Akshay Kumar to star in Mohanlal remake

After revisiting his action roots with Prabhu Deva's Rowdy Rathore, Akshay Kumar is gearing up for a comedy film.

Only this one will be quite different from the comic films he's famously associated with.

The Khiladi Kumar is all set to step into Malayalam star Mohanlal's shoes with the remake of his complex Malayalam comedy -- last year's Arabeem Ottakom P Madhavan Nayaram In Oru Marubhoomikkadha.

Boasting of arguably the longest film title in the history of cinema, the Priyadarshan comedy was shot entirely on location in Abu Dhabi. The Akshay-starrer will also be shot entirely in the

original location.

If rumours are to be believed, Abhilash Nair, who has written the film's story, got Akshay to do the project. Abhilash is married to the actor's cousin.

Though the comic crime caper bears some uncanny resemblances to 1997 American comedy Nothing To Lose, Priyan denies any similarity between the two films. He says he was inspired by Marco Brambilla's Excess Baggage.

To be able to match up to Mohanlal's supreme comic timing would take some doing on Akshay's part but Priyan is confident that the actor can pull it off.

He says, "It's a very energetic role with a lot of back-and-forth of dialogues and locations. Akshay is just right for it. He is playing the part Mohanlal did in the original. I have full faith his abilities."