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3 min readNew DelhiApr 6, 2026 06:34 PM IST
Akshay Kumar is looking forward to his next release Bhooth Bangla. At the film’s trailer launch event in Mumbai on Monday, the actor was in attendance with the film’s cast, including Tabu, Rajpal Yadav, Paresh Rawal, director Priyadarshan and co-producer Ektaa Kapoor. During the event, Ektaa revealed that Akshay once returned his fee for her film as the film had failed at the box office. Akshay’s gesture shocked Ektaa, and she vowed to make another film with him. She was presumably talking about the 2013 film Once Upon ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara.
Ektaa shared, “I have been waiting to work with Akshay for quite a few years now. One thing that people don’t know is that he is the only actor who called me up after our first film didn’t do well.” She shared that when she went to meet him, he gave her a cheque. “He gave me a cheque, and he said this is the money back for you, you have lost money, take your money. I was in shock. No one does this. In my 31 years in this industry, no one has ever done this. He just gave the cheque so casually. I said, ‘No, sir. You do a film for my company. We will make lots of money. That film has finally happened,” she said.
Since 2013, Akshay Kumar and Ektaa Kapoor have not worked on any film together.
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As Ekta was sharing this anecdote, that got the audience to applaud, Tabu interrupted and asked if Ektaa was planning to pay her actors more for their previous film Crew, as the film was a hit at the box office. Tabu said, “And what about the overflow that you have earned on Crew? When will that get to us?”
As Ektaa heard this, she laughed and said, “When does a producer give that? They never do.” Tabu concluded by saying, “We know that.”
After four releases in 2025, Sky Force, Kesari Chapter 2, Housefull 5 and Jolly LLB 3, Bhooth Bangla is Akshay Kumar’s first release of 2026. Later this year, he will also be seen in Welcome to The Jungle. He is also looking forward to Haiwaan and Golmaal 5. A concrete update on Hera Pheri 3 is still awaited.
Bhooth Bangla starts its paid previews in theatres on April 16.
