From Sky Force To Bhooth Bangla: Akshay Kumar Staging A Comeback After A Lean Box Office Phase
BY SACNILK
Mumbai, April 21 - In the post-pandemic era, Akshay Kumar has arguably been the most prolific among the top stars, consistently delivering multiple releases year after year and keeping the release flow going amid the shortage of top stars' films. However, despite this remarkable consistency, one key element was missing during this phase — sustained box office success.
In 2021, his long-pending cop drama Sooryavanshi emerged as a major hit despite the clouds of COVID still hovering, and played a crucial role in reviving the theatrical business after the pandemic. Directed by Rohit Shetty, the film emerged as the biggest Bollywood grosser of the year with the worldwide collection of around 300 crore, still the highest for Akshay Kumar in the post-COVID era.
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Extended Lean Phase (2022 – Mid 2023)
Following Sooryavanshi, when the trade was expecting the momentum of Sooryavanshi to expand, the actor went through a prolonged dry spell. During this period, Akshay had five releases which underperformed, either ending up as a flop or below average. Despite experimenting with different genres, the lack of strong box office returns made this one of the most challenging phases of his career.
This dry phase ended with social comedy drama Oh My God - OMG 2 (August 2023), which emerged as a box office hit. The release of OMG 2 brought much-needed relief for the actor as the film performed well and ended Akshay's losing streak by grossing over 200 crores worldwide. However, this success turned out to be short-lived, as consistency still remained elusive.
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After OMG 2, Akshay Kumar faced another phase of box office struggles. While not as prolonged as the earlier slump, it indicated that a full-fledged comeback was still some distance away, as four films were released during this phase that failed to deliver box office results the actor was hoping for.
Comeback Phase Begins – Sky Force (January 2025)
After a string of underwhelming box office results, the turning point for Akshay came with Sky Force, which marked the beginning of a steady recovery. Though not a clean hit, the film's performance signalled improving audience acceptance and hinted at a shift in Akshay's choices towards more grounded films with mass appeal.
Sky Force, despite being in the news for various reasons, grossed around 150 crores and escaped a flop verdict. After this film, the Khiladi Kumar released Kesari Chapter 2, Housefull 5, and Jolly LLB 3, all crossing the 100 crore mark, with HF5 finishing near Sooryavanshi numbers. This is the longest hundred crore streak for Akshay since the health crisis, hinting at the comeback the actor was looking for.
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Akshay Kumar's Last Five Films
S. No.
Movie
Total WW GBOC
1
Bhooth Bangla
₹ 106+ Cr (4D)*
2
Jolly LLB 3
₹ 171.65 Cr
3
Housefull 5
₹ 288.65 Cr
4
Kesari Chapter 2
₹ 145 Cr
5
Sky Force
₹ 150 Cr
As of April 20, 2026
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Momentum Builds with Bhooth Bangla (April 2026)
The comeback trajectory of Indian cinema's one of the most prolific stars is now gaining strength with director Priyadarshan's Bhooth Bangla. The horror-comedy is on course to emerge as a box office success after topping 100 crores in just 4 days, driven by positive word of mouth. This phase suggests that Akshay Kumar is gradually reclaiming his position as a reliable box-office draw, a role he was known for before the pandemic.
What Is Next For Akshay Kumar?
Akshay is expected to carry this winning momentum into the next phase of his career. With franchise films like Welcome to the Jungle, Golmaal 5, and Bhagam Bhag 2 in the making, along with Priyadarshan's thriller Haiwaan, the actor is probably in the best phase ever since he came out of the lean period.
Box Office
