What led to fallout between Akshay Kumar and Shiri

Shirish Kunder is at it again. During the making of his debut film Jaan- E- Mann, he had managed to antagonise Salman Khan, so much so that it took all of Farah's good offices to mend fences with the moody star.

The making of Tees Maar Khan saw him cross swords with his wife's friend and benefactorShah Rukh Khan, in a battle of egos that precipitated the infamous slapgate episode. SRK had declined the film, as did Hrithik Roshan. And now, he has managed to upset the only star who stood by him through the most turbulent of times.

Akshay Kumar, his lead actor and coproducer in Joker has evidently abandoned the ambitious film. While some claim that the actor should have been professional enough to take the project to its logical conclusion, others feel that he was way too hurt to continue his association with the film. However, a brave Farah tried to deflect critics by attributing Akshay's absence from promotional activities to "smart marketing strategy", but two recent incidents paint a different picture.

Akshay has been on TV exhorting audiences to watch a little -known film instead - Prateek Chakraborty's From Sydney With Love. If that was not enough, he has flown off to Muscat, severing whatever tenuous connection he had with the film he had once been proud to be a part of. So what gives? An insider close to the star spilled the beans. "Joker was meant to be a kids' film and that too in 3D. Akshay was really excited about it. When shooting began, Shirish assured him that though they were not shooting in the format, it will be converted to 3D during post production," said the source. However, that idea was abandoned and Shirish had his own reasoning for it.

There was also the issue of visual effects. Akshay, who had taken keen interest in the final look of the film, was keen to use his contacts in Hollywood to get one of the best teams on board. "It was while dubbing for Transformers that he was introduced to the special effects team and wanted Joker to benefit from his resources," says the source. But Shirish - who in his wife Farah's words is "stubborn...and self destructive," refused to comply.

Even then Akshay decided to play along. Till the film was ready for final edit. The fissures ran too deep. "Akshay wanted some changes in the final edit. Shirish, who is an editor himself, does not like being told what to do. That's when Akshay began to distance himself from the film," says the source. It did not help that Shirish had introduced the item song by Chitrangda, who many feel is in poor taste and incongruous.

Sources say the star feels slighted by Shirish and Farah. "He has never really tomtomed about the many little things he has done for them - not even the massive discount he got them on the sprawling penthouse they recently bought and moved into. Or turning a generous blind eye to the many budgeting issues that came up while they handled production," says a friend of Akshay. But when Shirish continued to dig in his heels, he had had enough. Farah, who has so far borne the brunt of her husband's eccentricities, could do little to salvage the situation, other than appeal to SRK to do a promo for her film and take the 'aliens' to the homes of her friendsfor photo ops.

But Akshay's absence- after just a handful of TV interviews - and Sonakshi's cold shouldering - after she attended a few cursory events - has obviously affected the film.

Says trade analyst Amod Mehra, "When a producer/hero of the film disowns the film, it sends out wrong signals. Akshay has shifted his focus to his next home-production- OMG: Oh My God. Whatever interest exhibitors had in the film has died down. UTV has not even prevailed upon the exhibitors or demand a minimum number of shows. It is clear that even the producers are not too interested." 😆

Girish Wankhade, Deputy GMCorporate Communications and Public Relations, Cinemax India Ltd, said, "Joker had great prospects because the hit Rowdy Rathore lead pair is in the film. But there is hardly any promotional buzz."

Anand Vishal, Head of Operations of Fun Republic compared Joker to Akshay's last hit. "The interest is not on the same level," he admitted.

A source from a leading multiplex in western suburbs (on request of anonymity) gave us some numbers, "We sold only 500 tickets by Thursday evening. For Akshay's last film Rowdy Rathore, we had sold about 5000 tickets by this time."

But both Wankhede and Vishal were hopeful. "There have been films which had poor promotion, but went on to do good business. I think Joker will work on word of mouth, if the content is good enough.

Kunder and his wife are fools to mess with Akshay and especially now when he is in such great phase BO wise. They used him as a last resort when everybody else ditched their crap work and don't even have the audacity to treat him properly

Ansewr is Joker(movie and shirish)

If that MF Shirish is too stubborn to do what lead actors of his movies want then in future nobody is even going to do his movies. He better alone makes film for himself and Farah in whic they work together . Such a pathetic Guy.

Why make Farah and Shirish the villans only? If Akshay hadnt entertained them after their fallout with SRK this day had never come. FK-SK are ingrates...thats true. But Akshay also wanted to prove he was one up on SRK. FK-SK basically used superstar egos to their advantage. They tried it again after the slap incident by trying to make it at Salman vs SRK issue. Salman was smart enough to see thru it and gave them a 'KICK'. Its really stupid of SRK to have agreed to make another film involving this couple.