Hunting for the black magic woman

When sitting down to watch an Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan comedy, you can be assured of a good time - be it Hera Pheri (2000) or Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007). While fans have waited for the past 14 years to see the duo reunite after Khatta Meetha (2010), now it's only a matter of a few more months. Word is that the actor-director jodi's yet-untitled horror comedy will roll in December. The big question is: who will play the leading lady? Sources tell us Alia Bhatt, Kiara Advani and Keerthy Suresh are the top contenders.

Kumar and Priyadarshan will explore the theme of superstitions this time. It turns out producer Ekta Kapoor came up with the concept and approached Priyadarshan to helm the film, which will be a mix of fantasy, humour and the supernatural, with an emphasis on black magic. A source tells us, "The narrative has a strong arc for the female lead. So, Priyadarshan is looking for someone who can hold her own in front of Akshay and has acting chops to boot. The makers have approached Alia, Keerthy and Kiara. Talks are underway, and one will be finalised depending on their response to the script, availability of dates and remuneration. If Alia gives her nod, it will mark her first collaboration as a leading lady with Akshay in her 12-year career."

Priyadarshan

If things work out smoothly, Kumar will face the camera for the horror comedy in London. The source adds, "The first schedule will begin in London on December 8, after which the team will head to Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. The movie is being mounted on a grand scale, with massive sets to be designed by art director Sabu Cyril and cinematography by Santosh Sivan. It will be a start-to-finish shoot that will end in February 2025."

Priyadarshan recently completed Apne Ram, an eight-part docu-series on the history of Ram Mandir. From what we hear, the director, Kumar and Kapoor will officially announce the horror comedy and its title in the next few days.