Akshay flirts with danger

Akshay Kumar has delivered some of his best comedies with Priyadarshan, from Hera Pheri (2000) to Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007). That's why fans have their eyes peeled for their yet-untitled next, which marks their reunion after 14 years. The good news is that we'll get a glimpse of their horror comedy in a few days. Sources tell us that on September 9, Kumar will mark his birthday by unveiling the motion poster that will reveal the film's title and his look in it. "The director flew down to Mumbai in July to cut the one-minute motion poster," says a source.

The motion poster will be a prelude to the shoot that is slated for December. "On December 8, the unit will begin the first schedule in Mumbai on a set designed by Sabu Cyril. After that, a straight schedule has been chalked out from January to April 2025. They will shoot in Hyderabad, forests of Kerala, Sri Lanka, followed by the final leg in Gujarat," adds the source. In the next few weeks, the director intends to zero in on the female lead. In May, mid-day had reported that Alia Bhatt, Kiara Advani and Keerthy Suresh were the frontrunners for the role (Hunting for the black magic woman, May 13). But Suresh is apparently out of the race due to date issues.

It's already known that the film - a blend of fantasy, humour and the supernatural - will explore the theme of black magic. The source adds that Kumar will play a Casanova of sorts. "Like his character in Garam Masala [2005], Akshay will be seen wooing three women again. However, his life takes a serious turn when he encounters black magic. The story has been conceptualised by Ektaa R Kapoor."