Filmmaker Priyadarshan has ruled out making serious films with Akshay Kumar in the future, accepting the box-office failure of their latest collaboration Haiwaan and concluding that audiences simply do not want to see the duo tackle weightier subjects together.
In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Priyadarshan said audiences have come to associate his collaborations with Akshay Kumar with comedy, and are reluctant to see the pair take on serious themes. "The failure of Haiwaan, which I accept gracefully, proves again that audiences don't like us to do serious subjects together," the filmmaker said.
Haiwaan, which also stars Saif Ali Khan, underperformed theatrically after its release, marking a disappointing outing for a director–actor pairing that has delivered some of Hindi cinema's biggest comedies over the years.
A comedy legacy
Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar's partnership has long been defined by laugh-riots that became box-office staples, and the filmmaker's assessment suggests he believes that audience expectation is now fixed. Rather than fight it, Priyadarshan appears ready to steer future collaborations with the actor back toward the genre that made them a hit combination.
The comments also underline a broader tension in mainstream Hindi cinema between star personas built over decades and attempts to reinvent them. For Priyadarshan, the takeaway from Haiwaan is clear: when he and Akshay Kumar team up, the audience wants comedy — and serious subjects will have to wait for other pairings.
Sources: Have you Heard? Priyadarshan accepts Haiwaan failure, rules out serious subjects with Akshay — mid-day
In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Priyadarshan said audiences have come to associate his collaborations with Akshay Kumar with comedy, and are reluctant to see the pair take on serious themes. "The failure of Haiwaan, which I accept gracefully, proves again that audiences don't like us to do serious subjects together," the filmmaker said.
Haiwaan, which also stars Saif Ali Khan, underperformed theatrically after its release, marking a disappointing outing for a director–actor pairing that has delivered some of Hindi cinema's biggest comedies over the years.
A comedy legacy
Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar's partnership has long been defined by laugh-riots that became box-office staples, and the filmmaker's assessment suggests he believes that audience expectation is now fixed. Rather than fight it, Priyadarshan appears ready to steer future collaborations with the actor back toward the genre that made them a hit combination.
The comments also underline a broader tension in mainstream Hindi cinema between star personas built over decades and attempts to reinvent them. For Priyadarshan, the takeaway from Haiwaan is clear: when he and Akshay Kumar team up, the audience wants comedy — and serious subjects will have to wait for other pairings.
Sources: Have you Heard? Priyadarshan accepts Haiwaan failure, rules out serious subjects with Akshay — mid-day
