Barjatya’s praise comes as the film nears its one-month mark, maintaining a grit and character depth that even the most seasoned directors are calling "unprecedented."
The "Sholay" Comparison: Why It Matters
In an interview with Screen, Sooraj Barjatya noted that despite the film’s dark tone and lack of traditional "family focus," its storytelling is flawless:
The Character Depth: Barjatya remarked, "Every character is so well done. Hats off to Aditya [Dhar]. I think Dhurandhar is a perfect picture after Sholay." * The Significance: Coming from a filmmaker who usually advocates for "clean, family-centric" cinema, this endorsement of a high-octane spy thriller has stunned the industry.
The Rakesh Bedi Endorsement: The veteran actor, who plays Jameel Jamali in the film, had previously made the same comparison, which has now been "stamped" by Barjatya’s approval.
Box Office Update: The ₹1,727 Crore Milestone
As of today, Wednesday, April 15 (Day 27), the film is continuing its relentless march toward the history books:
Tuesday Turnaround: Surprisingly, the film saw a weekday hike yesterday, earning ₹7.05 crore (up from Monday's ₹5.20 crore), showing incredible 4th-week resilience. India Net: ₹1,095.67 crore.
Worldwide Gross: ₹1,727.93 crore.
The Next Target: The film is now just ₹15 crore away from overtaking Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2: The Rule (₹1,742 crore) to become the third highest-grossing Indian film of all time globally.
"The Bangla Opens Its Doors": 'Bhooth Bangla' Advance Bookings Signal a Nostalgic Hit
The wait for the legendary Akshay Kumar-Priyadarshan reunion is nearly over. As of Tuesday, April 14, advance bookings for 'Bhooth Bangla' have officially opened nationwide, and the initial response suggests that the "Khiladi" of comedy is back in his prime.
With just 48 hours to go, the film is already outperforming several of Akshay’s recent outings, including Mission Raniganj and Sarfira, proving that the audience's hunger for classic 2000s-style horror-comedy is at an all-time high.
Advance Booking Status: Day 1 Trends
Early trade reports from BookMyShow and Sacnilk indicate a strong start for the film:
Tickets Sold: Over 17,000 tickets have already been sold within the first 24 hours of the window opening.
Collection: The film has minted approximately ₹15.52 lakh in gross advance receipts (excluding blocked seats). When accounting for blocked seats, trade estimates put the figure closer to ₹39 lakh.
The "Jolly" Comparison: The film is currently trending significantly better than Jolly LLB 3 (released last year) at the same point in its release cycle.
Paid Previews: Get In Early on Thursday
For those who can't wait until Friday, the makers have introduced a "Sneak Peek" strategy:
Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026.
Time: Shows will start from 9:00 PM onwards across major multiplexes.
Strategy: By holding paid previews, the producers are looking to build early positive word-of-mouth to counter the ongoing, albeit slowing, "Dhurandhar 2" wave.
'Bhooth Bangla' Project Snapshot
Feature Details Director Priyadarshan (Reuniting with Akshay after 14 years) Starring Akshay Kumar, Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav Certification U/A 16+ (Approved on April 2) Runtime 164 Minutes (Reduced from 174 mins after voluntary cuts) Release Date Friday, April 17, 2026
The "Vadhusur" Factor
The trailer has already sparked a meme fest, particularly the chemistry between the "OG" comedy quartet—Akshay, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, and Asrani.
The Plot: The story revolves around a haunted bungalow for sale and a 1000-year-old demon named Vadhusur.
The Vibe: Insiders suggest the film is less about "jump scares" and more about the chaotic, slapstick "Hera Pheri" style humor that defined the duo's hits like Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Khatta Meetha.
SantaBanta Verdict:
Akshay Kumar’s return to the horror-comedy genre feels like a "homecoming." While it faces stiff competition from the ₹1,700-crore behemoth Dhurandhar 2, the strong advance booking for Bhooth Bangla suggests that families are ready for a laugh. If the paid previews tonight hit the right chord, we could be looking at a mid-teens opening (₹15 Cr+) this Friday.
