Actress Vidya Balan, who immortalised the character of Manjulika in the original Bhool Bhulaiyaa, has discussed her decision to not participate in the film's sequel during a recent media event. According to Indian media reports, Balan shared that the original Bhool Bhulaiyaa proved to be a lucky charm for her, leading to numerous successes that she had never anticipated. The actress mentioned that producer Bhushan Kumar had approached her with the script for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, which she found appealing. However, Balan expressed concern, saying, "The first film was released in 2007, and I became fearful that I might not do justice to the character after such a long gap." This apprehension led her to decline the offer.

After the trailer for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 was released, Balan revealed that she was impressed and subsequently agreed to star in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. She added that upon learning that Madhuri Dixit would also be part of the third installment, she felt there was no reason to turn down the film.