Eight films down, and ninth is on the cards. In July, mid-day had reported that Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan would reunite after Haiwaan for their ninth collaboration (Reunion party that goes on and on, July 1). Now, we’ve got more deets on the project. Turns out, their yet-untitled next is centred on the theme of wildlife conservation, with Kumar playing a character inspired by Jim Corbett.

When Priyadarshan is at the helm, the element of comedy is non-negotiable. The filmmaker has envisioned it as a comic thriller set in India of the 1960s. We’re told Kumar portrays a tiger hunter who eventually has a change of heart. The character is modelled on British-Indian hunter, naturalist, and author Corbett.

A source revealed, “Akshay’s character, a hunter and tracker, learns to read the forest long before becoming a famous hunter. He kills several man-eating tigers and leopards that terrorize his village. Later he becomes an advocate of wildlife conservation as he understands the devastating impact of poaching and deforestation, and realizes that preserving their habitat is important.”

The filmmaker will begin pre-production in October, intending to call action on the movie in January 2027. The source added, “After Haiwaan’s release, Priyadarshan and his team will go on a recce in the jungles of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The movie will be shot in a start-to-finish schedule in a forest.” The makers have yet to zero in on the female lead.

Born Edward James Corbett in Nainital, he was a hunter and tracker who killed several man-eating tigers and leopards in North India. Eventually, he became a passionate advocate for wildlife protection and helped establish India’s first national park in Uttarakhand. Originally called Hailey National Park, it was renamed Jim Corbett National Park in 1957 after him.