Akshay Kumar is stepping into one of his more unusual roles in recent years, and this time the setting is far from the familiar action arena or comic chaos. The actor is set to team up again with Priyadarshan for a new forest thriller that places him in a character inspired by legendary hunter and naturalist Jim Corbett, with the story unfolding in the forests of 1960s India.
Priyadarshan’s New Forest Thriller
The new film is being developed as a comic thriller with wildlife conservation at its core. Akshay will play a hunter and tracker whose journey begins with tracking man-eating big cats before evolving into a deeper understanding of the forest and the need to protect it. That character arc gives the project a distinctly different emotional and thematic base from the duo’s better-known comedy collaborations.
The makers are planning the film as a start-to-finish forest shoot, a choice that underscores the immersive nature of Priyadarshan’s approach to the story. The project is expected to move into pre-production in October 2026, while principal photography is planned to begin in January 2027. The team is also looking at forest locations in Rajasthan and Gujarat. The female lead has not yet been finalised, and the title is still under wraps.
A Different Turn In The Akshay-Priyadarshan Partnership
This marks the ninth collaboration between Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan, a pairing that has delivered some of Hindi cinema’s most popular entertainers over the years, including Hera Pheri, Garam Masala and Bhagam Bhag. What makes this project stand out is the genre blend. Instead of leaning entirely on slapstick or ensemble confusion, this one mixes suspense, period setting and environmental conflict with Priyadarshan’s trademark comic instincts.
The reunion also comes at a busy moment for the filmmaker. Their latest collaboration, Haiwaan, starring Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, is scheduled to release in theatres on September 11, 2026, keeping the actor-director combination firmly in focus this month.
Akshay Kumar’s Recent And Upcoming Work
Akshay has remained one of Hindi cinema’s busiest stars through the last few years, balancing theatrical releases with large-scale commercial entertainers. Among his recent work, Sarfira released in 2024, followed by Sky Force in 2025 and Jolly LLB 3 later the same year. He has continued to stay active across genres, from socially tinged drama to courtroom comedy and action-heavy mainstream fare.
Looking ahead, Haiwaan is his next confirmed theatrical release, arriving on September 11, 2026. Earlier this year Welcome to the Jungle and Bhooth Bangla released and proved to be hit at box office. This new Priyadarshan forest thriller now adds a fresh tonal shift to Akshay’s packed lineup, and positions him in a role built as much around instinct and transformation as spectacle.
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