Mumbai, March 24 – There are no disagreements, says Akshay Kumar. The word doesn't exist in our dictionary, adds Priyadarshan. The actor and director are in perfect sync as they prepare for their next release, "Bhoot Bangla", which features multiple comedies, most of which were hits.
The duo first collaborated in the 2000 cult comedy "Hera Pheri", a film credited with transforming Akshay's image from an action star to a hero who could also bring in laughter. There was no looking back after that, with the partnership leading to "Garam Masala", "Bhaagam Bhaag", "Bhool Bhulaiyya", "De Dana Dan" and "Khatta Meetha".
Have there been any disagreements in this long collaboration?
Not at all, they both answer.
"If I tell him, 'Sir, this looks nice?', and he says, 'No', then I don't do it. There's no disagreement," Akshay told
"That word, that meaning is not there in our dictionary," the director added.
Their next project, "Bhoot Bangla" – their first film in 14 years – is a horror-comedy arriving in cinemas on April 10.
Priyadarshan doesn't believe in ghosts, but Akshay says he believes in "energies". And this difference in perspectives is exactly what they hope will make the film work.
"The newness is people identifying so many things, which are happening in this country, like folklore, superstitions, black magic, so all these things are there. We are exploiting the weakness and putting a lot of logic into it and trying to make a fantasy. It's a fantasy, this could happen or not happen,” the director said.
Before "Hera Pheri", Akshay experimented with comedy in David Dhawan's "Mr. and Mrs. Khiladi" (1997). That was "buffoonery", he said, acknowledging Priyadarshan's contribution in introducing him to situational comedy.
"He taught me situational comedy. I also learned about the importance of an editor and what the conviction of a director means. There's no need to take a shot from different angles. He told me that a director, who is also an editor, knows his job, and would not waste time and money of the producer."
"All the films he has made, whether it is in 50 or 40 days, he has been editing films in his mind while making it,” the 58-year-old star said.
"Hera Pheri" revolved around a quirky garage owner, Baburao Ganpatrao Apte (Paresh Rawal), a cunning loafer, Raju (Kumar), and a struggling pauper, Shyam (Suneil Shetty), who find themselves in the middle of a kidnapping case due to a wrong phone number. The trio returned with a sequel, "Phir Hera Pheri" in 2006, which was directed by Neeraj Vora.
"Hera Pheri 3" is also in the pipeline.
Priyadarshan said he moved to comedy after working on drama films like "Gardish" and "Virasat". Recalling a chance meeting with Kajol on a flight to Chennai, he said he told her he was trying a comedy film.
"She said, 'That's interesting. It's a long time since we have seen something like that. Who all are there?’ I said, ‘Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal’, she said, ‘Are you joking?’. I (knew) nobody has ever seen these three people doing humour, Paresh was a villain most of the time, Suniel and Akshay were doing action films (but I wanted to do it),” Priyadarshan told