Priyadarshan says Asrani was better than Amitabh Bachchan in 'Abhimaan': 'He was a complete actor'

Priyadarshan’s 'Bhooth Bangla' is set to be one of the final on-screen appearances of veteran actor Asrani, who passed away last October. The filmmaker shared a long creative association with Asrani, with his last two films, 'Bhooth Bangla' and 'Haiwaan', featuring the actor. Interestingly, both projects also star Akshay Kumar.Priyadarshan opened up on Asrani’s legacy and said in an interview with Screen, “We (he and Akshay) are lucky that we both worked in his (Asrani’s) last two films with him. I have seen him since the time of Mere Apne; he played a different role in Sholay. In Koshish, he was a villain. In Abhimaan, he was amazing. Sometimes, I felt he did better than Amitji (Amitabh Bachchan)."He further added, “He was a complete actor; I exploited his comic acumen in this film.

I have done a lot of work with Asrani sir; it’s a big loss. You must see Akshay and Asrani’s combination in Bhoot Bangla; they have some of the most hilarious scenes together."Akshay Kumar, who has shared screen space with Asrani in multiple films, also opened up about one of their last conversations. “I have done a lot of films with him. In his last days, he shared a couple of things from his life with me. He spoke about the time he faced the biggest stress of his life, he had told me, never produce a film."

Recalling the advice, Akshay said, “He said, ‘Akshay, don’t ever produce a film, it was the biggest mistake of my life when I put in my own money. When you produce a film with someone else’s money, it’s fine, the risk and profit are theirs; when you think of earning more for yourself by putting in your money, it never sits well.’"He continued, “He had produced a film and faced huge losses. It was a good film, but it didn’t work.

He said he lost his life savings because of that. So he told me never to produce by putting in your own money."Meanwhile, Bhooth Bangla, slated to release on April 10, is among the most awaited films of 2026. According to 123 Telugu, the trailer is expected to drop on March 30, although an official confirmation is still pending. The teaser has already generated strong buzz among audiences. Apart from Akshay, the film also stars Tabu,

Wamiqa Gabbi

, and

Paresh Rawal

.