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Films go wrong, not filmmakers: Akshay
Sarita TanwarSarita Tanwar, TNN | May 31, 2011, 12.00am ISTAs he talks about his hits and misses, Akshay Kumar says he's all set to get back to action movies, doing what he loves most - dishum, dishum
In the post-" Dabangg" months, every actor worth his six pack is turning to action. The sky-diving, the kicks, the punches and the dialogue-baazi are ruling the big screen. Akshay Kumar who'd turned his back on the action genre, now wants to reclaim his crown. And the timing couldn't be better. The audiences are lapping up the dhishum dhishum. He talks about his faults, films and future plans. Read on...
You're working with newer lot of filmmakers, like Prabhu Deva and Dibakar Banerjee. Getting out of your comfort zone?
You can say that. It is a deliberate decision to work with directors with a different sensibility. I realized that I was doing the same kind of films. That happens to an actor without realising. A certain kind of film works, and you think this is what the audience likes, or wants, and you keep following that pattern. Especially, when you get success in that genre. And then you settle into a comfort zone. I started enjoying doing comedy films. The same thing had happened when I was just doing action films. Now I want to get out of my comfort zone, and that is why I have signed up with directors I haven't worked with before.
Until last year, you were said to be the highest paid actor. Are you making exceptions now?
I think every actor does that. When I began as an actor, I was very clear that I was in it for money and fame. Those were the driving factors. But that changes after you reach a certain level. For me, things changed after "Sangharsh". I really loved the part, and I accepted it. It hasn't been about money for a long time. It's not about money anymore.
Were you happy with the response to your last film, "Thank You"?
No. honestly, I wasn't. I thought the audiences would've liked it more. I still don't know why it fell short of the people's expectations. I tried to figure out the problem. With "Tees Maar Khan", I know why it didn't work. I think audiences found it too over the top. Though it's not a flop, I spoke to people who saw "TY", and have taken the feedback seriously.
About mistakes, you keep making films with directors with whom you've delivered flop films. Why?
I believe that films go wrong, not filmmakers. After "Chandni Chowk To China", Nikhil Advani made a "Patiala House", which was appreciated. You can't write off a filmmaker, because one film goes wrong. I am working with Tony again after "Blue", because I still think that no Indian film has looked the way "Blue" did. Also you can't just blame the director. I had faith in the scripts too, so I should get equal share of the blame. Actors get credit for hits, and let the directors take the fall for flops. That's not fair.
Every actor is doing action now. But you have steered away so far. Is "Rowdy Rathore" the answer?
Yes, I want to get back into the action space. I haven't done one in the last few years, and I have been missing doing stunts and I am itching to get back to it. I want to do fight scenes, chase scenes, crashes, jumps, kicks... There is a newness to it. Action has been redefined since I last did it, and that is exciting. It will be challenge to push myself to perform those scenes. I have always done my own stunts, and I am looking forward to some challenging sequences.
There were reports that you and Shah Rukh were working on a joint production. What happened?
There was no such project. We have never talked about it.
In the post-" Dabangg" months, every actor worth his six pack is turning to action. The sky-diving, the kicks, the punches and the dialogue-baazi are ruling the big screen. Akshay Kumar who'd turned his back on the action genre, now wants to reclaim his crown. And the timing couldn't be better. The audiences are lapping up the dhishum dhishum. He talks about his faults, films and future plans. Read on...
You're working with newer lot of filmmakers, like Prabhu Deva and Dibakar Banerjee. Getting out of your comfort zone?
You can say that. It is a deliberate decision to work with directors with a different sensibility. I realized that I was doing the same kind of films. That happens to an actor without realising. A certain kind of film works, and you think this is what the audience likes, or wants, and you keep following that pattern. Especially, when you get success in that genre. And then you settle into a comfort zone. I started enjoying doing comedy films. The same thing had happened when I was just doing action films. Now I want to get out of my comfort zone, and that is why I have signed up with directors I haven't worked with before.
Until last year, you were said to be the highest paid actor. Are you making exceptions now?
I think every actor does that. When I began as an actor, I was very clear that I was in it for money and fame. Those were the driving factors. But that changes after you reach a certain level. For me, things changed after "Sangharsh". I really loved the part, and I accepted it. It hasn't been about money for a long time. It's not about money anymore.
Were you happy with the response to your last film, "Thank You"?
No. honestly, I wasn't. I thought the audiences would've liked it more. I still don't know why it fell short of the people's expectations. I tried to figure out the problem. With "Tees Maar Khan", I know why it didn't work. I think audiences found it too over the top. Though it's not a flop, I spoke to people who saw "TY", and have taken the feedback seriously.
About mistakes, you keep making films with directors with whom you've delivered flop films. Why?
I believe that films go wrong, not filmmakers. After "Chandni Chowk To China", Nikhil Advani made a "Patiala House", which was appreciated. You can't write off a filmmaker, because one film goes wrong. I am working with Tony again after "Blue", because I still think that no Indian film has looked the way "Blue" did. Also you can't just blame the director. I had faith in the scripts too, so I should get equal share of the blame. Actors get credit for hits, and let the directors take the fall for flops. That's not fair.
Every actor is doing action now. But you have steered away so far. Is "Rowdy Rathore" the answer?
Yes, I want to get back into the action space. I haven't done one in the last few years, and I have been missing doing stunts and I am itching to get back to it. I want to do fight scenes, chase scenes, crashes, jumps, kicks... There is a newness to it. Action has been redefined since I last did it, and that is exciting. It will be challenge to push myself to perform those scenes. I have always done my own stunts, and I am looking forward to some challenging sequences.
There were reports that you and Shah Rukh were working on a joint production. What happened?
There was no such project. We have never talked about it.
Shiv Shakti
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