‘MY WORK IS MY OXYGEN AND ENTERTAINING IS IN MY BLOOD’
With five releases on the way, Akshay Kumar is in ‘role-play heaven’ and in no mood to slow down
For Akshay Kumar, it’s clearly the case of the ‘more the merrier’. The actor, who hopes to have at least four releases in a year, expects to continue the streak of hits. But doesn’t he get tired? “Oh God no!” says Khiladi Kumar, who has no plan to slow down.
“I didn’t slow down even on my holiday, this year. My work is my oxygen, my family are my heartbeat and entertaining is in my blood. I know one day I’ll have to [slow down], but until then, I’m going to carry on,” says the self-confessed workaholic.
Akshay has an interesting line-up of films coming up — Housefull 4, Good
News, Sooryavanshi, Laxmmi Bomb and Bachchan Pandey.
All the films are of different genres and will see him in a unique look. The roles are poles apart and one might think if it gets tough for the 52year-old switch from one character to another. But Akshay enjoys this variety. “I can’t tell you how much this line-up excites me. It’s every actor’s dream to live such a diverse life on the big screen. Comedy, romedy, action, drama, masala… I’m in role-play heaven. I’m more than blessed to do what I do. That’s what makes me give my best,” he says.
Akshay may not have a ₹300-crore film in his kitty, but his last, Mission Mangal, has crossed the ₹200-crore mark. “I make enough movies to employ so many people, to generate so much money for my industry, to entertain the masses as often as I can. No matter how much I do, I still want to do more. Some see it as greedy; I see it as hungry to give whilst I still can,” he says.
At a recent event, Akshay had said that the respect he has earned for his role in Mission Mangal will go for a toss when Housefull 4 releases. Asked if he said it jokingly or on a serious note, the actor clarifies, “I literally meant it how I said it. No matter what I do, my last efforts are forgotten. When I do comedy, I’m called mindless; when I do action, I’m called repetitive; when I do patriotic films; I become a biopic meme. Basically, when I do anything, someone has something to say, as if I’m not trying to be the ‘most diverse man’ in the industry at the moment.”
He adds, “The minute I do a comedy even after a sciencebased blockbuster, one can only imagine the questions asked in my next set of interviews… ‘Aren’t you tired of doing comedies?’ I will never tire of doing comedies; they’re my ride or die.”
I can’t tell you how much this line-up excites me. It’s every actor’s dream to live such a diverse life on the big screen. Comedy, romedy, action, drama, masala… I’m in role-play heaven.
AKSHAY KUMAR ACTOR