The much-discussed collaboration between veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan and superstar Mohanlal — a project significant enough to mark the director’s 100th film — appears to be heading for a delay. According to a report, the film was originally meant to go on floors in October 2026, but ongoing revisions to the script have reportedly pushed the shoot into 2027.
The same report indicates that Priyadarshan is also developing a separate dramedy featuring actor Pankaj Tripathi, which is likewise said to be undergoing script changes at this stage. Notably, the filmmaker has apparently confirmed that his very next directorial venture will actually be with Akshay Kumar, continuing a partnership that has already produced Bhooth Bangla and the upcoming Haiwaan.
This comes shortly after Priyadarshan addressed the fate of another long-gestating project, Hera Pheri 3, stating publicly that he is no longer attached to it and suggesting the film is unlikely to ever release.
Mohanlal himself had earlier spoken about the milestone 100th-film collaboration, describing it as an achievement that belongs not just to him but to everyone who has walked alongside him through his career. He referred to Priyadarshan warmly and reflected on what reaching a century of films represents — a lifetime of stories shaped by passion, countless early mornings fuelled by belief in cinema, and years of steady commitment to the craft.
This won’t be the first time the two have worked together on an epic scale. Mohanlal and Priyadarshan previously teamed up for the 2021 historical drama Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham), a large-canvas project that showcased their long creative partnership.
On the acting front, Mohanlal was most recently seen in Drishyam 3, directed by Jeethu Joseph, which brought back franchise regulars Meena, Ansiba Haasan, Esther Anil, Murali Gopy, Asha Sarath, Kalabhavan Shajon and Siddique to reprise their roles from the earlier installments. He is currently shooting Athimanoharam, a film directed by Tharun Moorthy that pairs him opposite Meera Jasmine, which has locked a release date of December 24, 2026.
Between the Mohanlal century project, the Pankaj Tripathi dramedy, the confirmed Akshay Kumar reunion and the now-shelved Hera Pheri 3, Priyadarshan’s upcoming slate remains in flux — but the shift in priorities suggests his working relationship with Akshay Kumar is set to take precedence in the near term, even as the milestone Mohanlal film waits for its script to be locked.
