As Priyadarshan's Hungama 2 releases on Disney+Hostar, revisiting his popular comedy films from Hera Pheri to Bhool Bhulaiyya

Filmmaker Priyadarshan is returning to Bollywood after a hiatus of eight years with a sequel to his popular 2003 comedy Hungama. The director has worked with some of the biggest names in Bollywood – from Salman Khan in the 2005 drama Kyon Ki…, Shah Rukh Khan in Billu (2007), to Akshay Kumar, his long-time collaborator on hits like Hera Pheri, Garam Masala and Bhool Bhulaiyaa. While his films ranged from dramas to comedies, the 64-year-old director, who has been making movies for nearly four decades across genres and languages, gained immense popularity in 2000 decade. Priyadarshan became the face of comedies in Bollywood, delivering back to back hits like Hulchul, Hungama, Bhagam Bhag and Malamaal Weekly. The filmmaker had a stunning average of one-film-per-year for nearly a decade – sometimes even three releases a year, with Bhagam Bhag, Malamaal Weekly and Chup Chup Ke releasing in 2006. He is currently gearing up for the release of his latest feature, Hungama 2, scheduled to stream on Disney+ Hotstar from 23 July. The comedy will mark his return to Hindi films after the 2013 action drama Rangrezz.  Ahead of its release, here’s a list of popular comedy films to revisit from the director Hera Pheri

Hera Pheri was released in 2000 and is based on another classic, Ramji Rao Speaking, a Malayalam film released in 1989. Hera Pheri, which has an equal amount of wit and slapstick humour, delivered perfectly by the trio of Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar and Suneil Shetty, has managed to developed a cult following over these two decades. _(Also read on Firstpost: 20 years of Hera Pheri: Revisiting Priyadarshan's classic comedy film and what makes it such a cult favourite)_ Chup Chup Ke - 2006

A story about a young man (played by Shahid Kapoor) in the midst of a financial crisis, living off as a mute person to escape his problems. He takes refuge with the oddball duo (Paresh Rawal and Rajpal Yadav) who doesn’t know what to do with him after they fish him out of the river. Hilarity ensues after boatman Rawal finally deposits him as collateral in a strange Gujarati household. Bhaagam Bhag

A group of stage and theatre artists, struggling to keep it all together in a foreign land are trapped in the midst of a murder/suicide mystery. Starring Akshay Kumar and Govinda in the lead, this 2006 released flick was based on Malayalam film Mannar Mathai Speaking. Hulchal

Anjali (Kareena Kapoor Khan) and Jai (Akshaye Khanna) belong to two feuding families and pretend to be in love only to seek revenge. However, their plan goes awry when they really fall in love and decide to bring their families together. With an ensemble, and an ending with a massive carnival-ish and thoroughly entertaining fiasco – like most Priyadarshan flicks, Hulchul too serves as a complete dose of Bollywood comedy entertainer. Bhool Bhulaiyya

Bhool Bhulaiyaa is the remake of the Malayalam movie, Manichitrathazhu. The film has also been remade in Kannada and Telugu, and more famously in Tamil, with Rajnikant in the lead. The plot reads as, “When US-based Siddharth (Shiney Ahuja), who visits his Indian home town with his new wife (Vidya Balan), he insists they stay at the ancestral home, laughing off family members’ warnings of ghostly goings-on in the mansion. As unexplained and terrifying occurrences arise, Siddharth calls on his doctor friend (Akshay Kumar) to help solve the mystery.” (Also read on Firstpost - Bhool Bhulaiyaa and (mis)representation of mental health: Will sequel resort to sensitisation, instead of stereotyping?) (With inputs from Press Trust of India)