Akshay Kumar celebrates mentor Priyadarshan's birthday on haunted sets of Bhooth Bangla

Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar

Ace film director Priyadarshan celebrates his birthday on January 30. The movie maverick, who is busy shooting for his upcoming film Bhooth Bangla with Akshay Kumar, marked the special day on sets. He also received a sweet birthday wish from the Bollywood superstar who called him his mentor.

Akshay Kumar's birthday wish for Priyadarshan

Akshay Kumar shared a candid picture of sharing a laugh with Priyadarshan from the sets of Bhooth Bangla and wrote, "Happy Birthday, Priyan Sir! What better way to celebrate than by spending the day on a haunted set, surrounded by ghosts…both real and unpaid extras? Thank you for being a mentor, and the only person who can make chaos look like a masterpiece. May your day be filled with fewer retakes. Wishing you a fantastic year ahead!"

Bhooth Bangla marks the reunion of Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar after a long gap. The duo has earlier given blockbuster films such as Hera Pheri, Bhagam Bhag, Garam Masala, De Dana Dan, and Bhool Bhulaiyaa among others. The film will also see a reunion of Akshay and Tabu after 25 years. It is produced by Shobha Kapoor and Ektaa R Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms and Akshay Kumar's production house, Cape of Good Films. The film is slated for a theatrical release on April 2, 2026. Paresh Rawal is also a part of the movie.

Priyadarshan's journey into showbiz

Best known for his comedy films, movie maverick Priyadarshan has also experimented with some action, thriller, and period dramas. His collaborations with Mohanlal were highly popular in Malayalam cinema during the 1980s and 1990s. Priyadarshan also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in 2019 for his period epic 'Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea'. In 2012, the Government of India honoured him with Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award for his contribution to the arts.

Akshay Kumar's work front

Besides Bhooth Bangla, Akshay will be seen as Lord Shiva in the upcoming Telugu film Kannappa. It also stars Vishnu Manchu in the lead role and features a star-studded cast including Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, Madhoo, Mukesh Rishi, Mohanlal, Prabhas, and Kajal Aggarwal. He also has Housefull 5 and Welcome to the Jungle.