Actor Akshay Kumar is set to headline a new large-scale sci-fi action thriller SamukDirected by Kanishk Verma and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah. Billed as an ambitious alien survival thriller, the film is currently in development and is expected to begin shooting soon.
Akshay Kumar teams up with Vipul Shah for alien action thriller Samuk; Hollywood creature and action experts join the project
The project marks Akshay Kumar’s return to a full-scale action role and will reportedly combine elements of survival horror, military realism and alien thriller storytelling. The producers are also bringing together an international technical team with experience from several Hollywood franchise films. Talking about the project, producer Vipul Shah said, “We always try to challenge ourselves with different genres, and Samuk is something that Indian cinema has not attempted before. Our aim is to create a world-class alien thriller for the audience.”
Director Kanishk Verma, known for projects like Sanak and Inside Edge, revealed that the idea for the film emerged from his interest in survival thrillers and the world of elite security forces. “SAIMUK was born out of my love for the SPG world and survival thrillers like Alien and Predator. Bringing those influences together with Akshay sir has been surreal,” he said. The filmmaker also emphasized the use of practical effects over completely CGI-driven scenes. He added, “I always wanted the creature to feel physically real on set. That old-school tactile horror thing has made movies like Alien timeless.”
Joining the project is acclaimed Hollywood creature effects designer Alec Gillis, whose filmography includes work on Foreigner And predator franchise, with films like Starship Troopers, It and Tremors. Gillis, who previously worked under renowned filmmaker Stan Winston, described the collaboration as creatively exciting.
Gillis said, “Working with Kanishka has been fantastic because he really loves practical creature filmmaking. Our goal is to create an alien hunter that audiences have never seen before.” He further added, “Kanishk and I together designed the title character, who is truly a unique alien horror. In the age of CGI and AI, it is gratifying that directors and audiences still value handmade, man-made traditional monsters.”
Praising Akshay Kumar’s screen presence, Gillis said, “He has the physicality of Jason Statham and the likes of Tom Cruise. The challenge is to create a monster worthy of facing him. My goal is to create an alien nemesis in Samuk whose energy and screen charisma is equal to Mr. Kumar’s. Defeating this new classic movie monster will be no easy task for him either.”
The film’s action sequences will be overseen by British stunt coordinator Luke Tumber, whose credits include Mission: Impossible movies, star wars, no time to dieand this poison Franchise. Speaking about the collaboration, Tumber said, “Kanishk has a very clear vision for the action, and Vipul Shah wanted the scale of it to really feel Hollywood level. It’s incredibly exciting to work with Akshay Kumar on such a grounded, high-intensity action film.”
He added, “This project represents an exciting blend of international stunt extravaganza, visionary filmmaking and authentic action cinema, and I’m proud to be a part of bringing that vision to life. Together, we aim to deliver a film that combines powerful storytelling with cutting-edge live-action visuals that will resonate with audiences internationally.”
Akshay Kumar also confirmed his involvement in the project, saying, “Yes, I have signed the film. I have got the script and the subject.” Samuk Attractive. Alien thriller is a completely new genre for me and for our films. I am very excited about it.”
Co-produced by Aashin A Shah, Samuk It is being developed as a pan-India theatrical project with a planned 2027 release window.
