We are working on sorting out the dates. But yes, we’ll be doing Ikka. - Akshay Kumar
Very few superstars have actually made for great antagonists on screen. Years after Ajnabee, Akshay Kumar is all set to turn on his baddie mode for Robot 2, which is now titled 2.0. The actor chatted with us about his reasons for doing the film and why it appealed to him...
What was the main reason you said yes to 2.0?
Because villains ke award mein lobbying nahi hoti! (Laughs)
Baby was sidelined at most award functions this year. Does getting an award matter to you at all?
Getting an award, not getting an award, how does it matter? There are times when I am asked to announce and give away an award. Main toh kholta bhi nahi hoon. Main sirf dekhta hoon ki aage kaun baitha hai. And I’m like, ‘Ha, yeh award isi ko milega’. I can say it without reading (Laughs loud) It’s a guessing game now.
What took you so long to make your debut down South?
Which other actor has gone South? Rajinikanth was always there and he came here. There have been a lot of female actors who have done that. But among the male actors, I don’t think any Bollywood star has done this before me. Without being pompous, I will say I am very glad to go and act in a Tamil film. I am grateful to them for putting me there. Kuch milta nahi hai wahaan. Down South, they take our heroines, but they have their own heroes.
Do you think it will bring in a trademark shift?
I would love to break this myth. I would love to do more South Indian films. I have done Marathi films, Punjabi films. I would love to try a Gujarati, Bihari or Bengali film as well. I had done a Kannada film, by the way, which people don’t know about. It’s called Vishnu Vijaya, which I did at the start of my career. Hopefully, Robot 2 won’t be my last Tamil film.
Rajinikanth felt Robot would harm Big B’s image and asked him not to do it. Does this make you apprehensive about the audience’s reception?
My fans are very intelligent. They have loved me playing negative characters before as well. Even in Ajnabee, I got a lot of praises from everywhere. So this won’t be a problem.
Will adding you to the cast help the film perform well everywhere and not just in the South?
I’m sure. Baahubali was a good film and it worked wonders. There’s a lovely reason why I am doing this film. I loved the story of 2.0 and I find it important and relevant in today’s day and age. It has a social message. That’s why I love that script.
Buzz is, the producers of 2.0 are planning to remake Ikka with you...
We are working on sorting out the dates. But yes, we’ll be doing Ikka.
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 "Akshay Kumar and Rajinikanth")
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