Akshay Kumar reacts to backlash over his ‘fake moustache’ in Samrat Prithviraj

Addressing the criticism surrounding Samrat Prithviraj, Akshay Kumar clarified that he couldn’t grow the moustache, as it doesn’t come in naturally on his face.

Back in 2022, Akshay Kumar found himself at the centre of a debate after appearing with a fake moustache in the historical drama Samrat Prithviraj. The choice drew criticism from a section of viewers, with many questioning the authenticity of the look. Now, the actor has finally addressed the backlash, shedding light on the real reason behind opting for the fake moustache.

In Samrat Prithviraj, Akshay Kumar was seen alongside Manushi Chillar.

Akshay Kumar says sorry

Now, four years later, Akshay has addressed the criticism around the fake moustache in Samrat Prithviraj in a podcast, which was posted on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel. The actor clarified that the issue was never about an unwillingness to grow facial hair.

During the conversation, Akshay was quizzed about a section of fans who felt he should devote more time to his projects. The host then brought up the criticism surrounding the use of a fake moustache in the historical drama.

To this, Akshay said, “See, I’m working on lots of things, lots of films and lots of looks. Like right now, I have this beard. I took around six weeks to grow it, and during those six weeks, I didn’t work. So it’s not like that.”

He further explained, “In Samrat Prithviraj, the story required a particular kind of moustache, and that kind of moustache cannot grow naturally on my face. So yes, maybe the fake moustache didn’t look good, maybe a lot of people didn’t like it. But at the end of the day, it’s acting. Growing that exact moustache might not be possible for me. But sometimes you have to do it. And if people didn’t like it, then I am sorry.”

Samrat Prithviraj was released in theatres on June 3, 2022. Directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi and produced by Yash Raj Films, the movie was reportedly made on a budget of ₹175 crore, and earned ₹90 crore at the box office worldwide. It also starred Manushi Chhillar, Sanjay Dutt and Sonu Sood. The historical drama was a biopic of legendary warrior Prithviraj Chauhan.

Akshay’s recent projects

At the moment, Akshay is receiving praise for his performance in Bhooth Bangla. Helmed by Priyadarshan, the horror-comedy also stars Paresh Rawal, Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi and Rajpal Yadav in key roles. The film opened to mixed reviews, but the reunion of Akshay and Priyadarshan has excited fans. The film earned over ₹15 crore on its opening day and is performing well at the box office.

Next, Akshay will be seen in Welcome To The Jungle, which is being directed by Ahmed Khan. The film also stars Jackie Shroff, Raveena Tandon, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Arshad Warsi, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Johnny Lever, Aftab Shivdasani, Lara Dutta, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor, Daler Mehndi, Farida Jalal, Krushna Abhishek and Kiku Sharda, among others. It is scheduled to release in theatres later this year. He also has Haiwaan, co-starring Saif Ali Khan and directed by Priyadarshan, in the pipeline.