Priyadarshan, fresh off stepping away from 'Hera Pheri 3' amid legal troubles, is reuniting with Akshay Kumar for their ninth collaboration, a comedy thriller likely to roll by year-end. The filmmaker is co-writing the screenplay with Rohan Shankar after their work on Bhooth Bangla, while his much-anticipated 100th film with Mohanlal has now been postponed to 2027 due to script revisions.
Just days ago, veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan announced that he will be stepping away from Hera Pheri 3, casting doubt whether the film will ever make it to screens. Now, with more time on his hands, he has turned his attention to his next project with Akshay Kumar.
Priyadarshan and Mohanlal had earlier announced their film together, the filmmaker's 100th, which was originally set to begin production this October but will now be pushed to 2027.
In March this year, Mohanlal posted on X about his collaboration with Priyadarshan, writing, "My dearest Priyan is stepping into his 100th film, and I find myself without words for what that truly means to me," and that he is "deeply honoured to be a part of this journey."
However, with the script now undergoing revisions and Priyadarshan taking on another project in the meantime, the date has been pushed to 2027. He is also developing a dramedy with Pankaj Tripathi, which is undergoing revisions as well.
Priyadarshan's upcoming film with Kumar will be a comedy thriller, and their ninth collaboration together. The duo is currently working on Haiwaan, which is slated for a September release, prior to which they collaborated on Bhooth Bangla, which released in April this year.
A source close to the director revealed to Mid-Day that "Priyadarshan has written the story, which is a combination of fun and thrills. The film will roll by the year-end, most likely in December."
The source added that the film will introduce a new genre in Priyadarshan’s vast filmography. “Akki and he are excited about the project because though he has attempted comedies and thrillers in the past, he feels this belongs to a genre that he hasn't attempted before. He will develop the screenplay with Rohan Shankar, who also worked on Bhooth Bangla."