Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar Set for Third Film Together
Bhumi Pednekar is confirmed as the female lead in Priyadarshan's untitled 1970s comedy-thriller, marking her third film with Akshay Kumar.
Bhumi Pednekar has been locked in as the female lead of Priyadarshan’s next film with Akshay Kumar. The director confirmed the casting to Hindustan Times, setting up a third on-screen outing for Akshay and Bhumi and the filmmaker’s ninth project with the star.
What we know about the project
The film is currently untitled and is described as a comedy-thriller set in the 1970s. Rajpal Yadav is also part of the cast. Shooting is expected to begin in the final week of November and continue for roughly three months.
The production is likely to move through three key locations: Rajasthan, Mumbai and Bhopal.
A partnership with a mixed record
Akshay and Bhumi first worked together on Toilet Ek Prem Katha, which became a box office superhit, and then on Raksha Bandhan, which did not land commercially or critically. Audiences have still responded warmly to their pairing, and this reunion gives the two actors a chance to convert that goodwill into a hit.
This time, the 1970s setting and Rajpal Yadav’s presence signal a lighter, period-flavoured energy that should give their chemistry a different frame from their earlier films together.
Akshay and Priyadarshan’s ninth outing
The new film will become their ninth collaboration, after a long filmography that includes some of Bollywood’s best-known comedies:
- Hera Pheri
- Garam Masala
- Bhagam Bhag
- Bhool Bhulaiyaa
- De Dana Dan
- Khatta Meetha
- Bhooth Bangla
- Haiwaan
Why the comedy return makes sense
Haiwaan, which released in September, was a box office disappointment. Reflecting on that result, Priyadarshan told Deccan Chronicle that audiences do not want to see him and Akshay in serious subjects together. He also pointed to Khatta Meetha, which underperformed despite the duo’s strong lighter-film record.
A 1970s comedy-thriller, then, looks like a step back toward the tone that has worked for them before. For Bhumi, it is a fresh chance to pair her comic timing with Akshay’s in a period setting that could give the film a distinct visual identity. No title or release date has been shared yet, but the reported schedule points to a brisk shoot.
Source: Mid-day
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