Akshay Kumar and Vipul Amrutlal Shah Reunite for Pan-Indian Alien Thriller ‘Samuk’

Actor Akshay Kumar and producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah have officially begun principal photography for their upcoming sci-fi survival thriller, Samuk. Directed by Kanishk Varma, the feature marks a new genre foray for the duo, venturing into alien survival horror after previous collaborations such as Aankhen, Waqt: The Race Against Time, Namastey London, Singh Is Kinng, Action Replayy, and Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty.

Filming for the project kicked off in the United Kingdom, with a major schedule planned in Cardiff and London alongside scenes slated for Mumbai. Produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah alongside co-producer Aashin A. Shah under Sunshine Pictures in association with Cape of Good Films, Samuk has been in active development for over two years. The narrative seeks to merge military realism with survival horror and alien mythology.

A key highlight of the production is its commitment to practical creature effects rather than relying exclusively on CGI. Academy Award-nominated creature designer Alec Gillis—veteran of the Alien, Predator, and Alien: Romulus franchises—has designed the film's primary alien antagonist, bringing an animatronic and physical suit presence directly to the set.

The action sequences are being designed and supervised by British action director Luke Tumber, a former Royal Marines Commando whose credits include Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Venom, and No Time To Die. The production brief emphasizes grounded, physically demanding set pieces to match Kumar’s established action background against a high-stakes extraterrestrial threat.

Positioned as a large-scale pan-Indian theatrical spectacle targeting global audiences, Samuk continues to assemble its technical crew across international schedules. The filmmakers are aiming for a worldwide theatrical release in 2027.