The success of Singh is Kinng has mellowed and sobered-down Akshay Kumar like never before. What next? He realizes the enormity of the responsibility on his shoulder.
"Bas aur nahin chahiye, bahut mil gaya, " he says gratefully, as boxoffice collections for Singh pour in from everywhere. Sportingly doing away with his new precondition of interviews on the email Akshay asks me to do a one-to-one chat.
Another hit, I guess. Katrina Kaif tells me she just follows you into projects?
Kya baat hai. Thank you very much, Katrina. But please don't trust me blindly. I still have a lot to learn about scripts and cinema. I make a lot of mistakes. I hope when I make a mistake in selecting a script, you Katrina are not in that film.
Why a film on Sardarjis?
When I was younger my Dad and I would have endless discussions on movies. One of the things that bothered him was, why were Sardarjis ridiculed in our films? My father's concern remained somewhere in my subconscious.
That's how Singh is Kinng was born. If I produce any more films it would be about issues that I've grown up with and believe in. Singh is Kinng is a tribute to my Punjabi community.
Why are some people objecting to it?
The topmost Sikh organizations have cleared the film. Unho ne to bilkul sar-aankhon par picture ko bithaya hai. On the opening day they were distributing sweets in some theatres. In Mumbai a Sikh MLA booked the entire theatre and invited any and everyone to come and watch. The only pre-condition was that everyone had to be in turbans.
But the Sikh Federation disrupted the film's screening on Friday.
Yes it did happen for an hour in Amritsar. The problem was solved immediately. Those who were protesting hadn't even watched the film.
This is your first controversial film.
I don't know how that happened. I never do any film that would hurt any community. If you've watched Singh Is Kinng you'd know how misplaced these protests are.
Akshay, you're living life King size
Ha ha, you can say that again. But like I keep saying these days the real king is Mr Bachchan, and no one else. Some people don't like my saying this. But it's the truth. Whatever I'm today is because of the love and support of my fans. Beyond that I don't want to be the king.
Super-stardom is a slippery status.
And I don't want it. I'm not a superstar. I'm not saying this for effect. I'm only here to entertain people. I keep telling my wife I don't want to be either no.1 or no.2. I just want to be alive and kicking in the film industry. By the grace of God, this industry has given me immense love and affection. I've got much more than I deserve.
All your recent films have been hits, except Tashan which we won't mention.
Oh you can mention it. I'm not the least ashamed of Tashan. I loved my role of Bachchan Pandey. It was a great role. I want to thank Aditya Chopra for giving me that film.
Why should I disown a film just because it hasn't done well? If I'm getting the credit for Singh is Kinng then I also want to stand by Tashan which may not have done that well. But it got me a lot of appreciation.
Do you feel a whole lot of pressure trying to sustain the boxoffice success that has come your way?
It is a large responsibility on my head and shoulders. Until the day before the release of Singh is Kinng I was so tense I had stopped talking to my wife. I become edgy before every release. But this time it was worse.
So many factors are linked to Singh is Kinng. It's the first controversial film of my career. Most important of all, it's my first home production.
I've dedicated the film to my late secretary Mr Vikas Bali and to my father. They'd be so proud of Singh is Kinng.
It was very gracious of you to dedicate your film to your secretary.
I did what I felt to be instinctively right.Mr Bali was not just my secretary. He was a father- figure after my father.His wife didn't know about the dedication. She called and got very emotional when she saw the film. Today Mr Bali's brother looks after my work.
You always told me you'd never get into production. What made you change your mind?
There's a time and place for everything. I've been in this film industry for 18 years. When I got the title Singh Is Kinng I wanted to make the film in partnership with my friend Vipul Shah.
I identify very closely with the North- Indian family values. There was a time when my parents, sister and I wouldn't miss a a single Hindi film. That habit continues. I don't miss a single film even today.
My family's commitment to watching films every Saturday was so strong that we would skip our dinner on those evening so could afford Gurukripa's samosas, popcorn and icecream at Rupam Cinema (now closed down).
How do you find the time now?
I don't know how I do it. But I've to find the opportunity to watch every film. The ones I miss I make a note of in the diary and then catch up with later. I had missed Cash and Race. I watched them recently.
Will you be producing more films?
If I like a script as much as Singh is Kinng why not? If I don't I won't. It's not as if I've tasted blood and want more.
Now do you think Chandni Chowk To China will be as big a hit as Singh is Kinng?
That's a scary thought. And I don't want to think about it.That's my autobiographical film. It's the story of my life. I always wanted to put my own journey from Delhi to Bangkok into a film.
Are you taking credit for the story?
Nahin nahin. Not at all. I've no interest or fascinatiuon for taking credit for anything apart from acting. Full credit for writing the story of Chandni Chowk To China goes to Sridhar Raghavan.
I told him my own story of a waiter from Chandni Chowk who goes abroad and learns martial arts. Sridhar added about 80 percent of his own ideas to my story.
Katrina has a much smaller role than you in Singh is Kinng.
It's not about big or small role. It all about a hit film. In Bhool Bhulaiya I came in at interval point. The film was a hit and we all got credit for it. All I know is, audiences have their own criteria for liking a film. Many times I haven't liked one of my films. But it has been a hit.
But Singh is Kinng has been liked by critics and the audience.
I am grateful Since this is my last interview for a while I want to fold my hands and thank everyone. Kahan se kahan pahucha diya mujhe aur film ko.
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