Akshay Kumar to Play Quirky Tiger Hunter in Priyadarshan’s 99th

Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan are reportedly reuniting — and this time the director appears to be steering back into comedy. The project is still untitled, but early reports describe a 1970s-set film in which Akshay plays an eccentric tiger hunter. It would be a sizeable milestone: Priyadarshan’s 99th directorial venture.

The cast and the creative team

Rajpal Yadav and Annu Kapoor are said to have joined the cast, while the search for the female lead is still underway. Priyadarshan has reportedly written the film with screenwriter Rohan Shankar, who also worked on Bhooth Bangla, another project associated with Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar.

What the schedule looks like

The production is expected to go on floors in the last week of November and run for around three months. Locations being explored include Rajasthan, where the team is looking for settings that suit the film’s 1970s world, and Mumbai, where a specially constructed set is expected. Bhopal is also being scouted as a possible schedule.

• Setting: 1970s comedy, with the period shaping production design and visual style.
• Role: Akshay Kumar as an eccentric tiger hunter.
• Cast so far: Rajpal Yadav and Annu Kapoor reportedly on board; the female lead is yet to be finalised.
• Timeline: A shoot expected to begin in late November and continue for about three months.

What remains hidden is almost everything else — the title, the plot, the characters and the central conflict. Priyadarshan is deliberately keeping quiet. “Let the project get locked then I will talk,” he told the publication.

Why a comedy reset matters

The film would follow Haiwaan, the neo-noir crime thriller that Priyadarshan wrote and directed, starring Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. The thriller released theatrically on September 11, 2026, and received mixed-to-negative reviews. A 1970s comedy would mark a tonal shift back toward character-driven humour — and the reported casting of Yadav and Kapoor points to an ensemble built for comedy rather than scale.

Haiwaan was also notable for bringing Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan together on screen after 18 years, following 2008’s Tashan. It featured Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Saiyami Kher, with Malayalam superstar Mohanlal in a cameo.

The new comedy may not have a title yet, but the pieces suggest a filmmaker using period texture and oddball characters to win back goodwill. For viewers, the early markers are clear: a quirky lead role, two seasoned comic performers, and a director with a long history of ensemble comedy. Whether that translates into a return to form will become clearer once the film is officially announced and the first material arrives.

Source: The Times of India