John Abraham's comic timing is like Mr Bean's: Akshay Kumar

Film star Akshay Kumar, who has delivered a number of comedy films like Hera Pheri, Housefull, Singh is Kingg and Welcome, says he likes his co-star and friend John Abraham's laidback style of comedy and that he is also learning it from John.

After Garam Masala that had released six years back, this is the second time Akshay and John have teamed up for a comedy flick. They would be seen in Rohit Dhawan's upcoming film, Desi Boyz.

"I think John has changed a lot since the time we worked earlier. He has a fantastic comic timing. I feel the way his muscles have flexed up, his comic timing has also improved a lot. In fact, I am learning comedy from John. His style of comedy is very laid-back. Laid back in the sense, the way he delivers the dialogue is so effortless that it leaves an impact behind," Akshay told PTI in an interview.

The Khiladi actor compares John's comic timing to that of Mr Bean, a British comedy television programme starring English actor-comedian- screenwriter Rowan Atkinson in the title role.

"I think his comedy is somewhat similar to Mr Bean. He does laid-back comedy, his way of delivering dialogues is very slow...that is another way of comedy. Like Mr Bean has a very laidback style of talking and audience will catch it up. It is a very great qualification he (John) possesses. I have started learning from him. Charlie Chaplin is loud, while Mr Bean is more subtle and laid-back," Akshay said.

Akshay, who started off in Bollywood as an action-hero, later forayed into comedy. His comic performances in films such as Hera Pheri (2000), Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), Garam Masala (2005), Hey Babyy (2007), Welcome (2007) and Singh is Kingg (2007) proved success.

"It has been six years since we worked together in Garam Masala. We were not very close at that time but the equation today is completely different.  I am surprised that all this time no one wanted to do a film with us together. Now we are doing not one but two films ?" Desi Boyz and Housefull-2'" Akshay said.

"He is very hard-working and best-looking boys in the industry. He is a model, walked ramp and now acting," he said.

For the first time, Akshay would be seen opposite Chitrangada Singh, known for doing unconventional films, the actor has all praises for his dusky co-star.

"I loved working with Chitrangda. She is a very beautiful, dusky desi girl. Whenever I look at her, she reminds me of Smita Patil, she has got that kind of beauty. She would rehearse her lines before coming onto the sets. She knows exactly how she is going to play her scene," Akshay said.

Recollecting an incident about Chitrangada, the 44-year-old actor, said, "She has done parallel films and this is her first commercial film. During a promotional event, when she saw a huge crowd, she got frozen and I remember I was walking ahead and she was standing behind. The power of commercial cinema is different."

"I held her hand and asked her to come with me, while Deepika was walking in full confidence as she knows about it," he said.

The film, which also stars Deepika Padukone, opposite John, releases on December 25.