Akshay Kumar’s horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla may be laughing its way through the box office, but behind the scenes, the mood apparently isn’t as cheerful. The film has turned into one of the biggest Hindi hits of 2026 and recently crossed the ₹232 crore mark globally, yet reports of unpaid vendor dues have suddenly cast a shadow over its successful theatrical run. What makes the situation more uncomfortable is that these allegations surfaced at a time when the film is still enjoying strong occupancy and positive word of mouth in theatres.
According to reports circulating in the industry, multiple vendors associated with the production have claimed that they are still waiting for payments even after the film’s commercial success. One vendor has reportedly alleged pending dues of nearly ₹30 lakh, while another has claimed around ₹18 lakh remains unpaid. Combined, the alleged unpaid amount now stands close to ₹48 lakh. The accusations have sparked conversations online because the film itself is already being celebrated as a profitable venture.
The issue reportedly involves smaller vendors and crew-linked service providers who worked during production stages of the film. Sources quoted in entertainment reports claim that while major vendors and bigger industry partners are being cleared first, smaller contributors are allegedly still chasing payments months later. Neither side has publicly escalated the issue legally yet, but the controversy has definitely started attracting attention within Bollywood trade circles.
The film is jointly backed by Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Motion Pictures alongside Akshay Kumar’s Cape of Good Films. Balaji Motion Pictures, headed by Ekta and Shobha Kapoor, has reportedly responded internally to the matter, although a detailed public clarification has still not fully settled the growing discussion around the issue. In Bollywood, payment disputes involving vendors are not entirely uncommon, especially on large productions involving long shooting schedules and extensive post-production work. Still, when such stories emerge during a film’s profitable theatrical run, they tend to create stronger backlash because audiences naturally assume successful films leave everyone involved financially secure.
What makes the situation more surprising is the scale of Bhooth Bangla’s success. Directed by Priyadarshan, the film marked his reunion with Akshay Kumar after nearly 14 years, and nostalgia alone generated massive buzz before release. Fans were excited to see the duo return to the horror-comedy genre after cult favourites like Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Garam Masala, and Hera Pheri became iconic over the years. That anticipation translated strongly into ticket sales once the movie released.
By the end of its third weekend, Bhooth Bangla had reportedly reached ₹232.78 crore gross worldwide. In India alone, the film has collected around ₹148.25 crore net and over ₹175 crore gross, putting it among the top-performing Hindi releases of the year. Trade analysts have especially pointed out the film’s consistency in the third week, which usually becomes difficult for most Bollywood releases unless family audiences strongly connect with the content.
The movie also benefited from the fact that horror-comedies continue to dominate the Hindi box office. Over the last few years, audiences have shown huge interest in films blending humour with supernatural themes, largely because they appeal to both mass viewers and family crowds. Bhooth Bangla seems to have tapped directly into that trend with its mix of slapstick comedy, spooky setups, and nostalgic Priyadarshan-style chaos.
Apart from Akshay Kumar, the film features Wamiqa Gabbi, Tabu, Paresh Rawal, Asrani, Rajpal Yadav, and Mithila Palkar in key roles. The supporting cast and comic timing reportedly became one of the film’s strongest talking points among viewers. Several audiences also praised the old-school comedy flavour that Priyadarshan brought back instead of relying only on jump scares or VFX-heavy horror.
Financially, the film already appears to be in a safe zone. Reports suggest Bhooth Bangla was made on a budget of around ₹120 crore, meaning it has comfortably recovered its production costs and entered profit territory. Satellite rights, streaming deals, and music revenue are also expected to further strengthen the film’s overall earnings in the coming months.
But controversies like this often remind people that box office success and smooth production management are not always the same thing. Bollywood has seen several instances where films earned hundreds of crores publicly while technicians, suppliers, or smaller crew members later complained about delayed compensation. As conversations around fair treatment and payment transparency grow stronger across the entertainment industry, such allegations tend to damage public perception quickly, especially in the social media era.
For now, Bhooth Bangla continues its successful run in theatres, but the payment controversy has definitely added an uncomfortable subplot to what was otherwise shaping up as one of Akshay Kumar’s strongest commercial comebacks in recent years.
