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Newsarchive February 2008
Akki goes underwaterLast week, the actor shot for a first of its kind underwater sequence for Percept’s 8X10Akshay Kumar always pushes the envelope when it comes to action, and for Percept Picture Company’s "8X10", the actor pulled out all the stops. Akki went to Bangkok and did a special course to train for the challenging underwater sequence.
Doing it himself The underwater sequence was shot by director Nagesh Kukunoor at a pool in Chembur last week. Managing Director Percept Holdings, Shailender Singh says, "We are very excited about this film. It’s a psychological super-thriller and there can’t be a better actor to play this role. Akshay is so committed… we suggested using a stuntman but he ruled it out and insisted on doing the part himself, and the results are amazing." Apparently, such a scene has never been seen before in Hindi cinema. "Akki is playing a super-hero but not with supernatural powers." he clarifies. Be prepared The scene is a highly adventurous sequence in deep waters and the actor is tied up in chains. It’s a long fight sequence with other co-actors. Before leaving for Bangkok last night, Akshay spoke about the underwater sequence, "It was an amazing experience because I did it myself. You have to be well-prepared for underwater sequences. If you don’t do it properly, it can cause all kinds of health problems. Before I shot for the scene, I made sure that I was well-trained to do it. I underwent a special course in Bangkok for the same. I even have a paddy instructor’s certificate, which one only gets after getting trained in underwater swimming." Courtesy:
Mid Day
Hero and the singer!Seated in a chair, the girl holds the audience captive with her rendition of a Lata Mangeshkar number. The audience has been requested not to clap during the song, but that doesn’t stop them from erupting into shouts of ‘Once more’ as the mesmerising song ends. And only as she is eased out of the chair by her brother and mother, does one realise that Tejaswini is a special child. "Though physically she’s 20-plus, mentally her age equals to that of a four or five-year-old," says her mother. But this pretty girl is special for more reasons than that. She has overcome all adversities to pursue her only passion singing. And helping her in this endeavour is Akshay Kumar.
And then what happened can only be described as a miracle. Lata’s song was playing, when midway the cassette developed a snag and stopped. We were shocked to hear Tejaswini hum the rest of the song. That was the first time we had heard our daughter’s voice," says her mother. Soon they got her enrolled for music classes and today the girl can sing some of the most complicated ragas with perfect ease. It’s not surprising that Lata’s on Tejaswini’s wish list. "I just want to meet her once," says the girl who barely speaks a few words, but can sing continuously for three hours and remembers over 200 songs. Courtesy:
Times of India
Thums Up to launch summer campaign with Akshay Kumar
Unleashing an action packed look this summer season, Thums Up, India's largest Cola brand, which is owned by Coca Cola, will storm
its fans with a daredevil car chase action, as part of the new look ''Taste The Thunder'' campaign.
Coca-Cola markets a range of beverages in India, including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Thums Up, Fanta, Limca, Sprite, Maaza, Minute Maid, Georgia, Georgia Gold, Kinley and Kinley Club Soda, through a network of more than one million outlets. The launch of the new integrated marketing communication plan includes airing of a powerful TV commercial, featuring brand ambassador Akshay Kumar, in a new look and driving through the streets of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, all for his bottle of Thums Up. The 2008 integrated campaign brings out the ''Anything for Thunder'' attitude of the Indian male. The latest initiative follows up the immensely successful and award winning brand communication in 2007.According to Kashmira Chadha, director of marketing at Coca-Cola India, "The latest 'Thums Up' campaign aims at portraying the
Akshay Kumar, "It feels great to be associated with a brand like Thums Up. It is a brand, which is all about energy and a go getting spirit, these are qualities which I closely identify with. What excites me even more is the thunderous taste experience offered by Thums Up. It is an experience which I am sure, would find a special appeal amongst all my fans." Story Board
The TV commercial revolves around a pulse racing car chase by Akshay Kumar to get his bottle of Thums Up, which is lodged in a truck,
and how Akshay manages to maintain his breath taking speed in the tight and restricted lanes, with his complete mastery over the car,
in some breathtaking stunts that form the essence of the story.
Commenting on the film, Sainath Saraban, executive creative director, Leo Burnett, said, "A Thums Up drinker's thirst for his Thums Up is very different from any other thirst, which is why the challenge this time was to do something bigger and better than last year. And in this film we feel we have something that truly lives up to the stature of Thums Up. The car stunts are amazing in this film, but the most interesting part of this commercial is its ending. It's unlike any other Thums Up film you would have ever seen." Coca Cola has invested over $1 billion in its Indian operations, and has emerged as one of the country's top international investors. It employs approximately 6,000 people in India. Courtesy:
Indian Television
Trouble under water
Recently, Akshay Kumar and Javed Jaffrey suffered from breathing problems while shooting for an underwater sequence for Nagesh
Kukunoor's "8 x 10". Director Nagesh Kukunoor also had breathing problems since he too went underwater along with the actors to
shoot the sequence. Sporting of you Nagesh, but careful the next time.
Sarita Patil, Business Head, Feature Films, Percept Picture Company, says, "Yes, it was a very exciting experience but it definitely wasn't a cake walk for the unit. It is not easy to hold your breath under water. We had scuba divers to assist us but hazards like breathing problems are common when shooting for something of this kind." We hear that Akshay and Javed despite having breathing trouble managed to shoot the whole sequence very well. However, the whole episode took its toll on Nagesh who had serious breathing problems when he ventured underwater. Well, waiting with bated breath to see this film on screen for all your efforts, boys! Courtesy:
Mumbai Mirror
Akshay’s the shaan of Delhi!For action king Akshay Kumar, shooting in Delhi recently was a heart-warming experience, more so because it was the same area where he’d spent his growing-up years.In between shots, the actor would take a trip down the memory lane obliging photograph seekers who turned up in hundreds. Not surprisingly, the actor known for his down-to-earth attitude is a hot favourite of every shop-owner in the vicinity, who still refer to him by his first name ‘Rajiv’ and call him the shaan (pride) of Delhi. So fond are they of the Delhi da munda that almost every shop sports his film posters and photographs. However, they were recently replaced with their own pictures taken with the superstar."It was a touching moment to see that inspite of all these years, they still remember me as their own beta ," said Akki, adding, "I was humbled with the love they showered on me." Courtesy:
Times of India
I’m my son’s Spiderman!: Akshay
Akshay Kumar is back in action, and how. The khiladi has just shot one of his most dangerous action sequences ever for his forthcoming
film, Vipul Shah’s "Singh is Kinng".
The stunt required Akshay to jump from one moving elevator to another at a height of 110 feet. And not only did Akshay refuse to use a body double for this risky stunt, he did it himself without any safety harness. But, he admitted, he did get scared. "I’m even scared of flying and always pray before take-off and landing," he said. This coming from a guy who’s known to jump onto running planes and has even stood atop one in mid-air, before leaping onto a hot air balloon at 1,110 feet. "That was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. These are the kind of stunts that can go horribly wrong. In fact, I’d take my hat off to any actor who tops that one," he said. So, what’s foremost on his mind before performing such daredevil stunts? "God, when is pack up? Can’t we do this tomorrow? Just kidding... but I focus and pray before the stunt. I believe He won’t let anything happen to me just yet, I’ve got stuff to do." But once in the shot, everything else just ceases to be for Akshay."At the time of the actual stunt, there is no room for anything, but concentration. It’s more of a mind game, really. An error of a second can cost a life!" What’s it about action that stirs such passion in him? "We need air to breathe, and for me to live I need to be involved with action. I don’t party, I don’t indulge in anything that could be a vice, so you can imagine the kind of kick I get from action. It gives me a feeling of great satisfaction that can last a lifetime. Action is my only indulgence!” explained the superstar. Is wife Twinkle comfortable with his death-defying action scenes? "She secretly wishes that I’d be more careful. But she knows me too well to expect me to give it up," replied Bollywood’s action king. And what about son Aarav? Does he try to imitate his ‘superdad’. "Oh, he totally loves it. And he’s quite a sport. I am sure he’s going to be better than me... I don’t mind if he tries to imitate me as long as it’s in the gym and not at school." Does Aarav prefer him in action flicks over comedy? "He enjoys me on screen, no matter what! I am his Sponge-Bob and Spiderman all rolled into one!"Courtesy:
Times of India
"Singh Is Kinng" preponed by one weekNumerology plays an important role in the industry. And the biggest [and most successful] names believe in it. Take the case of "Singh Is Kinng", one of the keenly-anticipated films of 2008. Producer Vipul Shah's Akshay - Katrina starrer, directed by Anees Bazmee, was initially slated for release on 15th August, but has now been preponed by one week. Yes, you read it right -- the film will hit the marquee on 8th August now.Reason for the preponement? "Akshay and I feel the number 8 suits us well. It has been lucky for both of us in the past, which is why we decided that 8th August would be a far more appropriate date for our film," Vipul Shah tells me. Meanwhile, August seems to be a crowded month. While "Singh is Kinng" is confirmed for 8th August, the much-awaited Abhishek Bachchan starrer "Drona", directed by Goldie Behl, is expected to arrive on 15th August. Also, there're whispers that Yash Raj's Ranbir Kapoor starrer, directed by Siddharth Raj Anand, is scheduled for release in August. "We are through with more than 65% of the shoot. August is what we're looking at," Siddharth Raj Anand confirms.Courtesy:
India FM
New targets on the blockSadly, this new trouble in the Bachchans’ backyard coincided with Abhishek’s birthday. Bachchan flew down from Simla to join his son in Jaipur. Jaya and Aishwarya flew down from Mumbai.They all tried hard to keep their spirits from sagging. And they succeeded. You can’t let the party-crashers rain on your parade. Unless you happen to be the people behind Ashutosh Gowariker’s historical film, and start wondering if your film will be stalled for some new injury suffered by some community in some part of the world. Maybe the elephants’ trunks were not curled up in the right position in the war scenes. Maybe that bird in the cage looked too anorexic. Maybe the rangoli on that parapet wasn’t green enough. Or perhaps Hrithik’s moustache isn’t curled enough. Someone somewhere is bound to get affected by something or the other in the entertainment business. I firmly believe there are sections of people deployed specially to start protests at the drop of a hat. These professional protestors sit around waiting to be told to disrupt the next celebrity’s next big moment. My fear is, filmmakers in this country will soon stop trying to do things that would take our cinema to another level. As one leading filmmaker with a track record of hits told me, "Why bother to be a Sanjay Bhansali or an Ashutosh Gowariker?" You can’t argue that logic. Not in a world where a celebrity can’t step out of his home without being questioned by the people who thrive on throwing stones at trees laden with fruits.Now, I wonder if it’s safe to even make a film about any specific community. For instance, if a section feels Hrithik Roshan can’t play Akbar because he’s Hindu, another section of people might feel Akshay Kumar can’t play a Sardarji in "Singh Is Kinng". What a pity that would be. Akshay Kumar is one of those rare actors who looks convincing playing anyone. This is the story of the man who would be Singh. And, the guy who gives that Singh-King feeling to the entire industry is none other than Akshay Kumar. Akshay Kumar loves to sing. And, his close friends know he bursts into a song, preferably in Punjabi. His schedules and his awesome upward career graph don’t allow him the luxury of too many friends and too many songs. Also, Akshay wants to stay out of controversy’s way. Though he continues to be fun and funny, I feel somewhere in the quest for superstardom Akshay has lost the ability to enjoy his success. His eyes nowadays convey pain of remaining extra cautious. And, you can’t blame him for that. Akshay has been repeatedly let down by people whom he has taken into confidence. Today, apart from his immediate family, Akshay is a complete loner.Akshay is an amazing mimic. He also has the patience and resilience of a monk. He combines heart with mind and comes up with solutions and remedies to problems that have no apparent rhyme or design. Today, Akshay ranks right up there with Shah Rukh Khan. It hasn’t been an easy climb for Akshay. He has worked really hard to get where he is. I think Akshay epitomises the struggle and triumph of the spirit. But, what if tomorrow he decides to use some of his wealth to build a school for those less privileged than him in Chandni Chowk where he hails from? Would the great grumblers get into action and ask him to shift the school to a more politically acceptable location? Courtesy:
Times of India
Akshay Kumar is in loveAbbas Mustan will be directing and producing a romantic comedy for which they have roped in their favourite actor Akshay Kumar...The only actors to rule the box office in 2007 were Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan. Where Shah Rukh gave mega hits like "Chak De India" and "Om Shanti Om", Akshay gave four back to back hits in the form of "Namastey London", "Heyy Babyy", "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" and "Welcome". With these films Akshay who was once only known for his action films transformed himself into Bollywood’s first ‘comic’ superstar! However, Akki prefers not to get slotted into a particular image for which he has signed Sajid Khan’s romantic comedy as well as Abbas Mustan’s romantic film!Abbas Mustan spilled the beans about Akki’s film. The senior sibling, Abbas disclosed, "We will be launching our production house soon. We have two scripts ready with us. One of the films will be a romantic tale while the other will be an action film." On probing further the filmmakers who are known for making suspense thrillers revealed that Akshay Kumar is most likely to act in the romantic film and not the action one!"We have worked with Akshay in our many films but we like to offer something new to our actors. Thus we have Saif performing stunts like never before in "Race" while we have Akshay doing a romantic role in our next home production. Akshay has always performed stunts for us so this time around we thought of giving him a completely different role. The film is untitled as yet" replied the talented duo. Courtesy:
Indiatimes
Akshay: Chandni Chowk to Bollywood
You can take a guy out of Chandni Chowk but you can’t take Chandni Chowk out of him. If you really want to check the veracity of that
claim, try Akshay Kumar.
The moment that oh-so-suave filmstar veneer slips just a little bit, the Chandni Chowk ka munda is clearly obvious. And now that he is here in Delhi, shooting for his 'autobiographical movie' "Chandni Chowk to China", the guy cannot be happier. "There is but a little twist, my real life moved towards Bollywood rather than China," says the actor with a hearty laugh as he gets ready to give us an exclusive picture of his new look. In case you missed, ‘India’s sexiest Dad’ is sporting a bodhi, a paunch and an uncouth attitude in the film. "That’s my look in the film. And I want you to click me in front of the Old Fort like I own it... like how every tourist gets his pictures clicked here," he says.That done to his and our satisfaction, he is back to Chandni Chowk – his favourite topic. "I was born in Paranthewali Gali and I remember all of it vividly... Sheeshganj Gurudwara, Gyaan di Kulfi and the food you get here! People even have a different way of talking here with all that ‘Haan, sun be oye’ ," he laughs, "In fact, I plan to take the entire crew and cast to Chandni Chowk and treat them to the food here." Now, that will be a nice break for the actor who has been kept busy this year by hit films and award shows. "Life is progressing much better than I had expected it to. And I am enjoying every bit of it. I am not the kinds to crib that I have go to work again today. Instead, I can’t wait to get started everyday. I have this fixed schedule: I do my workout, I drop my son to school, I go to work and I then spend time with my family," Akki says.But he is not the all-work-and-no-play kinds either. "I take a break every three months and go for a break wherever my wife wants to. This time she wanted to go for a cruise. My family never stays away from me. My wife has joined me in Delhi and we will be going to China together too. Every place is just a flight away," he says. Flying high sure comes easy to Akki. And don’t expect the man to be too modest about his success either. "I am happy to know that last year I did a business of Rs 531 crore through my movies. No solo actor has ever done this kind of business. I am glad that my filmmakers get to make profitable movies through me and that keeps me going," he smiles.Courtesy:
Times of India
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| Credits | Version 3.0 © Akshay Kumar international | Disclaimer |
She waves out to him and beams, "Akshay Bhaiyya!" before proceeding to give the actor a warm hug. "She’s the real star," points
out Akshay, and adds, "We are heroes on screen, but she’s one in real life." Akshay who had chanced upon Tejaswini in her hometown
of Chandigarh was so moved by her singing, that he decided to take up her cause. "Her eyes and voice spoke to me long after our
meeting" They questioned me and the system we support, the society we live in," he says. So Akshay agreed to judge a popular talent
show hosted by Aditya Narayan only if they gave her a chance to perform. The channel obliged and not only did they let Tejaswini
perform, but also made her a judge alongwith the superstar.
anything for my thunder attitude of the Indian male. He is a person who will do anything to get his favourite soft drink. Nothing
can come in between him and his Thums Up. To drive this message, an integrated communication plan, involving both above and below
the line initiatives are being rolled out."