Till sometime ago, Akshay Kumar could do nothing wrong. Now, he can do nothing right. His films come. His films go. The box-office continues to be uncharitable, while the number one spot seems way beyond reach. His latest flick Action Replayy is a mere replay of Akshay’s big-screen destiny in recent times. The wig hasn’t worked. Aishwarya has come across as a no-luck charm. Eclipsed by the comic magic of Golmaal 3, Action Replayy has hurried to its end already.
If anyone had criticised Akshay’s choice of films a couple of years back, he/she would have been taken to the cleaners. Such a questioning voice would have been accused of prejudice, with the star’s devotees sniffing symptoms of a politically motivated propaganda against a guy challenging the might of the Khans. Today, however, things have changed. Those who worshipped Akshay – and still have a soft corner for his effort and determination if not exceptional acting talent – should finally agree that his repetitiveness has led to a series of cinematic nightmares.
Akshay, the funny common guy onscreen, made people laugh once. As an incorrigible flirt who invites trouble at his doorstep (Garam Masala), a street-smart guy trying to pull off a fast one whenever possible (Mujhse Shaadi Karoge), a village simpleton who falls for a smart girl from abroad (Namastey London), along with his Hera Pheri and several other comic acts, he had been able to convert his trademark style into a viable brand of cinematic humour. The accent of his characters, their hee-hee-hey-hey laughter, their body language and gesticulations found countless devotees across the country. Akshay’s career seemed like an endless rock concert in which every song was bigger than the other.
His success graph dipped dramatically though. When he opted for action – his forte earlier – he acted in a mindless disaster like Blue. As someone trying to do something ‘different’, he went for 8 x 10 Tasveer, an example of what gifted filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor should never ever make. Wrong choices, such films contributed to his list of flops.
What made things worse for him was his desire to play the Akshay Kumar Comic Stereotype. Sachin Tilkule from Khatta Meetha became a famous character, courtesy clever marketing strategies. But the film was simply bad, with Akshay’s character failing to strike a chord. Other badly written films like Chandni Chowk to China didn’t help his cause either. Despite his hard work – even if repetitive, it wasn’t difficult to see that he was giving it his everything – Akshay’s fan following, if judged by the successive failures, continued to diminish.
Playing the same character over and over again has been one of Akshay’s problems. Choosing some terrible scripts, comedy or no comedy, has been the other concern. What should Akshay do? Introspection. That is the word. He needs to sign on the dotted line for better stories, and also try to innovate different ways to play his comic characters. He can do it, for he knows what struggle is all about. With application at the level of scripts, he can get back to being where he was. Somewhere at the top. Troubling the Khans.
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