Akshay: A year shy of forty!

Twinkle and Akshay Kumar

It's Akshay Kumar's 39th birthday today, but there's no big, Bollywood-style celebration.

The actor arrived into Mumbai last evening, and brought in his birthday at home with family. Earlier, he'd planned to go to Goa but later decided to stay in the city.

He returned to Chennai to complete the shooting of Bhaagam Bhaag early this morning, along with wife Twinkle and son Aarav.

No brouhaha

Akshay has never been one for big birthday bashes. Last year, he was in US shooting for Jaan-E-Mann and Twinkle had flown there to join him. A source known to him revealed, "Akshay flew in to Mumbai last night and spent time with his mom, sister Alka, niece Simmar, wife and son. He shies away from birthday bashes."

Yesterday, the actor was in Chennai on the sets Priyadarshan's Bhaagam Bhaag. He told us, "I prefer quiet dinners to crowded bashes. I'm taking a break for a day from our last schedule of Bhagam Bhaag to spend the day with my family."

Family time

As for birthday resolutions, Akshay says, "I want to cut down on my work load and do just three films a year. I want to focus on quality rather than quantity, and pick up films which appeal to me. I want to spend more time with my family and son who is growing up fast."

Last month, the actor even returned the signing amount of a film, proving he's serious about cutting down on work.

Now that Akki is one year shy of 40, he doesn't quite feel old. "I am still young and sporting. The day my son starts running faster than me, that day I will feel I'm growing old. That will be the first sign of ageing."

Akki is clueless about the gifts his family has bought for him. "I don't know what my family is giving me this year," says the good-looking star. A close friend of Akshay laughs, "For him, anything related to work is a big present. He got his big birthday gift three days ago when the music of Jaan-E-Mann was launched."

Magic of nine

The Sajid Nadiadwala produced film will be his next big release, which also stars Salman Khan. Not surprisingly, AK is excited about it. He says, "I share a long association with Sajid. We used to be classmates at Don Bosco, Matunga. It's been 25 years since I've known him."

In fact, there's something more than friendship that binds them together. The number 9 is very lucky for both of them. Three years ago, the mahurat of Mujhse Shaadi Karoge was held on September 9. Sajid says, "Salman, Akshay and I are all connected with the number. Akshay's birthday falls on 9th, mine on the 18th and Salman's on 27th."

As Akshay sums it up, "9 is a lucky number for me. My car number plate is usually 9000 or 9999, and even my house number adds up to 9."

Says a friend of his, "Whatever Akshay buys, he insists that it adds up to 9."