Paresh Rawal recently spoke about his experience working on the upcoming film Bhooth Bangla, where he reunites with Akshay Kumar and director Priyadarshan after a long gap. The trio has previously delivered several popular comedy films such as Hera Pheri, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Garam Masala, Bhagam Bhag, Hungama, and Hungama 2. He is also working again with Tabu, his co star from Hera Pheri.
Speaking to PTI, Rawal said, “It was a lot of fun to be back. You look forward to certain things in life. Sometimes, when you work with such good people, your journey is very good. This kind of company increases your haemoglobin. Your health improves.”
The film was shot at Chomu Palace in Rajasthan, which also served as a location for Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Rawal said the experience brought back memories, although he clarified that both films are very different. He explained, “The interesting thing about this one is that there is going to be a marriage and the ghost is staying at the place. You can just imagine what will happen. I would say that this is a beautifully shot horror film. You haven’t seen such a beautiful horror film.”
He also praised Priyadarshan for his clear working style and discipline. “I have seen very few directors like him. If he says that he will finish the shoot in 10 days, then the shoot will be over in nine days. He is a director with that kind of clarity. It is not a fair thing for such a person to stay away for so many years. But when I came to the sets, I enjoyed it a lot. The same atmosphere, the same spirit and the same camaraderie.”
The release of Bhooth Bangla was moved from April 10 to April 17. According to Rawal, it would not be correct to link this decision only to the release of Dhurandhar: The Revenge. He said, “There are different ways to look at it. It would be an injustice to both the films to say that the release has been pushed becuase of ‘Dhurandhar’. Ultimately, it’s show business, so it should be treated like a business. In business, there is no foolhardiness because it will not benefit any of them. For example, ‘Toxic’ has also gone up.” The film Toxic is now scheduled to release on June 4.
Talking about the theme of Bhooth Bangla, Rawal shared that he does not personally believe in ghosts. He said, “I don’t believe in ghosts… There must be ghosts, but they haven’t come into my life. Only a few humans have come into my life who are worse than ghosts,” adding humorously that he deals with such situations by chanting Hanuman Chalisa.
Rawal also spoke about acting, especially comedy. He explained that comedy should be taken seriously and reflected clearly in performance. Meanwhile, he confirmed that he, Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan are also working on Hera Pheri 3.
There had been some issues earlier when Rawal announced his exit from the film in May last year, followed by a legal dispute with Akshay Kumar, who is also producing the project through his company Cape of Good Films. However, Rawal later returned to the project. Addressing this, he said, “It was not about friendship. There was never any stain on it. But it happens. Sometimes, when you are so close, you tend to take things for granted. But there is no bad blood.”