the villagers believe a witch with backward-turned feet is responsible. Satya starts investigating, and soon suspects the village doctor.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
A short, slow-burning Gothic horror drama for adults who prefer atmosphere and folklore to jump scares. It deals with child marriage, domestic abuse and sexual violence, and shows bloody killings; Netflix rates it U/A 16+, so it is not for children.
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Bulbbul is an original story written and directed by Anvita Dutt, previously a commissioned film writer, and produced by Anushka Sharma and Karnesh Ssharma under Clean Slate Filmz. Dutt has said she wanted it to read like a fairy tale, and drew on Rabindranath Tagore's portrayal of women; the name Binodini comes from his work. The film was shot over 33 days, mostly at Bawali Rajbari, a mansion about 30 km from Kolkata, with Amit Trivedi composing the music.
The film skipped cinemas and premiered directly on Netflix on 24 June 2020. Critics praised its feminist reading of the chudail legend; The Indian Express and The Hindu were positive, while Hindustan Times called it over-directed but underwritten. At the 2020 Filmfare OTT Awards, Tripti Dimri won Best Actress in a Web Original Film and Rahul Bose won Best Supporting Actor, and the film was nominated for Best Film (Web Originals).
The facts
- Language
- Hindi
- Hindi
- Hindi original
- Genre
- Period horror, Supernatural drama
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Director
- Anvita Dutt
- Cast
- Tripti Dimri, Avinash Tiwary, Paoli Dam, Rahul Bose, Parambrata Chattopadhyay
Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Bulbbul in India?
- As of 18 October 2026, Bulbbul is streaming in India on Netflix with a subscription.
- Is Bulbbul in Hindi?
- Yes. Bulbbul is a Hindi-language film.
- How long is Bulbbul?
- Bulbbul runs for 1 hour 34 minutes (94 minutes).