Exclusive | Akshay Kumar: I can give my life to a role, but there is always room for improvement

Akshay Kumar says that the willingness to keep learning is what keeps an actor relevant, says if it wasn’t for his kids and films, he would be stuck in the ages

Actor Akshay Kumar has had a busy year at the movies, moving effortlessly across genres. From the multi-starrer comedy Welcome to The Jungle and the horror film Bhooth Bangla to his recent intense thriller Haiwaan, in which his portrayal of a psychotic character is winning praise, the actor continues to experiment with a wide range of roles.

Actor Akshay Kumar (Photo: HT)

However, after three decades in cinema, Kumar says he has learnt that there is no such thing as truly “cracking” a genre. “I don't think any one person can ever crack a genre. There is always an element of evolving, you have to remember, in this line of work. I love comedy, but there are better comedians than me. I love action, but there are better stunt people than me. I love dance and romance, but there are definitely better dancers than me,” he says.

It is perhaps this constant appetite for learning that has also changed his idea of success. Looking back at the early 1990s, he remembers a time when success was measured far more simply.

“I think my definition of success has changed quite a bit over the years. In the early 90s, success was very much about having a hit film, getting recognised and knowing that the audience had accepted you.” Now, his priorities are different. “Today, after three decades, I look at success more as being able to keep working, keep learning and still have the hunger to try something I haven't done before.”

It is an approach that has perhaps helped him navigate the inevitable highs and lows of an industry where fortunes can change with every release.

“Ups and downs are a way of life, not just in this industry but in everything. You can't let a Friday decide how you feel about yourself, just as you shouldn't let a successful Friday make you believe you can do no wrong. Every film teaches you something, whether it works or doesn't.”

The same philosophy extends to dealing with public scrutiny. With every performance comes an opinion, and over the years, he knows how to deal with that as well. “I've learnt to take what is useful and leave the rest. You have to accept that once your work is out there, everyone is entitled to an opinion. My job is to stay focused on the next script, the next character and the next day of work.”

Moving forward, too, ultimately means refusing to dwell too long on either success or failure. “The best way to reset is very simple… finish one film, learn from it, and then start the next one with the same energy as if it's my first.”

Kumar has played men in uniform in several films, including Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty, Rustom, Sky Force and Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo. So, when can audiences expect to see him in uniform next?

“There is something about the uniform that has always drawn me to it. I think that's why you've seen me play men in uniform so many times over the years. There is a certain dignity, discipline and sense of responsibility that comes with it, and as an actor, I find that very compelling.”

Yet repetition for its own sake holds little appeal. “That said, I don't want to wear the uniform simply for the sake of wearing it again. There has to be something in the story or the character that makes me feel I have something new to bring to it. So, as soon as something interesting and different comes my way, I'll definitely be open to it. For me, it always comes down to the story and the character.”