Don’t Know Why Two Heroes Can’t Work Together: Akshay Kumar

The actor’s latest film ‘Mission Mangal’ stars an ensemble cast that includes Vidya Balan and Taapsee Pannu.

The Quint caught up with Akshay Kumar, and co-star Vidya Balan, on the heels of their latest Independence Day release Mission Mangal. Akshay looked quite unlike himself when we met him. Much calmer and relaxed. He says this usually happens to him when he knows a film is doing well. "On a release day, when you know things are going well, I subside down. It's a normal reaction from my side. I was not expecting this kind of response to be honest. This is a new genre, never done in the Indian film industry,” he explains.

Mission Accomplished?

Mission Mangal, a film that recounts India’s successful launch of the Mars Orbiter Mission in 2013, hit theatres on 15 August. The film raked in Rs 29.16 crores on its first day, becoming Akshay’s highest opener ever. Talking about the success Akshay says,

“Our aim to make the film was to make science very simple. Even I didn’t know about this but the story was so systematic, I understood it. Children are watching the film, dragging their parents who are then realising even they didn’t know what kind of things go on to send a satellite on Mars.”

Akshay Kumar, Actor

When You Talk Business, You Talk of the Male Actor: Vidya

The poster for Mission Mangal raised a lot of eyebrows as it was dominated by Akshay Kumar even though his female co-stars played important roles in the film. Talking about the same Vidya Balan says that it's great that a male actor like Akshay was okay to share screen space with five successful female actors.

“There is no denying that the biggest star on this film and one of the biggest stars in the country is Akshay Kumar. When you talk of the business of a film, you talk in terms of the male actor. Hopefully in a few years, like things are changing, we’d been heralding films, they are doing well, that’ll change.”

Vidya Balan, Actor

“But as of today, when you talk the business of a film, you do say 'An Akshay Kumar film'. You can't grudge that. Look at the business his films have done over the years. I'd be foolish to say, "Oh my name wasn't taken.” That's ridiculous. But hopefully, someday. I have seen things change drastically.”

Akshay on Sharing Screen Time in Multi-Starrers

Akshay, who worked alongside five actors in Mission Mangal, says,

“These days two heroes hardly want to work together. Even if they do, they do it after repeated requests. This doesn’t happen in Hollywood. It only happens here and it is very sad.”

Akshay Kumar, Actor

"Without taking names, actors in our industry still don't understand the fact that they should do two-hero or three-hero subjects. They are not doing it. I have tried to find out why they don't want to do it. Everybody wants to do a solo hero subject. The earlier generation, my generation did it. They even worked in three-hero subjects,” he adds.