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16 April 2024

I have got all that I wanted, says Akshay Kumar

Akshay Kumar (AFP)

Published
By Lipika Varma/Sanskriti Media and Entertainment

There would be many who would like to be in Akshay Kumar’s right now as we speak. But the journey to this moment has been a tough one, and replete with hard work. “It’s been a good twenty one years. I have grown on both my bank balance [smiles] and age. I am 45 today, happily married with an adorable son. I have got all that I wanted. For me, my lows have always been like my highs merely because I have enjoyed my days when I felt low too.  I wanted to overcome those moments and the only way I could do so was by being happy. That’s how I have got into a happy phase of my life.”

And yet the one thing that gnaws on the star’s conscious is the inability to spent more time with his son and wife,” I work as little on Saturdays and Sundays I deliberately do not work at all. That way I have a day and half completely to spend with my kid and family. My son loves trekking and I make it a point to take him to Mama Bhanja mountain in Thane. This is close to Pokhran.”

In fact, taking his son trekking is what Akshay enjoys the most. “I also play volleyball with him and cook randomly at home when time permits. This is how I remain close to my near and dear ones.”

Going on, he says “You know it takes years to maintain a good relationship, but seconds to break. It is like this tree we planted. Till it gets enough water and care, it will grow, flourish and give ample shade to us. But the moment we turn indifferent, like many do today, it would die.” This, adds the Khiladi, is the single most reason why we find a lot of divorces happening and friendships breaking. “I would love to give a piece of my mind to people who abstain from holding on to any relationship that they once may be in. Making and mending of relationship takes a lot of time and patience. Breaking is easy.”

Akshay admits to being conservative in his thinking on relationships. “Our religious books often speak about ‘moh and maya’. That being too attached to anything brings in tons of sadness, when it’s gone. And that we need to keep a space from everything, so that we are not dependent on anyone. I follow these mantras in life and hence I have been able to maintain my relationship with most of the people around me.”

Not wanting to sound too philosophical, he turns to his film career on our behest.”I am longing do an action hero film, or one with a negative role. After ‘Ajnabee’, I have never played a negative character. Though I came to be known as the action hero, but slowly and gradually that too changed and I was known for my comedy. This happened as filmmakers found my comic timing great. Comedy roles started pouring and it was all that I did.”

Talking up his next venture, ‘Desi Boyz’, he adds,” This film looks like a comedy, but it isn’t all that. Desi Boyz is an emotional film. I play as an escort, but this scene is just for twenty minutes. The escort character to me is like a costume fantasy that we as actors often indulge in for the audience. All that flaunting of our bodies, taking off the shirt, dancing and other acts... But all said and done, it would not be too much to say that though we call ourselves as actors, what we do is the role of bhands .” (laughs aloud)

In the film, Akshay character is Jerry Patia, aka Jignes Patil. “After recession, we [John and I] are on the lookout for good job, but disheartened we take up being male escorts. Yes, there is a past of my character, of which I cannot reveal much. But all I can say is the character I play is enjoyable with a heady mix of comedy, seriousness and sensitivity.”

Sharing his experience of working with David Dhawan and now his son Rohit Dhawan, Askhay says, “Rohit is very clear in what he needs. For him, it is what he looks in his characters. His camera moves have to be along with his imagination. He is the real captain of the ship. While David Dhawan puts his camera first and leaves his actors to perform. There is a lot of difference in their way of directing too. While Rohit does everything in a closed room, David is an open book.”