As we await the much-anticipated reunion of Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar in Bhooth Bangla, Sreeju Sudhakaran looks back at their six memorable collaborations, ranking them by how consistently they deliver on entertainment.
Key Points
- Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar are reuniting for Bhooth Bangla, a horror comedy set for release on April 17, their first collaboration in 14 years.
- Their previous collaborations, such as Hera Pheri and Bhool Bhulaiyaa, have left a significant mark on Bollywood, showcasing Akshay Kumar's strong comic timing and Priyadarshan's flair for comedy.
- Hera Pheri is widely considered their finest collaboration and one of Bollywood's best comedies.
Director Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar reunite after 14 years for the horror comedy Bhooth Bangla.
Their collaboration began with Hera Pheri (2000), and the significance of that cult comedy in Bollywood pop culture hardly needs reiteration. Together, they have worked on six films (excluding Bhooth Bangla), and while their box office fortunes have varied, each film has left a distinct impression.
Priyadarshan has an instinctive flair for crafting rib-tickling comedies, and Akshay's comic timing remains among the best in the business. The synergy between them may not mirror the effortless ease Priyadarshan shares with Malayalam superstar and his close friend Mohanlal, but Akshay, among his Hindi collaborators, comes closest to matching his sensibilities.
Will Priyadarshan and Akshay create the magic again that they have done before? Before we find out when the film releases on April 17, Sreeju Sudhakaran ranks their films below.
6. Khatta Meetha
A remake of Priyadarshan's Malayalam film Vellanakalude Naadu, Khatta Meetha is not a full-blown comedy like some others on this list. It shifts into a more serious narrative, when Akshay's struggling contractor takes on the corrupt within the system (including his own family).
While the film has its admirers and certain comedic moments (notably the telephone mix-up scene with Asrani) do land well, it suffers from tonal inconsistency. Priyadarshan adds scenes that were not part of the original to heighten humour, but these often disrupt the narrative flow.
The transition from comedy to drama feels uneven. So when the film turns serious and becomes a commentary on corruption within public infrastructure, it loses its impact... something the original handled far more effectively.
Trisha Krishnan, in her Hindi debut, doesn't exactly get the space to leave a mark, which feels a challenge anyway when your male co-lead is in scene-stealing top form.
5. Garam Masala
Garam Masala is undeniably a funny film with a peppy soundtrack, but its premise has not aged particularly well, much like the Malayalam original it remakes (Boeing Boeing, itself adapted from the 1965 American film of the same name). The idea of a man juggling three women at once (four, if you count Rimi Sen's character) without their knowledge now feels like a relic of another time.
That said, Akshay Kumar is in terrific form, and I would go so far as to call this his funniest performance in a Priyadarshan film. So much so that John Abraham, not exactly known for his comic timing, struggles to keep up (unlike Mukesh in the Malayalam version, who complemented Mohanlal effortlessly).
Priyadarshan cleverly stages much of the chaos within a single apartment, using Kumar's physical comedy to great effect. Paresh Rawal may feel underused, but his deadpan reactions to the unfolding confusion still generated plenty of laughs.
Overall, Garam Masala remains an entertaining film, even if its core idea feels dated today.
4. De Dana Dhan
For those unfamiliar with Priyadarshan's method of remakes, he rarely adapts just one source; he prefers to mix and match. In his Malayalam film Vettam, he blended elements from French Kiss (remade in Hindi as Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha) and Blame It On The Bellboy.
With De Dana Dhan, he combines Blame It On The Bellboy and Screwed. Somehow, this chaotic amalgamation works, at least in generating the desired confusion and comedic frenzy.
This was also the first Akshay Kumar-Priyadarshan comedy not written by the late Neeraj Vora, and that absence is felt, particularly in the dialogues. But the film makes strong use of its ensemble cast, especially in the hotel sequences.
There is a stretch where Akshay is notably absent due to a narrative mix-up, allowing actors like Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav, Manoj Joshi, Suniel Shetty, and Vikram Gokhale to take centrestage. It is a bold choice, but one that pays off for the supporting ensemble.
That said, the film is not without its flaws. The waterlogged climax lacks the punch of Priyadarshan's better comic finales. The songs, despite their popularity, feel forcibly inserted, and the director's ongoing struggle to write compelling female lead characters in his comedies is particularly evident here.
3. Bhagam Bhag
I mentioned earlier how Priyadarshan likes to blend multiple sources, but that approach is taken to its extreme in the riotous comedy of errors that is Bhagam Bhag. The film draws from multiple sources: Malayalam films like Mannar Mathai Speaking, Nadodikkattu, Dheem Tharikida Thom, and even the Marathi thriller Bindhaast. Credit to Neeraj Vora for stitching these influences into a largely cohesive and entertaining screenplay.
Akshay Kumar is in fine form here, but he is not alone. Paresh Rawal is equally hilarious as the hapless drama troupe manager, especially in the sequences where they are on the run.
The film also marks Govinda's first collaboration with Priyadarshan. However, unlike how David Dhawan fully exploits Govinda's comic strengths, Priyadarshan reduces him to more of a third-wheel sidekick, with limited moments to shine.
It is also worth noting that certain elements have not aged well, particularly the Tanushree Dutta bathroom scene that gave rise to Kumar's now-viral chant 'Behen darr gayi', which feels decidedly uncomfortable when viewed through a post-#MeToo lens.
2. Bhool Bhulaiyaa
There may be no Malayali in existence who does not revere Fazil's Manichitrathazhu, which makes watching its weaker remakes almost painful. Thankfully, Priyadarshan's Hindi adaptation stands out as the most respectful and accomplished among them. It helps that he was associated with the original as a second-unit director.
That said, Bhool Bhulaiyaa is far from a perfect adaptation. The comedy can feel somewhat loud, occasionally undercutting the film's more nuanced psychological underpinnings. However, the cast remains firmly in its element, which keeps the film entertaining in these portions.
Priyadarshan handles the genre shifts more effectively here than in Khatta Meetha, though not as seamlessly as the Malayalam original. Vidya Balan may not quite match Shobana's National Award-winning brilliance, but delivers a compelling performance, particularly in the climax.
And here's a possibly unpopular take: Akshay Kumar feels miscast. He is excellent in the comedic stretches, but less convincing in the portions that require him to anchor the psychological dimension of the story.
Still, despite its imperfections, and despite the greater box-office successes of its sequels, Bhool Bhulaiyaa remains the best film in the franchise.
1. Hera Pheri
There is little surprise in this topping the list. Hera Pheri is not just Priyadarshan's finest Hindi comedy, it ranks among the best comedies Bollywood has produced.
Its impact on Bollywood is undeniable. It revitalised Priyadarshan's career in Hindi cinema after a series of setbacks (barring Virasat), showcased Akshay's untapped comic potential, and transformed Paresh Rawal -- previously known for negative roles -- into one of Hindi cinema's most beloved comic actors.
What makes Hera Pheri work so effortlessly?
For starters, it is a faithful adaptation of Siddique-Mohanlal's Malayalam hit Ramji Rao Speaking, with certain tweaks (like the chaotic action-packed climax) actually enhancing the material. Neeraj Vora's screenplay is the film's backbone; nearly every joke lands, every line hits its mark.
The characters have since become cultural icons, from Paresh Rawal's endearingly gullible Baburao Ganpatrao Apte to Gulshan Grover's menacing Kabira. If there is one drawback, it is that Tabu is underutilised, with little to do once the kidnapping plot kicks in.
The chemistry between Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal is pitch-perfect, with none trying to outshine the other, even though Rawal inevitably steals the show. This balance was missing in Phir Hera Pheri, where, under Neeraj Vora's direction, the film occasionally veered into an Akshay Kumar showcase.
Most importantly, Hera Pheri has aged remarkably well, unlike several others on this list, and that, perhaps, is its greatest triumph.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
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