Is Bhooth Bangla anything like Bhool Bhulaiyaa? Did Akshay Kumar improvise on set? Writer Rohan Shankar reveals

In an interview with Hindustan Times, screenplay and dialogue writer Rohan Shankar reveals all about Priyadarshan's horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla.

Writer Rohan Shankar is having a relaxing year after a hectic 2025 on the sets of Priyadarshan's Bhooth Bangla and Haiwaan. “It was a lot of travel and constant movement,” he tells Hindustan Times in a chat. “2026 has been quite the opposite, in a good way. It’s been calmer and grounded after a year of chaos,” adds Rohan as he settles down for a chat about his writing career, his latest film Bhooth Bangla, its comparisons to Bhool Bhulaiyaa, and more.

Rohan Shankar wrote the screenplay and dialogues of Akshay Kumar's Bhooth Bangla.

From graduating in Physics to writing for Priyadarshan

Rohan says writing was more of an accident, as he wanted to pursue something creative after graduating in Physics. He tried to become a radio jockey, but a screenwriting course at an institute in Lokhandwala turned his life around. “I started writing while doing odd jobs across the direction, production and editing departments. My first break came with a Marathi film by Laxman Utekar. We later worked together in Luka Chuppi and Mimi,” he explains.

Working with Priyadarshan on Bhooth Bangla and Haiwaan now is a dream come true, he says. “After Mimi, I pitched Priyadarshan sir a bound script. He liked it and that same night, asked if I was interested in writing his next two films. I didn’t think twice; it was a surreal moment,” he explains. And thus began the writing process with Priyadarshan and writer Abhilash Nair. “The process was very collaborative and creatively satisfying…like a constant workshop where the film keeps evolving till the last day,” he says.

Comparisons between Bhooth Bangla and Bhool Bhulaiyaa

One of Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan’s hits is the 2007 horror comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa, a remake of the Malayalam classic Manichitrathazhu. Rohan, who wrote the screenplay and dialogues for Bhooth Bangla, says, “Comparisons with Bhool Bhulaiyaa are inevitable, but the story, tonality, scale, and overall world of Bhoot Bangla are very different.” As for what sets it apart from other horror comedies, some of which didn't do well at the box office, the writer says, “So the experience is much larger than just scares and laughs. Once the audience watches it, I hope they’ll understand the scale and the emotional core we’re aiming for.”

Bhooth Bangla also stars other Priyadarshan favourites Asrani, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Manoj Joshi and Tabu, along with Wamiqa Gabbi, Mithila Palkar, Jisshu Sengupta and others. The writer says there was scope for improvisation on set, even if the filmmaker always had the last word. “There was some improvisation, but not too much. Ultimately, Priyan Sir decides what works and what stays. He is very clear about what he wants,” he says, adding, “With him, writing doesn’t stop on paper. On set, we keep adding new moments and dialogues.” Bhooth Bangla released in theatres on April 17.