Akshay Kumar On Being Replaced By Kartik Aaryan In Bhool Bhulaiyaa Franchise

Akshay Kumar’s psychological-horror-comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa, which released in 2007, has a cult following. However, fans were disappointed when the actor wasn’t a part of the movie’s follow-up parts—Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and 3, which were headlined by Kartik Aaryan. Although the other two installments of the franchise created a stir at the box office, fans still missed Kumar’s iconic role.

In a recent interaction with Pinkvilla, the actor finally addressed why he didn’t do Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and 3. A fan was seen asking Akshay that they didn’t watch the films because he wasn’t in them. Akshay Kumar replied, “Beta, mujhe nikaal diya tha (I was removed). That’s it.”

Bhool Bhulaiyaa’s first installment was a remake of the 1993 Malayalam film Manichitrathazhu, which also starred Vidya Balan, Rajpal Yadav, Paresh Rawal, and others. Years later, Kartik Aaryan stepped into the legacy with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, released in 2022, alongside Kiara Advani and Tabu. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, released in 2024, featured Kartik again with Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit Nene, and Triptii Dimri.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Akshay Kumar’s Sky Force is set to release on January 24, 2025. He also has a lineup of films releasing this year, including Bhoot Bangla, Jolly LLB 3, Kannappa, Housefull 5, Welcome to the Jungle, Hera Pheri 3, and others.