Bhooth Bangla Postponed to April 16: Akshay Kumar's Horror-Comedy Moves Aside as Dhurandhar 2 Storms the Box Office — Dacoit Still on Track for April 10
Akshay Kumar's much-anticipated horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla, directed by Priyadarshan, has been officially shifted from its original April 10 release to April 16, 2026, as producers step aside to let Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar 2 complete its box office run. Meanwhile, Adivi Sesh's action-thriller Dacoit: A Love Story is holding its April 10 release date.
Representative image. Photo: Nationalism News / PTI
Bollywood's April release calendar has seen a major shuffle with Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Motion Pictures confirming that Bhooth Bangla, the horror-comedy directed by Priyadarshan, will now release on April 16 instead of April 10. The decision comes amid the exceptional commercial performance of Dhurandhar 2 — the Ranveer Singh-led action thriller that crossed ₹200 crore in its first week of release.
"We love Bhooth Bangla and we want it to have the best possible opening weekend. With Dhurandhar 2 still drawing large crowds, we felt it was wise to give our film a little more breathing room," Ekta Kapoor said in a statement. Akshay Kumar also took to social media to assure fans: "The bhooths are ready. We'll be with you from April 16!"
Bhooth Bangla stars Akshay Kumar, Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav and Jisshu Sengupta. The film marks Priyadarshan's return to directing a mainstream Bollywood comedy after over a decade, and his reunion with Akshay Kumar — the duo famously collaborated on several iconic 2000s comedies including Hera Pheri, Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Garam Masala.
Meanwhile, Dacoit: A Love Story — the Telugu-Hindi bilingual action film starring Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur — is maintaining its April 10 release date. The film, produced by People Media Factory and Sahu Garapati, was originally scheduled for March 19 but was pushed back to April to avoid clashing with other major releases. With Dhurandhar 2 now in its second week, Dacoit looks set for a clear run.
The biggest Bollywood news this week has also been the confirmation that Ranbir Kapoor has begun work on Dhoom 4, the fourth instalment of YRF's blockbuster action franchise. Kapoor is understood to have completed two weeks of prep work including stunt rehearsals and costume fittings. While YRF has not officially announced the cast or plot, reports suggest Kapoor will play the antagonist — a first for the franchise's villain role given a star of his calibre.
Dhurandhar 2 continues to break records at the box office — the Ranveer Singh-led sequel to the 2024 hit crossed ₹212 crore by its eighth day, putting it on course to become the biggest Bollywood opener of 2026. The film also stars Deepika Padukone in a special appearance, Alia Bhatt in a pivotal supporting role, and veteran actor Nana Patekar as the main villain.
Trade analysts expect April 2026 to see significant footfall recovery at multiplexes following a relatively slow February and March. The combination of Dacoit (April 10), Bhooth Bangla (April 16) and a likely OTT premiere of Dhurandhar 2 in late April could make the month the year's biggest theatrical window so far.