In February this year, the much-awaited Neeraj Pandey-Akshay Kumar collaboration, Special 26, proved to be a genre-breaker and achieved the rare distinction of managing to woo both the box office and the critics.

So delighted were the actor-director duo, not only with the response to Special 26, but also the rapport they established during the making of the film, that they couldn’t wait to work together again.

As a result, the two shall be coming together for a film, currently untitled, that starts shooting in 2014 and is slotted for a Republic Day weekend release in 2015.

Confirming the development, Akshay Kumar says, “What a lucky honour it is that I not only made my first true-life period film with this man, but I also get to work with him again so quickly. The passion to create is so strong between us that I feel nothing but humble excitement to be directed by such a strong-headed, fantastically driven director. We actors live for his kind of talent!”

All praise for Kumar’s professional discipline and dedication which made working with him a delight, Pandey adds, “It was a pleasure working with Akshay and knowing each other on our last film. The keenness to work again was mutual and I look forward to our working again.”

While Special 26 redefined the heist caper and wowed with its attention to detail in a period setting, it is learnt that this new film will be made on an even larger scale and crisscross the globe, though the makers are tight-lipped about its genre and unwilling to comment on whether it will be based in a specific period.