Akshay rides on

Sajid Nadiadwala's "Heyy Babyy" shrugged off competition in the box-office back home. And now it is raking in the moolah abroad. Riding high on the success wave is action man Akshay Kumar.

Directed by debutant Sajid Khan and also starring Fardeen Khan, Riteish Deshmukh and Vidya Balan, "Heyy Babyy" took a block buster opening worldwide with a record-shattering weekend collection of Rs 41 crore. While the film has enjoyed the biggest opening in the US, it has recorded the biggest screen average of 6039 pounds in the UK after debuting at number 10 at the UK box-office this weekend. Overall, in the opening weekend itself, "Heyy Babyy" touched the coveted $ 100000 mark in the US, the UK and Australia taken together.

Besides, the film is also touted to be Akshay's biggest opening ever and he is expected to be crowned the overseas big screen king thanks to consecutive hits like "Namaste London".

"The worldwide audience reaction to "Heyy Babyy" has been extremely encouraging. Given Sajid Khan's direction skills and talents like Akshay, Fardeen, Riteish and Vidya, the film was bound to be a stupendous hit," avers Sunil Lulla, president, Eros International.

The big screen grosser, slated to be movie moghul Sajid Nadiadwala's biggest hit to date, has reinstated the producer as "Mr Blockbuster". "The film has already crossed the Rs 50 crore mark, with approximately Rs 2.75 crore net business in its fourth week," says a jubilant Sajid.