Bhooth Bangla vs Bhool Bhulaiyaa: Which Akshay Kumar Horror-Comedy Is the Bigger Box Office Hit?

For almost twenty years, the partnership between Akshay Kumar and director Priyadarshan has set the benchmark for comedy in Indian cinema. From the madcap energy of Hera Pheri to the eerie intrigue of Bhool Bhulaiyaa, the duo has shaped the movie-watching experience for an entire generation. Naturally, their latest film, Bhooth Bangla, which hit theatres on April 17, 2026, arrived with sky-high expectations. Now that the opening weekend is over, it’s clear the film hasn’t just met the hype—it has stormed the box office and given the horror-comedy genre a fresh new spin.

A Flying Start at the Box Office

Bhooth Bangla wasted no time making its presence felt. Riding on nostalgia and an aggressive promotional campaign, the film crossed the ₹100 crore mark globally within just three days. In India, it opened strong at ₹21.60 crore and continued to grow steadily over the weekend, thanks largely to positive word-of-mouth about its slick visuals and spot-on comic timing. By the end of its opening run, it had raked in around ₹58 crore domestically.

These figures have naturally drawn comparisons with the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise. While Bhooth Bangla has comfortably beaten the opening weekend numbers of the original 2007 film and its first sequel, it falls slightly short of the massive opening of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. Trade experts point out that the third installment had the advantage of an already established “Manjulika” brand, whereas Bhooth Bangla is a completely original story that had to build its own buzz from the ground up.

A Shift in Tone: Mind Games vs. Myth

What really sets Bhooth Bangla apart from Bhool Bhulaiyaa is its approach to storytelling. The 2007 classic leaned heavily into psychology, presenting itself as a supernatural tale but ultimately grounding the mystery in science and human behaviour.
Bhooth Bangla, however, goes in the opposite direction. It fully embraces fantasy and the supernatural. The ghosts here aren’t figments of imagination—they’re real, powerful entities rooted in folklore, black magic, and age-old beliefs. Priyadarshan swaps the slow-burning suspense of a haunted mansion for a more intense, spectacle-driven narrative filled with jump scares and larger-than-life moments. It’s less about solving a mystery and more about experiencing a supernatural ride.

Bigger Scale, Bigger Impact

The difference in scale between the two films is hard to miss. While Bhool Bhulaiyaa was made on a relatively modest budget of around ₹32 crore, Bhooth Bangla is a full-blown big-budget entertainer, reportedly costing about ₹120 crore. That investment shows on screen. The film makes extensive use of modern VFX to create a visually immersive world that feels both grand and unsettling. At the same time, the familiar trio of Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Rajpal Yadav brings back their trademark chemistry—but with a twist. This time, their performances carry more emotional depth. In fact, Paresh Rawal has hinted in interviews that unlike Bhool Bhulaiyaa, which revolved around a mystery, Bhooth Bangla focuses more on an emotional journey that lingers even after the film ends.

So, is Bhooth Bangla better than Bhool Bhulaiyaa? That really depends on what you’re looking for. If you enjoy clever, psychologically driven storytelling, the original still holds its crown. But if you’re in the mood for a visually rich, high-energy supernatural adventure, Bhooth Bangla delivers in spades.

By steering clear of the “science vs. myth” debate and fully leaning into fantasy, the film avoids feeling like a rehash of past successes. Instead, it carves out its own identity and lays the groundwork for a potential new franchise. More importantly, it proves that even after two decades, the Akshay Kumar–Priyadarshan duo still knows exactly how to entertain—and keep audiences coming back for more.

In terms of numbers, Bhooth Bangla has already made a strong statement. Crossing ₹100 crore worldwide in its opening weekend, it has outperformed Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’s ₹55.96 crore opening by earning around ₹58 crore in India. While it couldn’t quite match the ₹106 crore domestic opening of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, it has still emerged as a major success. In fact, its three-day earnings have already surpassed the entire lifetime collection of the original 2007 Bhool Bhulaiyaa, cementing its status as a box office winner.

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