Film

Phillauri

Name: Phillauri
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, Drama
Released: 2017
Cast: Anushka Sharma, Diljit Dosanjh, Suraj Sharma, Mehreen Pirzada, Manav Vij

Fantasy

Phillauri is a Bollywood romantic fantasy-comedy about a man who marries a tree—literally—to break a curse, only to discover the tree houses a spirited ghost with her own agenda. It's whimsical and uneven, swinging between genuine warmth and awkward tonal shifts. For those who enjoy Bollywood's willingness to be utterly strange in service of a love story.

TMDb rating

3.2

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy supernatural romantic comedies where a folk-tale premise is played for warmth and wit, and a love story slowly tangles with an old unfinished grudge.

Skip it if you want a tight, fast plot; this one wanders into musical-style detours and sentimental stretches, and its comedy can feel broader than the premise promised.

What it asks of you: It runs about two and a quarter hours, so it asks for patience, and it moves between light teasing and heavier emotional beats without much warning.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Stardust2007

Neil Gaiman's fantasy adventure about a young man crossing into a magical world to win a girl's heart. It captures that same tone of romantic earnestness wrapped around genuinely inventive weirdness.

But The CGI has aged unevenly, and the film sometimes mistakes whimsy for actual stakes or character depth.

The Librarians2014

A TV adventure about magic, curses, and unlikely teams learning to work together. It's got similar DNA—fantasy elements played with a light touch and genuine affection for its own strangeness.

But It's unabashedly goofy, which is part of its charm but can feel thin if you're in the mood for something with real dramatic weight.

Umrao Jaan2006

Anushka Sharma again, in a film about a woman reclaiming her own story. The emotional core is far richer, and it shows what she can do when given material with actual complexity.

But It's a period drama, which means slower pacing and a melancholy that contrasts sharply with Phillauri's attempted lightness.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Phillauri

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Legend of Vox Machina2022

Both commit entirely to the logic of their magical systems while refusing to let that prevent genuine emotional intimacy between characters.

An animated fantasy where a ragtag party unravels curses and ancient magic. It shares Phillauri's willingness to be earnestly romantic while also treating supernatural complications with real stakes and worldbuilding.

But It's dungeons-and-dragons adjacent, based on a tabletop campaign, and very long if you're not already invested in that particular genre ecosystem.

Enchanted2007

A magical princess ends up in modern New York, and the film mines genuine humor from the clash between fairy-tale logic and real life. It has Phillauri's playful approach to supernatural romance.

But It's deliberately broad and kid-friendly, which can feel saccharine if you've outgrown that particular register.

A Cure for Wellness2017

An eerie, atmospheric film where nothing is quite what it seems and the past won't let go. If you're drawn to stories about unfinished business and supernatural entanglement, this goes much darker.

But It's genuinely unsettling rather than charming, and runs nearly three hours with a bleak worldview that's the opposite of Phillauri's warmth.

Raees2017

Another 2017 Bollywood film with Diljit Dosanjh that proves he's a charismatic lead capable of carrying complex material. Seeing what he can do with meatier roles is worth the time.

But It's a crime thriller with violence and moral ambiguity, completely different in tone and likely to feel like whiplash if you're expecting romantic fantasy.

PK2014

Aamir Khan as an alien navigating Earth and its absurdities with childlike logic. It's Bollywood at its most inventive about blending fantasy, social commentary, and genuine emotion.

But At nearly three hours, it occasionally loses focus between comedy, drama, and message, and some tonal shifts land harder than others.

Happy Bhag Jayegi2016

A light romantic comedy with cross-border chaos and warmth. If you simply want more Bollywood romance with an easygoing vibe and don't require the fantasy element, this delivers.

But It's slight—charming but forgettable, with little beneath its cheerful surface to linger with you after.

The Shape of Water2017

Both ask what it means to love someone fundamentally other, treating that impossibility as the heart of the story rather than an obstacle to overcome.

Guillermo del Toro's fantasy about a woman falling in love with an amphibious creature during the Cold War. It's ultimately about connection across impossible barriers—the same emotional core as Phillauri, but told with meticulous artistry and genuine stakes.

But It's slow-burn and sensual in ways that demand patience; nothing happens quickly, and the romance develops through silence and gesture more than dialogue.