A high-profile reunion, a horror comedy with strong recall value, and now a legal mess threatening to define the conversation around it. Bhooth Bangla, the Akshay Kumar starrer that brought the actor back together with director Priyadarshan, has run into twin disputes after a production vendor claimed unpaid dues of nearly Rs 30 lakh and Nemesis writer Priyadarshi Srivastava sent a legal notice to the producers over adaptation-related objections.
A vendor working on the horror comedy, who claimed that Balaji Telefilms Limited owes him close to Rs 30 lakh in fees. “Payments are getting stuck for months. Once the film releases, it becomes difficult to get the money out. The 90-day invoice clearance has become a thing of the past,” said the vendor, on the condition of anonymity.
Another member, who allegedly has been waiting months to be paid their fee of R18 lakh, rued that non-payment is becoming a common problem in the industry. That it happened on a big film indicates the worsening situation. “Top talent and key vendors are prioritised when it comes to payment. The crew is asked to wait,” said the crew member. Several crew members of indie thriller Nemesis have accused its producers of non-payment and hostile working conditions.
Earlier this week, Nikhil Pai, who worked as a second camera operator on Aanand L Rai’s production Tu Yaa Main, wrote on Instagram Stories, “Congratulations on the theatre and Netflix release. Please clear the invoices. It’s beyond due… if you reply to calls and emails that would be much appreciated.”
Two Legal Disputes Put Bhooth Bangla Under Pressure
The vendor’s claim concerns payments pending for services rendered during the making of the film. The amount under dispute stands at nearly Rs 30 lakh, placing the producers under scrutiny over financial obligations linked to the production.
In a parallel development, Priyadarshi Srivastava, writer of Nemesis, has issued a legal notice to the makers that raises objections connected to rights and the use of source material. The notice has been addressed to the producers associated with Bhooth Bangla, backed by Balaji Motion Pictures and Cape of Good Films. Together, the two disputes have turned the film’s post-release trajectory into a legal story rather than a purely cinematic one.
The controversy carries added industry interest because Bhooth Bangla marked Akshay Kumar’s reunion with Priyadarshan, a pairing that has long enjoyed audience recall. That creative comeback had already made the project one of the more closely watched titles in Kumar’s recent line-up, and the latest developments have only intensified attention around it.
Inside The Horror Comedy At The Center Of The Storm
Bhooth Bangla is a Hindi comedy horror film directed by Priyadarshan and produced by Akshay Kumar, Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor under Balaji Motion Pictures and Cape of Good Films. The cast includes Akshay Kumar, Tabu, Paresh Rawal, Jisshu Sengupta, Rajpal Yadav and Wamiqa Gabbi.
The film released in theatres on 17 April 2026. Built around a mysterious mansion and a wave of supernatural chaos, the story leaned into ensemble humour and spooky confusion, allowing Priyadarshan to revisit a tonal space that has often worked well with mainstream audiences.
Why This Film Matters In Akshay Kumar’s Current Run
For Akshay Kumar, Bhooth Bangla arrived at a time when every theatrical choice has been closely measured against audience response and box office momentum. His recent releases have included Selfiee and Mission Raniganj in 2023, followed by Bade Miyan Chote Miyan in 2024, a stretch that reflected both variety and uneven commercial results.
That made Bhooth Bangla an especially important title in his recent run, not just because of its genre mix but because it returned him to a familiar comic space with a filmmaker strongly associated with crowd-pleasing entertainers. Instead of being discussed only as a key commercial outing in this phase of his career, the film is now sharing space with a legal battle that could shape how this chapter is remembered.
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