Akshay Kumar on criticism over his acting earlier: ‘Not furniture, when I watch my old films, I feel I was a full showroom’
Akshay Kumar says money matters to him but ‘only in a limited way’. Adds that it’s important for an actor to constantly be on his toes
bollywood Updated: Aug 07, 2019 11:08 IST
Every time you meet him, Akshay Kumar’s dissimilar looks throw you off guard. Nowadays, he is sporting a super-lean, chiselled avatar. Ask him about it, and he says, “I have no other option but to constantly reinvent myself,” even as he excitedly shows the first look stills from his new film, Bachchan Pandey. Well, reinvention is something that Akshay — whose next, Mission Mangal is up for release on Independence Day — seems to have clearly mastered by now. As he puts it, “I feel it’s all got to do with luck. Many people disagree with me but in this industry, it’s about 70% luck and 30% hard work. So, it’s my good fortune that I get such subjects. I can never say that I am ‘Turram Khan’, who has achieved it all by himself.”
Excerpts from an interview:
In a previous interview, you mentioned that earlier, you were called furniture [in terms of acting skills]. Now that it has changed, you must be quite content?
Not furniture, when I watch my old films, I feel I was a full showroom. So, critics were very lenient towards me (laughs). As for feeling contentment, that feeling isn’t there yet. I believe that the day you feel content, your hunger will die and that will be end of you. Hunger is very important and it shouldn’t die at any cost
After spending over 25 years in the industry, what are your feelings around a new film’s release — do you get more nervous or excited?
Even now, I go through a gamut of emotions. So, the feeling is a mixture of everything — nervousness, excitement, stress and even problems [around a new film’s release]. Dimaag mein sab saath saath chalta hai. Also, Mission Mangal represents a new kind of cinema altogether. Till date, we haven’t had a ‘scientific’ or a pure ‘space-based’ movie. It’s going to be India’s first space movie. So, it also brings a lot of nervousness as I don’t know how people will react to it, as they have never seen this world. But I can confidently say that it’s a commercial-educational film. People should take their children to watch it since it’s an important film for the youth and children of India.
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So, even now, you haven’t been able to figure out all the Friday feelings?
The day I figure out everything, I should leave this [film] industry. It’s very important that you always be on your toes. I think I will be relaxed only when I am dead (smiles). I am not supposed to be relaxed right now.
Talking of Mission Mangal, you don’t seem to be leading from the front. Instead, five female characters are in the foreground. Has it been a new kind of experience for you?
Not really! I have done several films in the past too wherein someone else — be it a woman or a man — is at the forefront. I remember I worked in Khakee (2014), where Mr [Amitabh] Bachchan was leading from the front and the film belonged to him. Even Pad Man (2018) was all about women and sanitary pads. So, what I am trying to say is that it [whether I am in foreground or background] doesn’t matter. What matters is being part of successful and great cinema. I never think about how big a role I have in the film. I have been this way right from the start. Even 20 years back, I worked in films that had three-four heroes. As long as the script-screenplay is good and it’s a great film, such things don’t matter.
In the ’90s, you did different kinds of films. But now that you are a superstar, do you feel a sense of responsibility about your work?
As an actor, I want to do all kinds of parts. Please don’t put the weight of responsibility on my shoulder. A character is a character, and he/she may be negative as well. So, if I am offered a negative role in a film that I like, I will do it. After all, it’s just a character. At the same time, I am also doing ‘responsible’ films, too. If you tell an artiste to do only ‘responsible’ cinema, then you are clipping his wings. .
You are the only Bollywood star on Forbes’ latest list of world’s highest-paid celebs, beating names such as Rihanna, Scarlett Johansson, Katy Perry, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga…
Surely, it feels good (smiles). But I just go through the headline and not the detailed copy [of such articles]. On a serious note, money does matter to me but only in a limited way. And I know it’s my hard-earned money. I work extremely hard for each and every penny. Money doesn’t come easily to you. I have put my sweat and blood for that. So, yes, it does matter to me.
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First Published: Aug 07, 2019 11:08 IST
