Archive · 11 Sep 2026
Ali Baba Aur 40 Bhoot Has Ghosts But Few Scares
Ali Baba Aur 40 Bhoot is a show about ghosts, monsters and mystery.
Alisha goes to Jhuliya after her archaeologist father disappears.
She finds 40 cursed statues connected to old supernatural forces.
A small-town police officer named Babarao helps her.
The show tries to mix scary moments with jokes.
Its music, sounds and dark-looking locations help create a spooky mood.
However, the reviewer says the jokes are not very strong and the scares are not frightening enough.
Overall, it is watchable but not especially memorable.
The JioHotStar horror-comedy follows Alisha as she searches for her missing archaeologist father, Tapish Nigam.
Her investigation leads to 40 cursed statues, ancient demons and paranormal forces in Jhuliya.
Asha Negi and Vishal Vashishtha deliver adequate and affable performances, though the cast leaves limited lasting impact.
The series is praised for its dynamic sound design, drone shots and ominous rural and haveli-like settings.
The review says the show is watchable but predictable, with lukewarm opening episodes and insufficient horror or humour.
- Who
- Alisha, played by Asha Negi, investigates her father Tapish Nigam’s disappearance with help from Babarao Upadhay, played by Vishal Vashishtha.
- What
- A horror-comedy series about 40 cursed statues, ancient demons and paranormal forces.
- When
- The review discusses the first four episodes, each running for about 30 minutes.
- Where
- The series streams on JioHotStar and is set largely in Jhuliya.
- Why
- Alisha investigates after her archaeologist father mysteriously vanishes.
What Works
What Falls Short
Atmosphere and production
What Works
Dynamic sound design, effective camera work, drone shots, shadows and the rural setting create an appropriately ominous world.
What Falls Short
The atmosphere does not consistently develop into genuine dread or memorable horror.
Story and genre mix
What Works
The series occasionally balances comedy and the supernatural, especially through its characters’ disbelief and bewilderment.
What Falls Short
The writing relies on familiar horror-comedy tropes, while the humour is weak and the narrative takes too long to become engaging.
Performances
What Works
Asha Negi is adequate as the emotional centre, and Vishal Vashishtha brings affable, eccentric energy to Babarao Upadhay.
What Falls Short
The performances are serviceable but none of the actors leaves a particularly lasting impression.
- Title
- Ali Baba Aur 40 Bhoot
- Genre
- Horror-comedy
- Platform
- JioHotStar
- Rating
- 2.5 stars
- Creators and directors
- Created by Bhuvanesh Shrivastava; directed by Kenny Basumatary, Rohan Goshe, Konarak Mukherjee and Rishav Agarwal
- Central mystery
- Alisha searches for her missing archaeologist father and discovers 40 cursed statues
- Opening episodes
- The first four episodes run for approximately 30 minutes each