I'm just a guy who got lucky: Akshay Kumar

It's Akshay Kumar season all year round, with the superstar raking in the green with every new film of his, but he's no megalomaniac, attributing his success to his fans, who "are the most important people" in his life, outside of family.

"I don't act like a star at all. I'm a normal guy that just got lucky and my audience connects with that. I'll do anything for them — I've jumped, burned, crashed and fallen for them!"

He seems to have mastered the economics of the film business along with the audiences' taste, making him an infallible force at the box office, never mind the intelligentsia's scathing opinions on his choice of film scripts or lack thereof. He powers on, unfettered, making more films and even more money!

Would he say he's a better businessman than an actor, given his ratio of success far outweighs failure? "Are you implying I'm a better businessman than an actor? I make sure no one incurs any losses on my films, not because I'm a calculating businessman, but because I'm a good actor at heart and a producer's actor no less, given my decisions are made from a producer's perspective. It's just smart business management," says the star, who has turned every human emotion into a profitable film with "his gut instinct" and stars in this weekend's release, Entertainment, with a canine as his co-star!

Not quite the undisputed number one on the marquee, a place reserved in rotation by the three Khans — Salman, Aamir and Shah Rukh — Akshay is only ever mentioned in second breaths after the triumvirate, but it does not rankle him at all. "I'm not here to fight with my peers for first place. As successful as all the Khans are, I wouldn't swap my 'second breath' status for a day in their competitive lives. To me, they are the best at what they do, but what I do is different — my films, my schedules, timings and goals are different. In my world, I do exactly what I want and when and I don't live in fear of breaking records every time I release a film. I live for the pure thrill of audiences enjoying my films enough to want to come and see my next. Being the best in the game inevitably means you need to be prepared to lose your ranking because this kind of success can never last forever. I don't need to be number one; as long as I'm driven to better myself and climb the never-ending ladder of success and people want to make movies with me, I'm happy and feel like a winner. Making films is all I've ever wanted to do. I'd never want more. Greed doesn't fulfil me, a packed work schedule does!"

From his humble beginnings in Delhi, Bombay has made him a very rich man and money is aplenty in his life today. Has he made enough money or is he aiming to be the World's Richest Actor? "To be the World's Richest Actor is not something that thrills me in the slightest. Bombay's made me rich from my accountant's point of view, but the richest thing Bombay's ever given me is a family — this is where I met my wife and had my two beautiful children. Now, that's rich, a real achievement and something I'd aimed for. Money has definitely given my family and me an easier and better life. My mother doesn't have to save pennies all month for a ticket to the cinema anymore, she has unlimited access now. We eat meat every day of the week if we want to, and don't have to wait till Sunday anymore. We can fly around the world to experience its beauty ourselves rather than watching a film to see all these wonderful places. We can afford the safest cars, the best schools and health care and also help others along the way; these are the things I wanted to make money for. It was never about buying an island or owning the world's fastest car. I have no need to be a spend thrift; I just want to change the path for generations of Bhatia's to come so that they never have to worry about their next meal, not while I'm working like a dog."

What compelled him to let the dogs out, literally, co-starring with a dog in Entertainment? "Because I love a challenge! I'm thrilled to share my title as lead hero with Junior, the dog. He's the real hero of this film, and he steals my thunder, my money and girl! Dogs are what humans should be — faithful, happy and content with a cuddle. Junior is my favourite co-star and the only one I've ever truly missed off a set. Basically, we are all still children at the end of the day and we all want to know what happens in the end!"