Was Bhooth Bangla originally planned as Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2? Priyadarshan BREAKS SILENCE

March 30, 2026 - 5:49 PM IST

Filmmaker Priyadarshan has dismissed reports suggesting that his upcoming film Bhooth Bangla was originally conceived as a sequel to Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Addressing the speculation during promotions ahead of the film’s release, the director clarified that Bhooth Bangla is an original story and not connected to the popular franchise.

Was Bhooth Bangla originally planned as Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2? Priyadarshan BREAKS SILENCE

Earlier this year, a report by Mid-Day had claimed that Priyadarshan had written a draft for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 with Akshay Kumar in mind and later reworked that material into Bhooth Bangla. Responding to the claim in a recent conversation with Hindustan Times, the filmmaker rejected the suggestion outright. “That is not right. It’s all false news,” he said while addressing reports linking the two films.

Priyadarshan also emphasised that the themes and treatment of the two projects are fundamentally different. “This is an absolute fantasy. That was a psychological thriller. Here, I am exploiting people’s belief in ghosts, giving a little bit of scientific reasoning behind it. Quantum physics says you can take one consciousness to another body and so on. On that logic, I made that film,” he said.

The Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise continued with commercially successful sequels in recent years, directed by Anees Bazmee and headlined by Kartik Aaryan, without the involvement of either Priyadarshan or Akshay Kumar.

During the same interaction, Priyadarshan also reflected on his long association with Hindi comedy films such as Hera Pheri, Garam Masala and Bhagam Bhag, saying he is cautious about returning to the genre in the same way again. “I am afraid to make an out-and-out comedy,” he admitted. The filmmaker added, “There is a tendency to be repetitive. When you make 100 movies, what's new left to see? Youngsters should come to me with something new that excites me. Like this script (Bhooth Bangla), where I found the plot interesting, and I felt I could develop it. There should be something new that excites you.”

Bhooth Bangla features an ensemble cast including Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi and Rajpal Yadav. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on April 10.

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