When you hear Akshay Kumar, Priyadarshan, and a horror comedy, the first thing you think of is Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007). Comparison of their upcoming horror comedy, Bhooth Bangla, with the 2007 hit is inevitable. That’s something Rohan Shankar knew right when he began writing the April 10 release. “The two are different films, even if they share a genre,” insisted Shankar when we called him. “Bhool Bhulaiyaa leaned toward psychological thriller with humour, while Bhooth Bangla has action, fantasy, romance, humour, and multiple layers. From the start, I knew it was a different story with a bigger scale.”
A still from ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’. Pic/Youtube
Nowadays horror comedies risk slipping into a predictable template. According to Shankar, however, Bhooth Bangla takes a broader approach to the genre. “We didn’t lean on those horror comedy clichés. We kept the Priyadarshan-Akshay Kumar brand of situational comedy. But rather than falling into clichés, we expanded the genre.”
Priyadarshan and Rohan Shankar
If the film marks Kumar and the filmmaker’s reunion 16 years after Khatta Meetha (2010), it also sees the superstar team up with Tabu after decades. Reflecting on how the dynamic on set was shaped by the contrasting energies of the lead actors, Shankar said, “Tabu ma’am can do complex scenes in one or two takes, making it look effortless. Akshay sir wants every scene to be elevated, always pushing his co-actors and the scene itself to be funnier and better. When the camera rolls, his chemistry with Priyan sir and his conviction in his craft shine. Akshay sir, Priyan sir, and Tabu ma’am are reuniting almost 30 years after Hera Pheri [2000]. So, it’s a special film.”
Tabu in ‘Bhooth Bangla’ and ‘Saiyaara’ (2025). Pics/Youtube
Rohan Shankar previously wrote Kriti Sanon’s ‘Mimi’ (2021) and the blockbuster ‘Saiyaara’ (2025)
