‘BHARAT KE VEER GOING TAXFREE IS MY BIGGEST GIFT’

Actor Akshay Kumar, who celebrates his birthday today, talks about his plans to boost fundraising for Army martyrs, and his philanthropic fans

Not one to “take this stress” about a number being added to his age each year, actor Akshay Kumar still lives in his “Khiladi times” with undiminished zeal. Having hit a spectacular half century in life, Akshay, as he turns 51 today, talks to us about his most special birthday gift this year and how his fan clubs celebrate his birthday. Fiftyone and still rocking... what keeps you going year after year? I actually don’t take this stress of the number in my head about turning 50, 51, 55, 60, or whatever. I still feel I can have a lot of fun... I still feel I can run fast, feel like jumping. A couple of days back, I was giving a shot for Housefull 4 and the jump wasn’t required, but I still did it. I forget that I’m 51 now and I should keep away from it... I’m still thinking that I am in my Khiladi times and just doing action. So, how are you celebrating your birthday this year? Well, my son is studying in London, so I’m going to miss him... I’ve flown down to Mumbai for two days (from film sets at Ranthambhore) for my wife’s (Twinkle Khanna’s) book launch, plus I’ll get to spend my birthday with my wife, daughter, my mother-inlaw and my mother. Your brainchild, Bharat Ke Veer, is taxfree now. Was it just the perfect gift for your birthday? Bharat Ke Veer going tax-free is my biggest birthday gift. Thanks to the government, the Home Ministry, Finance Ministry, for doing this in such a quick way. The app is doing so well with civilians contributing for the families of [Army] martyrs. Do you feel that now more people will be drawn to this noble cause? Yes, because it’s tax-free, obviously more people will come forward. My dream is now to even get people and families whose son or father or brother have lost their limbs, on Bharat Ke Veer... Woh bhi haqdaar hain. You can expand only when the money flow is more from the civilians’ side. Even your fans celebrate your birthday by doing good deeds... holding blood donation camps, gifting lunch to disabled students, and so on. How does it feel? I’m shocked myself that they do it every year. I’m so happy and so grateful. Also, they do it as per my films — when I did Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, they did something with that. Or if I did Pad Man, they plan on those lines. It means my films make a difference in their lives. Do you meet them, or fund them?

Whenever I’m in [a specific] state, they contact my digital team. They come to see me, have a photograph, and I talk to them and they are happy, that’s it. As for supporting with funds, you first need to know the genuineness of it. So, I find out, and then help flows to them, on its own. But I’ve never had any of them asking me for funds.

PHOTO: FOTOCORP Akshay Kumar’s fan clubs mark his birthday with many good deeds