Akshay Kumar–Priyadarshan to Shahid Kapoor–Vishal Bhardwaj: Why 2026 is all about Bollywood’s trusted collaborations

Director Vishal Bhardwaj and Shahid Kapoor have shared a creatively rich journey, beginning with ‘Kaminey’ (2009), followed by ‘Haider’ (2014) and ‘Rangoon’ (2017). The duo is now set to collaborate once more on the action-driven ‘O’Romeo’, scheduled for release this February. The film also features Triptii Dimri, Avinash Tiwary, Tamannaah Bhatia, and Vikrant Massey.

Among Hindi cinema’s most celebrated actor-director duos, Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar have delivered cult favourites such as ‘Hera Pheri’ (2000), ‘Garam Masala’ (2005), ‘Bhagam Bhaag’ (2006), and ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ (2007). The pair is now reuniting for multiple projects. While ‘Bhooth Bangla’ and ‘Haiwaan’ are lined up for release this year, reports also suggest that work on ‘Hera Pheri 3’ could begin soon.

The ‘Drishyam’ franchise continues with its third instalment arriving on Gandhi Jayanti. ‘Drishyam 3’ will see director Abhishek Pathak reunite with lead actors Ajay Devgn and Tabu after the success of ‘Drishyam 2’. The film also introduces Jaideep Ahlawat as a new addition to the cast, following Akshaye Khanna’s exit from the series.

Filmmaker Anurag Singh previously directed Diljit Dosanjh and Sonam Bajwa in the Punjabi hits ‘Punjab 19884’ (2014) and ‘Super Singh’ (2017). Now, the trio is coming together again—this time in Hindi—as Singh helms ‘Border 2’. The war drama, slated for a Republic Day weekend release, brings Diljit and Sonam back on screen after their successful Punjabi collaborations.

The successful father-son collaboration of David Dhawan and Varun Dhawan previously delivered box office hits like ‘Main Tera Hero’ (2014) and ‘Judwaa 2’ (2017). They are now set to work together again on the comedy ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’. The film, co-starring Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde, is expected to release in June.

Imtiaz Ali and Diljit Dosanjh first collaborated on the biographical film ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’, which earned widespread critical praise and international recognition, including International Emmy Award nominations. Building on that success, the duo is set to reunite for an untitled project also starring Vedang Raina and Sharvari, slated for a later release this year.

After their first collaboration on the romantic comedy ‘Mere Husband Ki Biwi’, director Mudassar Aziz and Rakul Preet Singh are reuniting for another light-hearted entertainer. Their upcoming film ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh Do’ pairs Rakul with Ayushmann Khurrana and also stars Sara Ali Khan and Wamiqa Gabbi. The comedy is expected to hit theatres in March.

Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh’s professional partnership has extended beyond acting. Riteish made his directorial debut with Genelia’s Marathi comeback film ‘Ved’ (2022), which performed strongly both critically and commercially. The couple is now reuniting for ‘Raja Shivaji’, with Riteish directing and Genelia playing a key role while also producing the film. The project is targeting a May release.