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'I've actually gotten bored of comedy and action'
Despite a number of flops, Akshay Kumar is still very much in demand. The actor, who is in London to shoot for his latest movie, a romantic comedy called Housefull starring Deepika Padukone and Arjun Rampal, spoke to Myleene Klassis on CNN's The Screening Room Xtra about his films, why he's the producers' favourite and what he has in common with Sylvester Stallone.
Here's the full transcript from The Screening Room Xtra (Myleene Klass -- MK, Akshay Kumar -- AK):
MK -- Akshay you are here in London making a new film Housefull. How has your experience in London? I hear you had some problems with the lead actress Deepika Padukone coming down with malaria.
AK -- Oh that happened just for four or five days, it was okay after that. We had a lot of work to do so we went to plan B. We couldn't go to plan A. So yes that was there but then it was okay. She was released so it was fine...
We're on schedule, we're actually two days earlier now. And the weather has been supporting us a lot.
MK -- Are you enjoying your stay in London?
AK -- I must tell you I've made three films here before and they've all been quite successful so it's been quite a lucky place. And now there's a 4th one.
Catch The Screening Room Xtra on CNN on September 3 at 2.15pm, September 4 at 8.45am, September 5 at 2.15pm, 10.45pm, September 6 at 8.15pm and September 7 at 8.15am.
'I don't know exactly what works and what doesn't'
MK -- So you must be an Anglophile
AK -- My producer likes it especially because he gets a lot of rebates. And that's an honest thing.
But the city has great locations. We have no problems shooting. Whatever permissions you want you get it here. All you have to do is apply earlier and let them know what you want. So I think it's a very friendly place and that's why we enjoyed coming here and shooting. By next year I'll be coming with another film x.
MK -- You are one of the biggest stars in the world, how difficult is it to stay on top?
AK -- This is CNN and an honest confession. I've just been lucky.
There's a lot of times I tell you I've watched my films and I see it and I think it's not a good film. And those films worked. Like I tell you another film of mine was 8x10Tasveer. I love that film. When I saw it, its good but it didn't work at all. So I don't know exactly what works and what doesn't. You just go with the flow. But I like Chandni Chowk To China which was one of my films and I was very confident because I did it with Warner Brothers but it didn't work at all.
MK -- Why do you think it didn't work?
AK -- I think it was the storyline. Like Kambakht Ishtq was another film where that combination got together (Bollywood and Hollywood) so that worked. But this one didn't. So it's not the combination; it's actually the script and sometimes the script doesn't work.
'I've never done a complete romantic film'
MK -- Is it difficult to find really good scripts?
AK -- I actually read a lot of scripts. I don't just read it myself. I read it and I give it to my friends also. There are few of my friends who have nothing to do with films. It's not my own decision. I also talk to a lot of other people and hear what they have to say about the script. Actually before coming here I was reading a script early morning. It was a romantic film and it's been a long time since I did romantic films so I was thinking I quite like that film.
I want to do more romance. I've actually gotten bored of comedy and action. Yes, I just want to do some romantic films. And that's what my next thing is going to be.
I've done quite a lot of comedy now and I don't know sometimes an actor is very sensitive about what he's doing and where he wants to go ahead and do. I know comedy has worked a lot and it has worked brilliantly for me. Earlier when I used to do action I would never think about comedy. Then I started getting into it and I was quite successful. So I've never done a complete romantic film. I've done Dhadkan which was 8 years back. But now I want to get into it and do at least 2 or 3 romantic films.
'Sylvester Stallone and I discussed knees'
MK-- What was it like working with Sylvester Stallone in Kambakht Ishq?
AK -- Well it was great, and it was an honour to work with him. Though the first time I saw him I knew we were both going to be quite battered.
MK -- So you clicked?
AK Yes... Because he loves Thailand. He has shot many of his films in Thailand. The last film was also shot there. And I also belong from there. For five years I worked as a waiter there. I was working there long before I came into this line. So we had a lot to discuss when he came to know that I stayed there for six years. And I knew a little bit of Thai, and I did Thai kickboxing, so we clicked a lot over that. We also discussed knees. He's gone trough a lot of pain. And the same thing happened to me so we were discussing that.
'I was a producer's actor'
MK -- What do you believe is the secret to success in the film industry?
AK -- When I think about the big picture, it's actually your hard work, your punctuality. It's very central in my industry. Even if you're not a good actor to be a producers' actor is very essential. If you finish your films on time, you save a lot of money for the producer.
I remember there was a time when I delivered 14 flops in a row. But I still had movies for a very simple reason -- because I was a producer's actor. I had good films still coming to me. I had finished all films in a three month span. Even if they went for a loss, they still preferred working with me. And after that, I even thought my career was over. But it still carried on.
If I say it from my heart, I would say my success lies at the feet of my parents because that's been my biggest strength and that's what we Hindus believe. Every morning before we go to work we touch our parents' feet and go ahead in life. That's my personal belief and I follow that in my life. And I told a lot of people and they have also been success. People may believe it or not but that's exactly what I believe.