As fans gear up to watch ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’, the excitement surrounding the franchise continues to grow. Directed by Anees Bazmee, who also directed the sequel Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, the new film is set to hit theatres on November 1, 2024. The original Bhool Bhulaiyaa, which came out in 2007 featuring Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan in the main lead and has remained an iconic beloved classic film in the history of Indian cinema staying fresh in memories of audience event today. Ahead of threequel release, looking back at the interview of Anees Bazmee where he talked about on the decisions behind the casting choices and the impact on the franchise’s legacy.
In and exclusive conversation with Lehren Retro, director Bazmee reflected on his experience of taking over the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise. He spoke about how honoured he felt to direct the sequel, given that the original was directed by Priyadarshan, a well-known name in Malayalam cinema. Priyadarshan even personally reached out to Anees to congratulate him on taking over the sequel, which meant a lot to him.
When asked if he felt uncomfortable about not casting Akshay Kumar in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Bazmee responded openly and cleverly. “Yeh saare jo actors hai, jo matured hai aur kaam karna jaante hai, kaam kar sakte hai they know that kabhi kya vision hota hai, kabhi kya jarurat hoti hai, toh aisa kuch nahi tha (All these actors are mature, and they know how to work. They understand that sometimes certain decisions are needed for the film’s vision),” he explained and clarified. Further adding about there was no awkwardness, showing his respect for both the actors and the decisions made in the industry.
Anees Bazmee clarified that he hadn’t personally spoken to Akshay about the casting decision. However, he mentioned they often run into each other and share a very good bond. Bazmee said, “It’s a small thing for him”. He explained that Akshay is a major star, so whether he’s part of a film or not doesn’t impact him directly. “He’s a big star, itne bade actor hai ki vo ek film kar rahe hai, ya nahi kar rahe hai, toh unhe koi fayda/nuksaan means, dusro ko nuksaan ho sakta hai, unhe nahi (He’s such a big actor that whether he does a film or not doesn’t affect him),” Bazmee noted.
Additionally, Bazmee also expressed his respect and admiration for Akshay Kumar, calling him “Damn, good actor”. Sharing about their close bond and the enjoyable experience they’ve shared working on films like Singh is Kinng and Welcome. To know all about these heartfelt details, watch the full interview below and hear it from Anees Bazmee himself.
With Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 on the horizon, Bazmee’s comments reveal some of the decisions that go into casting choices in the film industry. Fans can look forward to seeing Kartik Aaryan take on the lead role and with the movie releasing alongside Singham Again during Diwali, it’s set to be an exciting time for movie lovers.
