The Evolution of Akshay Kumar!
1991. I had just made my way back from a particularly horrendous job experience in Guwahati, had put myself into a new and not-so-much horrendous job at a downtown hotel in Kolkata (then ‘Cal’) and was just starting to get a drift of the changing times in Indian Cinema after a very bad time in the 80s. A poster at the entrance to Shakespeare Sarani stares down at me. Saugandh. Hero – Akshay Kumar. Having been a regular buyer of Filmfare then, I had been introduced to his mug and could tell all about him to colleagues who still had not got over Salman Khan from Maine Pyar Kiya. I made it to Orient, a particularly nasty place, if you know what I mean, touts outside (who usually gave me an accurate picture of the hero’s or movie’s future, mind you, never the heroine!) shoved me a ticket of Rs. 25 at Rs. 40. That meant “yeh picture jyaada nahin chalne waali”. OK, got it, cool. But since I was there and knowing myself, I got in with positive intent. Mukesh Khanna, Pankaj Dheer and Shantipriya can douse any spirit! But this lad, jumping, doing a gig, fights, an engaging smile et al had me settled. I kinda liked him. Of course, that dialogue delivery was grating..but!
1992. Khiladi. I went to see this movie just as I went to see every other movie. Actually, I saw all movies then. Missed nothing. The songs of Khiladi were doing the rounds and the cassette was already at home. Akshay was already a known actor and that poster with the overcoat (or raincoat was it?) did it. The movie was a romp. My first sampling of what Akshay’s straight faced comedy was. Abbas Mastan had directed this. Deepak Tijori had adequately supported the hero. The college scenes were a hoot. Of course, the strange fashions and Ayesha Julkha were downers but Akshay was good and more importantly “tall” according to my girl friend of that time. Obviously, this was probably a raging issue in feminine camps of those times what with Sunny Deol, Aamir, Salman and other pint sized “heroes” striding the screen every week. AB and Mithunda were already passé for them!
1993. Waqt Hamara Hai. This film was directed by Bharat Rungachary (this man merits a separate post). The earlier year he had presented a very under rated movie with Govinda called “Zulm ki Hukumat” where Govinda did a “Al Pacino” from Godfather and I had been pretty much impressed. Also, he had been associated with all the Hrishida movies of the 70s and 80s. So, for me it was a no brainer. The cassette was already with me. The songs seemed very trendy then (pathetic now) and Akshay was at his action comedy best. Again “paisa vasool” and you guys have to see this college scene with Sunil and Akshay, you will have never seen so much chest hair in one scene anywhere..but that’s what we rooted for then!!
1994. Yeh Dillagi. Mohra. Main Khiladi tu Anadi. This year Akshay Kumar became one of the busiest stars in Hindi cinema with a release practically every month with no noticeable dip in popularity even if some of them were complete duds. But, the above three stood out. “Churake dil mera goriya chali” is even now a favourite ditty of mine. That film was a kick ass male bonding story with Saif showing glimpses of his talent for the first time in MKTA. Akshay put up his police officer act very sturdily and that scene where he rubbishes Saif for him being an actor was a squeal! Also, the scene where he tells Raageshwari to stop gawking and go to the kitchen. The actor had learnt his ropes. Mohra, a full blown Rajiv Rai trademark thriller was an Akshay showpiece for his brand of action. He duly produced the goods. Also, that mind numbing Raveena – Akshay duet that blared out of every moholla loudspeaker those days. Yeh Dillagi was different. I don’t know how many will remember this nice film by Naresh Malhotra where Kajol has to choose between Akshay and Saif, they being brothers and she being some servant’s daughter. Ripped off from some Hollywood cash cow, this was a sweet one. Akshay and Saif were particularly endearing. Both of them were in my A list of actors then!
1995. Tu Chor Main Sipahi. I had a gala time through this movie that again had this unique combo of Akshay and Saif. In fact, this is a male pair that has managed to thrill me everytime it has come together. Except – Tashan. And what do you guys know. This was directed by none other than Guddu Dhanoa. So, proven that Acharya is even worse than Dhanoa.
1996. Khiladiyon ke Khiladi. Akshay and Rekha, in a mud bath, caressing each other, no less. Unbeatable! I was there FDFS. Akshay does everything in this movie. Fight, jump, cry, laugh, love, run…everything that a hero then was supposed to do with absolutely no help from a very vague director, Umesh Mehra!! I saw this just before my marriage and the mud bath took Rekha out of my system for ever. Much to my wife’s pleasure! Thanks, Akshay..that was gory.
1997. “Bacche ki jaane loge?!”..this oft repeated quote from Mr and Mrs Khiladi. A raging hit that year with Akshay bringing the house down in the company of Juhi (a superb comedienne act), Paresh, Satish Kaushik, Johnny Lever and Kader Khan (in one of last major movie roles). Thoroughly enjoyable proven by the number of times various movie channels keep screening this. Akshay’s first attempt at a full blown comedy had become a raging success. Also, where he was shown irritated most of the time and doing his “now famous” colloquial manner of speech. See this for his improvised dialogue delivery. I am sure that did not come from a script! Also David Dhawan ,who had perfected comedy improvisations with Govinda over the years, was at the helm.
1998. Angaarey. Frankly, I went to see this movie for Mahesh Bhatt. He held a lot of respect then. Then, Akshay and Nagarjuna. This was a flop but kindly see this movie and you would see what I would like you’ll to see. Akshay had a lot of sincerity in his eyes and this showed in many scenes. Also, the supporting cast including Paresh brought the best out of Akshay. Typical Mahesh Bhatt stuff (Pooja Bhatt inclusive) but Akshay had done his work with aplomb!
1999. Jaanwar. I could have also selected Sunghursh but this one was a hit so here I am. Jaanwar was an uncharacteristic Akshay. Silent, brooding, loving father, brutal gangster yet those endearing eyes! Of course, this was a ripped off movie (Hollywood one..I don’t remember) by the great Suneel Darshan, but this worked for me, big time. Also, the supporting cast, Ashutosh and Ashish were superb here.
2000. Hera Pheri. Without doubt. Need I say more! My favourite scenes – the khana pakaana scene and the pre climax where Babubhai is being escorted!! This is the first time I saw an adept Akshay attempt and classically execute the “between the dialogue” moments or off center moments to perfection. You know, the scratch of the backside, the tugging at Babubhai’s sleeves, the looking over Sunil’s shoulders, those little things, that matter in a scene!
2001. Ajnabee. Abbas Mastan territory again. Great music. Good convoluted plot. Trendy girls. Akshay. Put this in reverse order. This is how I liked this movie. Also, that crooked laugh when Akshay mentions to Bobby about wife swapping. Ahem!
2002. Awaara Paagal Deewana. Guru Gulab Khatri. This was Akshay’s name. Add Paresh and Aftab. A screamer all through. Inane but effective. Akshay ruled with his deadpan wit and one tone dialogue delivery!!
2003. Andaaz. Akshay serenading beauty queens – Priyanka and Lara. Typical Raj Kanwar stuff, an emotional roller coaster, did well enough for Akshay to be nominated for all awards that year. Another thing that he got none! My wife cried through half the movie. I did not find it remotely funny!!
2004. Khakhee. There were a host of movies Akshay did that year and some of them were good like Aan and Aitraaz but Khakhee put him forever in the A league of stars in India. In this movie, he held his own, very assuredly if one may say so, as a crooked cop travelling to Mumbai with a police convoy. This is a very under rated movie and I liked it hugely but amongst other scenes that “Naai..sahi mein” by Akshay to Aishwarya remains. That wide smile and the devastating effect it has on screen was used to perfection here.
2005. Garam Masala. Again another movie may be the choice of others – Waqt, but Garam Masala was a scream and only because of this very physical comedy act put in by Akshay. Notice, though out the movie, he does not joke, have one liners or any other prop that comedy actors (even the best) usually have but yet he pulls off this comedy of situations with John and three girls. Awesome! The reviews were uniformly bad but now when I see it off and on, I grasp what he and Priyadarshan have managed to do. The subtleties of Physical comedy come to the fore. The deadpan face. The Improvisations and the quicksilver manner!!
2006. Jaan-E-Man. Yet again, It should have been Bhagam Bhag but this one was better for me. The movie as a whole did not work and that was because of the manner of presentation by the director, Shirish Kunder, that was a little new for our country men. But, Agastya Rao, have we met a nerd like him in Indian films before that. If Akshay goes on to become the superstar that everybody is suddenly talking about, this movie would be a late bloomer. Mark my words!
2007. Namastey London. I may have my detractors but Akshay excels here as the Punjabi munda. Assured, calm, collected and living his role as the man in puruit of his girl completely, Akshay had come of age totally. No wonder, it was a raging hit. From the first shot in the fields of Punjab to the time he takes off in English in the climax, you cannot take your eyes off Akshay Kumar!! Average, middling cinema made watchable by a single actor (Yeah, I know, many of you would be shouting “Kat”).
2008. I think it will be Singh is Kinng. Have not seen it but I know he will again propel an average stuff into completely watchable stuff. Or maybe it will be “Eight by Ten”..who knows?? Not that his Bachchan Pande was bad. In fact, that was the only decent thing about that dud – Tashan.
I invite friends to put up their own favourites of the man of the moment – Akshay Kumar.
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True Khiladi fan!
I think 2008 -It will be Chandni Chowk to China.It is going to be very different.Singh is King is something which we have already seen in bits and pieces.Om Puri’s act in Hera Pheri or parts of Namaste London.It will be a hit but the real “hatke” film will be Chandi Chowk…But one thing is for sure.Akshay is slowly getting into a position in which Amitabh was in early 1980’s.Remember Namak Halal,Lawaris,Coolie,Shakti,Andha Kanoon etc.None of them were masterpieces but all of them were huge money spinners.In fact this huge popularity of Amitabh in 1980’s led to his downfall.He was always there in films which projected him in larger than life image.He could never go back and do roles like Chupke chupke,Mili,Anand…Finally he succumbed to his own image.I hope Akshay is clever enough not to repeat the same mistake.
well written thoughts about one of my favourite actors..
but be ready for some brickbats…lolz..
u know i liked his performance in sangharsh but it was overshadowed by Ashutosh rana’s brilliant performance…
am looking forward to 8 by 10 and Chandni Chowk to China…..
and i finally find someone who agrees with me on Garam Masala
Akshay was bloody brilliant…..i dont think the script was at all funny……
akshay’s expressions and body language alone brought laughter though the movie was very disppointing…
@Ashwin..brickbats..I know will come..that’s fine..and yeah..Garam Masala was not a great movie by any stretch of imagination..I only concentrated on Akshay’s performances in this write up and Garam Masala is up there in my book!
One movie you missed out on is Mujhse Shaadi Karogi. Without doubt one movie in which Mr Bhatia perfected the art he had been working on since Mr & Mrs… I guess every other movie after that was just a subset of this one in terms of his comic prowess.
I am now looking forward to Chandni Chowk as the promos look really promising. Also this guy really needs to get better scripts else sooner than later people will start getting bored of his “charming” antics which he lends to absolute wastes like Welcome and Bhool Bhulaiya.. He is today one of the most watchable guys on the big screen and he should not waste that…
@anindya….
u are right about amitabh’s larger than life image but…
Namak halal for me is a classic…
i can watch it as many times as possible …..
even Shakti was great to watch…….
Thank you so much Indraneel! We seem to have a common admiration for Akshay since his earliest films.
I love Akshay because he seems to embody a certain streetwise cool that has not the slightest trace of elite snobbery to it.Think Govinda but way better looking. And he’s the hottest of the leading men in Hindi films bar none.
i can never forget two films of akshay kumar…year 1995..last day of CBSE 10th boards exams…exams over and we went straight to the theatre nearest to the exam hall. film - PAANDAV!! we were happy. cz the exams was over and we were celebrating by watching a film…which film, it never mattered. that night i dreamt myself in akshay’s role and by the time i woke up it was afternoon. u guys hav to watch the film to belive it.
year 1997 - 12th exams….last day of CBSE board exams and plan was same. and it was Akki again. film - LAHOO KE DO RANG! what coincidence and there is more….both hav the same rating of 3.1/10 on imdb. never saw these two films anywhere. but when it comes to aksahy kumar, these r the two memorable films. and since then i hav never liked him in any of the films so far. dont even remeber which was the last film of his that i saw in the theatre.
I started taking note of Akshay Kumar in the ELAAN promos. OK, I have heard about the movie Khiladi and “Khud ko kya samajhti hain” song before, but being a non-Hindi speaking viewer Hindi films were not my first choice anyway. But, I noticed ELAAN and I took a note of this star. I thought that he had a terrific screen presence.
I was not a fan of movies like Rajiv rai, so Mohra did not make any impact on me, but Yeh dillagi was an eye opener, and those brief moments when he saves Saif from the baddies, and when he dances “Dekho zara dekho” with kajol, I was certain that he was going to go places. A keen interest on this guy followed, and I started watching Akshay wherever I could spot him from that day on.
Adding to that, I just joined college, and you needed an interest in movies like Mein khiladi Tu Anari, and Sabse bada Khiladi to “be cool” among your friends. When Shahrukh khan was everybody else’s darling, I supported Akshay, which meant that there are not many who would support you, but everyone listened to you. Akshay was all the over the places, and then I watched Khiladiyon ka khiladi. I knew that things were going wrong for him. A bad movie had became a Hit. Everything about Akshay was wrong in that film, his timings, his emotional scenes, his charm, and his attitude everything.
Then my worst fears came true. Starting with Sapoot and Lahoo ke do rang his movies started sinking, and the fate of Mr & Mrs Khiladi made him almost a non-star. People started ignoring Akshay. Shahrukh khan fans had the last laugh, when Dil to pagal hain was released around the same time, and Akshay’s mediocre cameo appearance did not find any mention in the promos.
But, to my surprise Akshay came back with Sanghursh and I knew for sure that he was back here to stay. This time he was not trying to over-act, trying to under play it always, trying to keep his voice modulation under control, and it looked like he sort of understood all his limitations. Above all, he had grown more confident. Hera pheri and Ankhen kept my interest going.
It was pretty clear that this time Akshay was here to stay. There is Akshay everywhere. People just think that he is adorable. But, sadly I lost him in his come back, I am no more able to like his movies any more. may be I am grown up a bit more than I should have. But, I am glad that he is back. Because, he is a true fighter and a true fighter never loses his battle, because he never gives up.
i have been akshay fan since i saw him in khiladi…..The very first(the one i saw) movie of his made me go crazy….since then i have not missed his single movie …..like JRV i use to fight with my friends and use to drag them to see his movies…..i loved Khiladiyon ka khiladi because to me till date bollywood has not produced any better raw action film…..it released sometime in august 96 and after that he gave 14 flops in a row and survived in this brutal industry(no other actor i guess has given so many flops in a row and then went on to become box office best bet)…..being a die hard AKKI fan only i know how much pain i had to go through…..finally that jinx broke with janwar and was followed by hera pheri and dhadkan…..the kind of success he has achieved sometimes amazes me …..i m sorry for phoenixu for he has to watch his most horrible movies….but then amir has mela…..shahrukh has duplicate,koyla,PDHH….Amitabh gave Lal badshah,krantiveer,mrityudata……salman has hello brother,garv,bandhan,kshatriya….hrithik has AMALL,NTJH,Yaadein……every actor has there share of horrible screen time……but that doesnot mean u will make assumption and stop watching movies……i still cringe when akki does tashan or jani dushman or even welcome…..the only thing i want from akshay now is to become selective and take his status seriously….because as spidy says with more power comes more responsibility….still cheers to my hero…..the rockstar….the man of the hour.
One of the most memorable movies of the great Khiladi has been “Aankhen” which needs a mention in anybody’s list. It was perfect casting for a guy who lost his sight and fiance in an accident and his journey of life thereafter. I have seen the movie many times just for his performance and the superb comic timing of Paresh Rawal. Every movie needs some ingredients to make it a memorable movie( not necessarily a HIT) and Akshay has certainly provided many in this film. ” Ek -Rishta” was one movie where he stood head to head with the Great Amitabh and that by any chance is a tremendous Feat. Kudos to Akshay…LONG LIVE THE KING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i read all the comments made ,, and i completely agree vid the fact tht akki is the best amongs the rest,,
now to his movies, i like all of them jst because of the energy , passion, action & comedy skills of the great star,,,
besides all this he is a great inspiration 4 me,
truly a rockstar, superstar and now the very famous KINNG,,
have been a “akshay the king” fan since i came to know what memory is…. my friends go crazy when i start talkin about him…
one movie you missed was mujhse shaadi karogi… and insaan too… the movie was crap but akki was great…
the first line of raja sen’s rebiew : “find a new seat mr.bachchan… the throne has found its successor” made by day… i fwded the message to all the people on my phone n email list… i went that crazy…
akki in singh is kinng is just brilliant and now has left everyone way behind… sure to grab all the awards this year…(as if i ant him to…cuz i dont care and im sure even akki doesnt care)… but SIK wud be the greatest grosser ever…
but i still think akki in garam masala was at his best.. but SIK is close on the heels.
2008: Khatron Ke Khiladi.