Akshay, Kareena ready for Kambakkth Ishq

Now that the two month-strike has come to an end, movies are lining up for release. One of the big releases is Kambakkth Ishq, up for release on July 10.

In fact, the release date was announced just a few hours after the strike was called off on Friday.

Directed by debutant Sabbir Khan, the Rs 75 crore film stars Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor, along with Hollywood stars Sylvester Stallone, Brandon Routh and Denise Richards. Other Hollywood stars are also expected to make a cameo, but producer Sajid Nadiadwala keeps it under wraps for now.

"We have been waiting for 60 painful days for this moment. So we have gone through nine months of labour pain to release this film," Sajid Nadiadwala said.

First-time director Sabbir Khan also seemed relieved to finally have a release date for his film.

The cast and crew -- including music director Anu Malik -- cut cake to celebrate the film's release date.

Kambakkht Ishq is a love story of a stuntman in Hollywood and a supermodel.

"I play a stuntman Viraj Shergill and I got the opportunity to do stunts with Superman and Rambo," Akshay said. "It is the battle of sexes between male and female. So the story is about who wins. Let me reveal the secret -- the female wins!"

"Simrita Rai is a feminist, who is against love and doesn't like men," Kareena says, explaining her character. "Why she hates men and how she falls in love is the story of Kambakkht Ishq. Simrita Rai and Kareena Kapoor are two very different people and that is what I like -- a challenging role which is unlike you. Simrita is a feminist, a tough nut to crack, and quite insensitive, which I am not."

"I have always given hits with new directors," Akshay says. "I can see a sense of greed in new directors and that is what inspired me about Sabbir."

"I have always experimented with new directors," Kareena says. "When I worked with Imtiaz [Ali, Jab We Met], he was a new director too. My faith lies in the script, more than anything else. I will continue to work with new directors. I believe anybody can make a good film. Sabbir has done a really wonderful job."