Mar 31, 2026 2:29pm IST
Will the ‘Cult Entertainers’ Strike Again?
Popular actor-director combo Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan reunite after a 16-year gap for “Bhooth Bangla,” set to hit screens in April. As the horror comedy prepares to take audiences on a laughter-filled ride, here’s tracking the box-office performances of their previous films at the box office.
Hera Pheri (2000)
The cult comedy classic is a remake of the 1989 Malayalam film “Ramji Rao Speaking.” The film gave us the iconic characters of Raju, Shyam and Baburao (played by Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal). The film opened to an average response, but with positive word-of-mouth and repeat viewing, it emerged as a sleeper hit with collections of ₹12.35 crore.
Garam Masala (2005)
A remake of Priyadarshan's own 1985 Malayalam comedy “Boeing Boeing,” “Garam Masala” featured the ensemble cast of Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Paresh Rawal, Rimi Sen, Neha Dhupia and Rajpal Yadav. The Diwali release emerged a winner, collecting ₹29.02 crore during its theatrical release.
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Bhagam Bhag (2006)
The subplots of the Akshay Kumar, Govinda and Paresh Rawal-starrer were adapted from the Malayalam film “Mannar Mathai Speaking.” The film, which garnered the status of ‘cult classic’ due to its humor, earned ₹40.25 crore at the box office.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007)
The psychological horror comedy featuring Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Shiney Ahuja, and Ameesha Patel, among others, was a remake of Mohanlal’s 1993 Malayalam-language film “Manichitrathazhu.” With Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan garnering praise for their characters of a psychiatrist and Avni (aka Manjulika), it went on to collect ₹49.11 crore during its theatrical run.
De Dana Dan (2009)
Just like previous films, Priyadarshan took some scenes from his own 2004 film “Vettam” in “De Dana Dan,” which reunited Akshay, Paresh and Suniel after “Hera Pheri.” While it garnered mixed reviews, it emerged as a moderate success with ₹48.08 crore at the box office.
Khatta Meetha (2010)
The political satire action comedy, which marked the Hindi debut of Trisha Krishnan, was a remake of Priyadarshan's 1988 film "Vellanakalude Nadu." Despite negative reviews during its release, the film managed to rake in ₹38.67 crore, thus emerging as an average grosser.
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