Kamal Ghorui
At a time when high-octane action films and masala entertainers are dominating Bollywood, filmmaker Priyadarshan is looking to offer something different with his return to Hindi cinema. His upcoming horror-comedy ‘Bhooth Bangla’ has already generated curiosity, especially as it arrives soon after the massive success of ‘Dhurandhar 2’. However, the director doesn’t view the timing as a concern or a clash of genres.In a conversation with PTI, Priyadarshan shared that he isn’t overly worried about the film’s box-office performance, pointing out that horror comedies often have a broader appeal. “I think our area of exploitation is bigger, and people like to see different things. That is our biggest plus point with Bhooth Bangla. Moreover, this is a pure entertainment, a fun film; it is not as intense as Border or Dhurandhar. People enjoy every kind of film. I believe as long as the film is holding the attention and interest of people, every film will work.”Recent box office trends have been dominated by large-scale spectacles. Border 2, which released earlier this year, reportedly earned ₹464 crore globally, while Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar 2 has already crossed ₹850 crore worldwide within days of its release, positioning itself as one of Indian cinema’s biggest hits.Despite this, Priyadarshan believes his film stands out due to its family-friendly nature. “Any parent can proudly bring their children and watch my film because I never use double meaning (stuff) or (show) vulgarity (in my films). I never embarrass the parents. This is something I have been maintaining from the day I started my career,” the filmmaker said.Actor Akshay Kumar, who headlines Bhooth Bangla, echoed similar thoughts, stressing that both films cater to entirely different audiences. “There are different kind of films (being made). ‘Dhurandhar’ is a great film, I’ve seen it. This (‘Bhooth Bangla’) is a different film. ‘Dhurandhar’ is an adult film, this (‘Bhooth Bangla’) is for kids and families. When we made this film, we don’t look at what the current trend is, we rather looked at whether the story was good or not and accordingly we made this film. We never thought about the trend,” Kumar told PTI.Having collaborated with Akshay on successful films like Hera Pheri, Garam Masala, and Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Priyadarshan is confident that audiences will embrace a lighter alternative amid intense cinematic offerings. “Films like ‘Dhurandhar’, ‘Border 2’ all are doing extremely well and all of a sudden when you take a break and do something different (it is great). People who watch films like ‘Dhurandhar’ can also enjoy it,” he said.Reiterating what makes Bhooth Bangla unique, the director added, “I think our area of exploitation is bigger and people like to see different things. That is our biggest plus point with ‘Bhooth Bangla’. Moreover, this is a pure entertainment, fun film it is not as intense as ‘Border’ or ‘Dhurandhar’. People enjoy every kind of film. I believe as long as the film is holding the attention and interest of people, every film will work. Any parent can proudly bring their children and watch my film because I never use double meaning (stuff) or (show) vulgarity (in my films). I never embarrass the parents. This is something I have been maintaining from the day I started my career.”
