Ektaa Kapoor reveals how a flop film led to a stronger collaboration with Akshay Kumar

At a recent media interaction, Ektaa Kapoor shared an incident involving Akshay Kumar that caught attention. The producer revealed that the actor once returned his payment after one of their films failed at the box office. The revelation came during the trailer launch of their upcoming film Bhooth Bangla, where both were present.

Speaking to reporters, Ektaa recalled the moment in detail. She said, “Not many people know this about him but once, he returned the cheque saying that, 'You have lost money because of this film'. I was in shock. Nobody does this. I have been in the industry for 31 years, and I haven't seen anyone doing that. He just casually handed over the cheque to me, saying, 'Take it'.” Her statement highlighted how unusual she found the gesture within the film industry.

She further explained that she did not accept the money back. Instead, she chose to respond differently. Ekta said, “I said nahi ek film karlo mere liye. Main bohot kamaaungi agar aap ek film karoge mere liye. That film finally happened. (I told him, ‘No, do a film for me. I will earn a lot if you do a film for me.’ That film finally happened).” The exchange reflected a professional understanding rather than a financial settlement.

The film she referred to was Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara!, released in 2013. Directed by Milan Luthria and produced by Ekta along with Shobha Kapoor, the film featured Akshay Kumar, Imran Khan, and Sonakshi Sinha. It was a sequel to the 2010 film Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai. Despite expectations, the sequel underperformed commercially.

Ektaa and Akshay are now collaborating again on Bhooth Bangla. The film also brings together Priyadarshan, Paresh Rawal, and Rajpal Yadav, along with Tabu and others. The trailer was unveiled earlier this week, marking renewed interest in the project.

The release date of Bhooth Bangla has been revised. Initially scheduled for April 10, the film will now release on April 16, 2026. The change comes amid strong box office performance of Dhurandhar: The Revenge, influencing scheduling decisions.