Ektaa Kapoor eyes sequel to Priyadarshan-Akshay Kumar's Bhooth Bangla: Sources

Looks like the spooky laughs in cinemas are far from over. India Today has exclusively learnt that producer Ektaa Kapoor is already exploring a sequel to Bhooth Bangla. She also plans to potentially turn it into a full-blown franchise.

Headlined by Akshay Kumar and directed by Priyadarshan, Bhooth Bangla released on April 17. While it received a mixed response from critics, the horror-comedy clicked with a section of the audience, who seemed to enjoy a family film in theatres after a long time. This positive reception has encouraged the makers to consider creating a sequel.

"Given the love and response that Bhooth Bangla has received from families, the makers are definitely exploring the idea of taking the franchise forward. It’s an exciting space, and thus a sequel looks very much on the cards," a source close to Kapoor said. While the project is in its early stages, given Kapoor's interest in the horror-comedy space, it is a world she’s looking to revisit with more stories.

Horror-comedy remains one of the most reliable genres at the box office today, and Bollywood's growing obsession with sequels only adds to its appeal. Notably, Akshay and Priyadarshan were pioneers in this genre with their film Bhool Bhulaiyaa, which became a franchise of its own, even if later instalments had different casts.

Bhooth Bangla performed decently on its first Monday, taking its four-day total to Rs 64.75 crore nett in India. The film has also crossed the Rs 100-crore mark at the worldwide box office. According to trade website Sacnilk, the film earned Rs 2.50 crore from overseas markets on its first Monday, pushing its global total to Rs 106.34 crore gross.

Apart from Akshay Kumar, Bhooth Bangla also stars the late actor Asrani, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Jisshu Sengupta, Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Mithila Palkar in key roles.