Before Bhooth Bangla, Akshay Kumar Returned Fee To Producer Ekta Kapoor For THIS Flop Movie

Priyadarshan

and Akshay Kumar are working together after 14 years with the upcoming Bhooth Bangla. The actor is also reuniting with Ekta Kapoor for the horror comedy. The trailer of Bhooth Bangla was launched in Mumbai on April 6, 2026, where the Balaji Telefilms Ltd head shared that the Bollywood star had once written a cheque for her, returning money after their film together did not work. The film and TV producer told the media that she was shocked at the gesture, as no one has ever returned money back to her.

Ekta Kapoor recalls when Akshay Kumar returned money to her

At the Mumbai trailer launch, Ekta Kapoor revealed that she had been wanting to work with Akshay again for a number of years. She recalled a secret that no one knew about the Bhool Bhulaiyaa actor. She said that their first film together didn't do well. Afterwards, Akshay called her up and said he wanted to meet. The next morning when she met him, Akshay handed her a cheque.

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The producer revealed, "People don't know this about him. He came with a cheque and said, 'This is money back for you. You've lost money.' I was in shock. Koi nahin karta. Mere 31 years mein kisne nahin kiya [Nobody does this. In my 31 years, no one else has done this.]"

Ekta added that Akshay casually gave the cheque to her and told her to take it. She replied then, 'No, Sir, you do a film for me. I'll make a lot if you make a film with me. That film finally came with Bhooth Bangla." As for the film that didn't work, it was the gangster film Once Upon ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara (2013). Directed by Milan Luthria, the sequel also starred Imran Khan and Sonakshi Sinha.

More about Bhooth Bangla

Directed by Priyadarshan, the horror comedy also features Wamiqa Gabbi, Tabu, Rajpal Yadav, the late Asrani, Paresh Rawal, Mithila Palkar, Jisshu Sengupta, and Rajesh Sharma in the ensemble cast. The Hindi film is releasing in theatres on April 17, with paid previews beginning from 9 pm on April 16. It has been co-produced by Ekta, Shobha Kapoor, and Akshay through his production company, Cape of Good Films.

Bhooth Bangla is set in the fictional town of Mangalpur, where the locals believe that no one should get married or else the monster Vadhusur will arrive. Akshay inherits the haunted mansion and learns that the lore about the place might actually be true.