Akshay having fun with Aishwarya

While most work in the film industry has come to a standstill because of the current standoff between producers and multiplex owners, Akshay Kumar is working harder than ever before. He has shot for two films: Priyadarshan's De Dana Dan and Vipul Shah's Action Replay back-to-back in April and May, and now, he proceeds to shoot for buddy Sajid Khan's Housefull in July.

While many of his colleagues have taken off for holidays, Akshay has decided to work harder than before during this dry period. "We all should get together to create a bank of work to be released in a tumble of films, once the releases begin. In fact, that's what I'm doing."

Akshay follows a Japanese philosophy on work ethics. "When there was a strike in a shoe factory in Japan, all the workers, instead of staying home, got together and manufactured only shoes for the left foot. Then when the strike was over, they manufactured shoes for the right foot." Even as Akshay gets busier than ever, he has decided not to do any off-beat films at the moment. The Tasveer 8 x10 experience and its shockingly low opening have left him stunned. "There're too much financial stakes in my films. I have to be cautious," he says. It's third-time lucky for Akki.

Vipul Shah was keen to cast Aishwarya Bachchan and Akshay together in Waqt and Namastey London. "But, because of Aishwarya's problems with the dates, the films went to Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif, respectively. And look at what the films did to the careers of those actresses! This time, Vipul and Akshay were determined to get their first choice for the heroine's role," says a source. And it surely seems like the right choice. There's magic in the air. Akshay and Aishwarya Bachchan are shooting in Karjat together. And the camaraderie is super-congenial. Akshay has been keen to work with Aishwarya for a long time. He earlier did Rajkumar Santoshi's Khakee with her. But, there she played the antagonist.

"It's great fun. And we share a great comfort level. I'm also very fond of Abhishek. So, it feels like one family," says Akshay.