Many actors wakeup early in the morning, but they go home @ that time

Akshay Kumar leads a disciplined life. Currently busy with Holiday - A Soldier Is Never Off Duty, the actor, who visited the Bombay Times, spoke to us about his love for fitness, the kind of action he prefers and his bygone casanova image.

From the promos, Holiday seems part fun and romance and part high-intensity action. Is it deliberate? Director A R Murugadoss has done a three-year research on sleeper cells " a spy meant to target an organisation or country. These agents blend themselves in society and are clandestine about their real identity. Even their families don't know their true identity. We have often read in newspapers about people saying how they never knew that their next-door neighbour was a terrorist.



Being physically fit must have come handy while playing a soldier's role... Obviously. We can't have a soldier jiski tond (pot-belly) baahar ho.

Your pairing with Sonakshi has been appreciated... We know each other well and that reflects on screen.

Katrina has said she owed a lot to Salman and you for believing in her at the start of her career. You've changed the fortune of many girls... Have I?

Katrina did credit you... They had the basic knowhow. I haven't made any contribution as such.



Do you miss being known as a casanova? It is a phase and has a certain age to it. You move on. I do envy those who have taken over!

Like who? You are smart enough to know that. I don't believe in taking names. I am a gentleman.

As a producer, what kind of films do you like to make? Something that has a message to convey. The audience's tastes have changed. They love people who take risks. I also want to take risks and do something different.

You had said that Karan Johar doesn't take you in his films. Now we hear that both of you are co-producing a film... It is not yet decided. I always believe it is better to talk only after it happens.

While others are doing one or two films a year, you're doing up to four. How do you maintain this pace? I have the stamina. Yes, I balance three to four films as an actor and four as a producer and that keeps me occupied for the whole year.

You've done action and comedy. What kind of role would you like to do now? I would love to play a negative character. It is the negative character that rules the screen in those two-and-a-half hours. It is only in the last five minutes that the hero takes over. I have no problem being beaten to pulp in those last few minutes as long as I have had a large share of the pie. I enjoyed playing the villain in Ajnabee.

Earlier, you did action where you hit the guy and he falls some metres away. Do you think action is going through a change now? I know that exaggerated action was called nonsensical action, but the audience enjoyed it.

The action in Holiday, we hear, is different from what you have done all these years. Yes, it is far more realistic. We had Greg Powell, who has done stunts in Hollywood films like Skyfall and the Harry Potter series, on board. I'm not shown jumping off 18 floors nor are there any scenes showing the villain flying in the air.

Any director you want to work with, but haven't got the chance to? Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I admire the way he makes his films. He takes his time, but he makes each frame look like a painting. I like the way he presents his actors. Compared to today, did you enjoy acting during your Khiladi days? I am adapting to the changing taste of the audience. But personally, I still fondly remember that period. It is special to me.

Are you romantic? I'm very romantic. I also love romantic films, Titanic being my favourite, though sometimes my son makes fun of it. He says, 'Dad, Leonardo could have easily got up on board with Kate'. But I believe in the director's take. My son saw it from a different angle.

You are not a party person? I do enjoy partying, but I spend just about an hour or so and come back home.

Does your wife complain that she doesn't get to enjoy parties since you don't party much? She also doesn't like partying much. We matched all that and then we got married!

You are a cricket lover. How come you did not want to buy an IPL team? Because I don't know much about the cricket business, I know the game. I like doing business, where I have the knowledge.

After the Joker controversy, what is your equation with Farah Khan today? We met at a party recently and we didn't even speak about the controversy. I don't know if we will work again or not.

Who are your close friends? I don't have many friends in the industry. Some of my school friends are my closest friends. I trust and believe in them. They are there since my childhood. They like me for what I am. I am Rajiv Bhatia for them and then an actor.

You don't show your anger... It will be very surprising for all of you to know that I never get angry. It surprises my wife, too. I just become quiet when I get upset about something.

Does martial arts help calm your mind? I know lot of people who are trained in martial arts, but they are very angry by nature. So, it has got nothing to do with martial arts.

Your waking up at 4am has been making headlines for a while now. Does that amuse you? It's amusing, but now it is also getting on my nerves. Wherever I go, people ask, 'Sir aap apni health kaise maintain karte hain?' From childhood, I have always been waking up very early in the morning. My father was in the Army, he used to take me for a jog and it has continued that way. Hence, I sleep early, say by 9 pm or so. It all depends upon you and your habits. Many actors wake up early in the morning, but they go home at that time! 😆


What keeps you motivated? I enjoy what I do and making movies is the only thing I know. This is my life, I have been doing this for last 25 years. Making good films drives me to work hard.

You have culinary skills. What do you like to cook? I like to toss up different kinds of salads and rustle up pasta with white sauce, but see to it that they aren't too creamy. I also experiment mixing various combinations of fruits and vegetable juices.

You were asked about taking forward Rajesh Khanna's legacy and you said it was too huge a responsibility and that maybe your son would. Why play it humble? It is true, it is too big a responsibility. I don't know what my son is going to do. Perhaps he may not join this industry, he may become a painter.