Anil Sinanan, Times Bollywood Film Critic
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“I’m playing a Singh from Punjab and I become a king. I’m a Punjabi at heart and it’s about time people saw us as the colourful race that we are,” Akshay Kumar said about his character in this week’s big release, Singh is Kinng.
Apart from the Khans – Shah Rukh, Aamir, Salman, and Saif Ali – Kumar is the only Bollywood hero who can guarantee an overseas box-office hit. “Just lucky maybe, we are a huge big family,” Kumar replied when I asked him about the secret of his success. “Don’t turn to alcohol when the going gets tough, that’s probably the only secret.”
Brit babe Katrina Kaif is Kumar’s leading lady and this is the beautiful pair’s third film together. Kaif has been quick to quash rumours that they maybe more than just good friends. “If there was anything between us we would not have been able to work with each other for three years. When two people are having an affair you can spot it!”
Kumar is all praise for his non-Hindi speaking (her voice is usually dubbed) co-star: “I’m very proud of her; this lady has definitely come the furthest from when I first worked with her.”
It remains to be seen whether Kumar can usurp Shah Rukh ‘King’ Khan from his box-office throne. “Akshay is very much an overseas superstar; this fact is undisputed,” reasons Avtar Panesar, UK Head of Yash Raj Films. Kumar’s film is his biggest Bollywood release to date with over 70 prints in the UK. It also releases globally in diverse territories like Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg and Trinidad. Watch this space to see if Kumar, not Khan is King!
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As of now, a few hits against akshay's name dont mean that he has taken over as the 'king'. Akshay's hits are like the gas of a recently opened soft drink bottle. He's gonna see the decline very soon. SRK deserves applause for his impeccable consistency over the years. That's the hallmark of a king.
ABK, Mangalore, India
akki is the the real king.
he's the one, not SRK.
akshay kumar is the next legend after amitabh bachchan.
just him.
dina, Jakarta, Indonesia
elephant is walking .dogs should ignore. here, elephant is akshay. so, akshay is the real king.
abhijit, guwahati, india
SRK was the king is a king and will always be the king. Akshay does over acting and the same comedy again and again.GET OVER IT
SRK is the best.
Nazia, bradford, England
Shah Rukh khan is the real king.
shaan, male, maldives
Srk is the King of Bollywood (All Time)
If Akshey Bollywood King Srk Must Bollywood God
Don't compare Srk with Akshey
Srk Dominate Box office from 1993
Srk is the Real KIng
Omar, Dubai, United Arab Emirtaes
Akshay is the KING
Sandy, Mangalore, India
i dont know why people compare amitabh with shahrukh. amitabh is a senior artist who could be compared with his age group. it would be wrong to compare amitabh with dilip kumar or rajkapoor. it should be with shatrughan sinha etc. sharukh shud be compared with salman, akshaye etc.
jabeen, wigan, u.k.
after releasing singh is king akshay proved that he is the king .... and he is only the star who beat the shahrukh........
satish, lucknow, india
If It cannot be doubted that sharukh rules the bollywood then we cannot deny it that he has to go miles to reach what Amitabh is. At the age of 65 if a person comes in a lead role then its seriously amazing. Sharukh is a great businessman but in acting he dont even lie in front of Amitabh.
Gaurav, Mumbai, India
Bollywood should be proud to have several A-list actors like Mr. Bachchan, Aamir, SRK, Akshay, Salman and Hrithik.
There is talk that Aamir is the numero uno actor and perhaps producer. So maybe SRK and Akshay are fighting for second place?!
Ash, London, England
the only problem what shah rukh has is THAT HE CALLS HIMSELF KING. that is arrogance. Let other people call him king like they do to AMITABH. AMITABH AT THE AGE OF 65 IS STILL THE STATR WHICH SELLS. LET ANYBODY REACH THIS AGE & THEN PROVE WHAT THEY ARE.
sameer, kowllon, hongkong
Let singh is king get realese first. Even if akshay Becomes King After the realease of Sing Is king, Shahrukh Khan will Prove him Guess Whatt........ MY NAME IS KHAN..
NO One can Be Badshaaa Of Bollywood, King Khan not even Amitab.. SRK Rocksss.
Kashif Pathan, Pune, India
Thats Right Shahrukh Khan is the one and only King of all cinema.
Sema, Berlin, Kleinstadt
There is ONE and ONLY ONE KING of Indian Cinema and its SHAH RUKH KHAN!
Sushma, Mysore, India
many came n many went but none r there to defeat khan shahrukh coz he is the king
ajay, jampot, india