- Akshay Kumar will reportedly play a character inspired by Jim Corbett.
- Priyadarshan is expected to begin pre-production in October 2026.
- The comic thriller is expected to begin shooting in January 202
Akshay Kumar is set to take on a role inspired by Jim Corbett in his ninth film with filmmaker Priyadarshan. The yet-untitled project is expected to mix comedy and thriller elements with a story around wildlife conservation. The film will be set in India in the 1960s and will take inspiration from Corbett's journey from hunter to conservationist.
According to a report in Mid-Day, Akshay's character will be a skilled hunter and tracker who has a deep understanding of the forest. He will initially be known for hunting man-eating tigers and leopards that pose a threat to people in his village. However, his views on hunting will change as he begins to understand the impact of poaching and the loss of forest habitats.
A source told the publication, “Akshay's character, a hunter and tracker, learns to read the forest long before becoming a famous hunter. He kills several man-eating tigers and leopards that terrorise his village. Later he becomes an advocate of wildlife conservation as he understands the devastating impact of poaching and deforestation, and realises that preserving their habitat is important.”
The story is fictional, but the lead character is said to be inspired by Jim Corbett's life. Corbett, born Edward James Corbett in Nainital, was a British-Indian hunter, tracker, naturalist, and author. He became known for tracking man-eating tigers and leopards in North India before becoming closely associated with wildlife conservation.
Priyadarshan and Akshay have worked together on several films over the years, including Hera Pheri, Garam Masala, Bhagam Bhag, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, De Dana Dan, Khatta Meetha, and Bhooth Bangla.
Their upcoming film will reportedly take them into forest locations for much of the shoot.
The team is expected to start looking at locations after Haiwaan releases. The source added, “After Haiwaan's release, Priyadarshan and his team will go on a recce in the jungles of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The movie will be shot in a start-to-finish schedule in a forest.”
The makers are still looking for the female lead, while the rest of the casting is yet to be announced. Priyadarshan is expected to begin pre-production in October 2026. Shooting is reportedly planned to begin in January 2027 and will be completed in one continuous schedule.