A candid interview wth Akshay Kumar on his upcoming flims

His latest release, Kambakkht Ishq, has taken a super start at ticket counters and Akshay Kumar is smiling again.

His latest release, Kambakkht Ishq, has taken a super start atu00a0 ticket counters and Akshay Kumar is smiling again. The pressure's finally off him, especially as his last two films (Chandni Chowk To China and 8x10) put a dent in his long-standing hit record.

You've got to give it to the actor on an average, he has three-four releases in a year; his films rely mostly on mass appeal and the battering by critics doesn't affect the outcome of his films. I caught up with Akshay just before he left for London for the shooting of Sajid Khan's Housefull. He was in the right mood, right after the celebrations for his latest release. Here are excerpts from our conversation...

Dil dhundta hai fursat ke raat-din: Akshay Kumar. pics/ shadab khan

The critics trashed KI.
Yes, the critics panned it. Sometimes I understand it.
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Were you expecting it?
Yes, I was. Because it is not a critic-friendly film. Like critics all over the world gave The Transporter a one-star rating but they made 350 million dollars in the first week. Some films are critic-proof. They do good business despite what the reviews say. That's because such films always have an audience. Whether it is good or bad, it's the kind of film people want to go and watch.u00a0
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The Transporter is an action film your forte. Why aren't you doing those kind of films?
I am not moving away from action. I did it in Chandi Chowk To China. I did kung-fu and everything that was needed.u00a0
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No, I mean a Transporter-meets-Bond kind of cool action.
The problem with doing that is today, all English films release here at the same time as they do abroad, so the Indian audiences are already exposed to that. So there's no point attempting a film like that here. It's not like old times when very few English films released here. Now there are simultaneous worldwide releases. And I have just finished a good action film called Blue. It's a different space that we've gone to. It's a different genre. There are rare underwater scenes with sharks.
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You had a near-death experience while swimming with sharks, didn't you?
Yes, we were shooting in the deep sea and feeding sharks, when I hit my head on something and started bleeding. I've heard that sharks can smell a drop of blood from a mile, and they zoom in for the kill. But before I could even react, one of the guys just threw all the bait in the opposite direction, so the sharks would charge there, while the second diver put his hand on my wound and we rose to the surface in 20 seconds. I am fortunate to be alive after that incident. My wife Tina was on the ship above and was watching the scene on the monitor.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
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Weren't you scared of going back into the water the next day?
No, I possibly didn't realise the seriousness of it.u00a0
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Admit it, you love taking risks.
Yes, to an extent. You know, there are some people who like to sit on all the rides in an amusement park, no matter how scary because it is fun. I am like that. I enjoy it. Also, in the park, you have to pay to get that kind of a thrill, but in films, they pay me to do experience those kinds of thrills. Whether it is underwater scenes or leaping from planes or buildings...
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Coming back to Blue, is it true that Sanjay Dutt feels sidelined in the film?
This Sanjay Dutt thing has been going on and on and on. Have you heard me ever talk about it? I don't have any problems with anyone. We have finished the whole film. It's over and done with.
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Do you think other actors in Blue felt threatened as they know you will do better action?
Maybe... There may be points like that. But I finish about 4-5 films a year. I don't have the time to get into all this.u00a0
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You were the first guy to leap from high-rises and planes but now everyone is doing it. Shouldn't you now be raising the bar?
Now, everyone is doing stunt scenes because cable work has come in. I used to jump without cables. Safety has just come in five years ago. I've jumped on cardboard boxes; then came airbags, and finally cables. Even now, cables are done manually; very few people use the winch machine. I was telling Mr (Sylvester) Stallone about how back home, we've jumped from ten-floor buildings without cables and he said, "You are crazy people over there." And I said, "Yes, we are."u00a0
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Jumping with cables sounds pretty easy.
No, it's not easy. Once you are standing on the edge of the building, it's quite difficult to jump even when you know you are being held by cables. Also, you know that your life is in the hands of five people who are holding the cables.u00a0
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Your wife doesn't stop you from going ahead with this madness?
Earlier, she used to tell meu2026 but now she's okay. I don't know if she's putting on a brave front for me or if she really believes it but she says, "I know nothing will happen to you." Maybe it's because I have done two-three films with her and she has seen me do that kind of action and has faith that I can do it.u00a0
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You've never been affected by what people say about you. But of late, you've started saying things like "Let sleeping dogs lie and some day I will talk against people who are my enemies" and more.
Still, I won't take names. I am a human being and there's a limit to my patience. One day, I will react. I am not reacting yet. I can take names and point fingers at people but you are right, that is not me. I want to go back to the kind of person I was. And ignore stuff.u00a0u00a0
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Also, if you take names, it's going to get uglier...
It's not going to get ugly or anything. No one can do anything to me. But like I said before, I am a human being and I can ignore some things some of the times; not all things all the time. It's come to a point where it has started bothering me. But I have still controlled myself. I don't want to lose control. And I am glad that I have kept my anger in check.u00a0
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Why do you feel persecuted?
You know, Lata Mangeshkar said somewhere, "The more fruits a tree bears the more people throw stones at it." But if I am being constantly provoked, I have to react because I'm not a tree. And I did react a little bit, but to tell you the truth, I somewhere also regret it.u00a0 I just do my work. I don't get involved in any politics or games. I have achieved whatever I have, due to my own hard work and no one can take that away from me. I have done 120 films and out of that, about 80-85 films were hits; the rest were average or flops or whatever. And in all those years, I have never said anything wrong about anyone. I've not wronged anyone. I feel very fortunate and proud that I have not rubbed anyone the wrong way in all my years here.

What's after Blue?
I have De Dhana Dhan directed by Priyadarshan, Action Replay directed by Vipul Shah and Patiala House directed by Nikhil Advani.
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You are working with Nikhil Advani again after Chandni Chowku2026? You are very brave.
What do you mean I am being brave? If the movie didn't work, it's not just because of him; it's because of me also.u00a0
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That's admirable, but how many actors work with a flop director?
It's very shameful if they don't. It's not just the director's fault if a film fails. It's my fault too. Be man enough to take your share of the blame. It's the fault of the whole team. You've gone into the project after reading the script, so if it doesn't work, you have to accept that you made a mistake too.u00a0
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It was alleged said that CC2C turned out to be totally different from the script because of your interference. True?
No, it's just a figment of someone's imagination. Allegations, controversies and scandals should not be taken seriously.
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It comes with the territory, so you've got to take it.
So I am taking it. This is not being said for the first time. The more people hit out at me, the stronger it makes me. I must be affecting some people and that's why such allegations are made against me.u00a0
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Even with Kambhakkt Ishq, initially, certain sections of the industry said the collections were exagerrated. A trade analyst even said that the posters (highlighting the biggest opening) were put out one day after the release so they must've been printed in advance. How do you react to such accusations?
Yes, the posters are printed and kept, so that if the film works, they can be plastered everywhere. But if the film doesn't take that kind of opening then those posters are junked. The whole idea behind keeping them ready is so that one is not caught unprepared. Sajid had kept similar posters ready for Jaan-E-Mann also, but the film didn't work, so those posters were never put up. Every producer does that. You have to be ready.

You recently had a party to celebrate the success of KI. You said that the party was also for New York but only Katrina was present from that team. Why?
I never said it was a party for New York. I said that because New York and KI have done well, we all need to celebrate. John couldn't make it because of his foot injury. Katrina was there, but I don't know Kabir Khan so I didn't call him. I only called people I know.

Why was your good friend Aamir Khan missing from your party?
I spoke to him. His wife isn't keeping well so he could not make it.
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Do you feel some stars didn't come because you don't go for other people's parties?
I go for some parties. Twinkle is more social. What can I say? I don't enjoy parties.
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Did you enjoy your own party?
To tell you honestly, I was there till about 2 am and then I wrapped up and went home.
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That's too early for a B-Town party!
The party was going on. Everybody was there. I left...
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How can you disappear from your own party?
I don't knowu2026 Tina and I left together. I think it was a fair time to leave.u00a0
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A good party ends at 6 am!
A good party must be ending at 6, but I had a morning shoot. I had a 9 am shoot for De Dhana Dhan, and I can't be looking pathetic in front of the camera.
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You are perceived more as a money-making machine rather than a serious actor. Comment.u00a0u00a0
I can't help perceptions, but I deliver. See, if today, a producer comes to sign me, he is not doing it just to waste his money. A lot of times, I have been accused of 'robbing' producers but anyone who doesn't want to sign me, won't do so. If a producer believes that he will get his money back, only then will he sign me.u00a0
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So charging Rs 45 crores per film is justified?u00a0u00a0u00a0
I have a very different way of working it out. I take a very minimal amount, and I have a stake in the film. If the film does well, I make money, and so does the producer. And if it doesn't, then we both get a very small amount. So even if my movie doesn't do well, the producer will always repeat me because of the simple strategy. I remember there was a time when I had 14 flops in a row this was five-six years ago. But I was still being approached by the same guys over and over again. I have a simple strategy. Just work with the producer. Be a producer's man and go ahead. Any actor can do it. That's why Nikhil and I are coming together again, because somewhere or the other, CC2C didn't lose money. It was a very safe proposition.u00a0u00a0
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Why aren't you producing more?
I did Singh Is Kinng and Namastey London. I am also producing Patiala House and another film with me and John in it.
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We hear one of your conditions before signing a film is that it should be shot abroad.
No, I must've told this to some producer as a joke. De Dhana Dhan was shot in the city; Action Replay was shot on the outskirts of the city, at ND Studios. It is in Karjat, two hours from the city. You came on the set, didn't you?
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No, I was planning to, but it was too far away.
(Smiles) See?

Okay, I get it. You don't like distractions on the set. If you are in the city, other filmmakers, family and friends keep dropping by. And actors want to wrap early and run home or other commitments, right?
I finished the film in 35 days. And that's because there is no disturbance. Also, when you are in the city, half the time you are sitting in traffic. Now I am doing another film for Priyadarshan, and we will shoot that entirely in Satara. If we finish the film in one schedule, the producer, distributor and exhibitor make money.u00a0 No matter what happens, the film has to be an average or a hit film. And it works because it was finished quickly.u00a0u00a0u00a0

Your contemporaries like SRK and Aamir are brilliant at marketing their films, but you don't get involved in the process. Why?
This is not you talking; it's your husband talking.
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Rubbish. It's a fact!
I promote my films whatever way I can.

Actors are now using blogs and websites to create a buzz about their films.
I have a website and a blog too.u00a0
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Yes, but you are not active.
Of course, I am. I have updated my blog twice this week. Go and check it. You don't visit my blog.
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Okay, tell me how much do you really interfere in the selection of the leading ladies for your films.
(Laughs) I love to interfere in every department of filmmaking. They don't let me.
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Any favourite heroines?
Kareena and Katrina.
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You've given more hits with Kat.
Yes... three.u00a0
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Is she in your home productions?
I don't know... the scripts are still being finalised. The directors will sit and decide.u00a0
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Talking about looks, a lot of actors are going in for hair transplants (not that you need it) and Botox. Would you consider it?
Till now, I am completely against it and I don't need it. I don't want it. Look (points to his eyes), it's all good. The trick is to have no late parties (grins).u00a0u00a0
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Do you worry about getting old and looking bad in front of the camera?
(Long silence) Well, I am 42 and I don't want to be working in this line throughout... If I do it also, maybe I'll do character roles. Or maybe I will just leave it all and go away.
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How can you do that? You are a total workaholic!
I am a workaholic but I have done enough work, and I am financially secure enough to stop working when I feel like.
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It's not about money. It's about keeping yourself occupied.
It's not like if I am not working, I will get withdrawal symptoms or anything. For me, work is important, and I get a fair amount of work. And I work more than any other actor but sometimes I just feel like I should leave now.
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Why?
(Ponders) Maybe not now but in two-three years...

That's not too far away.
I don't know but I feel that way sometimes. I am not saying I will quit acting. But I want to give a lot of time to my son.u00a0
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Not planning another kid?
Not yet. My sister also lives with me and her daughter is like my own daughter.

What's the one thing you are afraid of?
Heights.
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But you are leaping off from any and every place you can!
(Laughs) Yeah, I know. When I am standing on the edge, just before I jump, that's the scariest moment, but then I go ahead and jump. I don't know how to explain it. It's thrilling.u00a0
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Will you ever direct a film?
No. I'm too scared to even consider that.

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