India, April 12 -- It used to be that Akshay Kumar films were always ready to offer a reliably good time. He was quick and nearly peerless in hitting his gags with dry panache. In everything from the wild antics of Hera Pheri to the bewildering madness of Bhool Bhulaiyaa, the star fashioned much of his fame around comedy films that knew how to find humour in scary or depressing situations. It is this reason alone that makes Bhooth Bangla instantly feel like an event film of sorts for Akshay Kumar and his career.

In recent times, there is no denying the fact that movies starring Akshay Kumar tend to adopt a self-serious tone, often bordering on being issue-based or patriotic. Now, that's isn't a bad thing per se. But at the same time, the...