Khatta Meetha is no happy-go-lucky slapstick – Akshay
Features
oi-Raymond Ronamai
By Raymond Ronamai
Khatta
Meetha
releases
today
and
Akshay
Kumar
is
sounding
as
calm
as
he
has
ever
been.
No
pre-release
blues,
no
anxiety,
no
worried
lines
on
face.
Even
as
he
battles
mini
controversies
around
his
visit
to
RK
Laxman,
Priyadarshan's
apparent
displeasure
around
the
film
being
totally
sold
as
a
comedy
and
detractors
not
quite
giving
him
or
his
film
Housefull
the
due
credit
of
being
one
of
the
biggest
successes
of
2010
so
far,
Akshay
is
merrily
smiling
it
all
away.
In
the
second
part
of
an
exclusive
conversation
with
this
correspondent,
Akshay
Kumar
calmly
comments
on
all
the
controversies
surrounding
him
and
how
he
is
happy
to
leave
them
all
behind
and
cherish
a
life
which,
in
his
own
words,
couldn't
have
been
more
beautiful.
Priyadarshan,
in
a
recent
interview,
said
that
the
film
is
more
of
a
drama
rather
than
a
comedy.
Is
that
a
fact?
Absolutely.
There
is
a
lot
of
drama
as
this
is
no
happy-go-lucky
slapstick
comedy.
This
film
has
more
emotions
than
I
have
performed
in
a
long
time.
Priyadarshan
has
made
a
wonderful
movie
and
people
from
all
walks
of
life
will
be
able
to
appreciate
it.
Well,
as
long
as
they
have
a
heart
that
is
and
a
funny
bone
(smiles).
He
also
seemed
to
be
upset
about
the
fact
that
the
film
is
being
sold
entirely
as
a
comedy.
Did
you
have
a
discussion
with
him
around
this?
It's
very
hard
to
make
people
understand
that
not
every
movie
that
either
I
do
or
Priyadarshan
does
has
to
be
a
comedy.
He
has
every
right
to
feel
upset.
This
is
his
movie
and
he
wants
people
to
walk
in
knowing
what
they
are
going
in
for.
Everyone
knows
that
there
is
nothing
more
disappointing
than
paying
to
see
a
movie
that
doesn't
fulfil
you.
When
I
want
to
see
an
action
packed
film,
I
expect
to
see
some
action
and
not
come
out
crying
without
knowing.
Believe
me,
Khatta
Meetha
is
deep
and
funny
and
common
and
dramatic.
From
the
economics
standpoint,
there
is
a
belief
that
Khatta
Meetha
has
been
made
at
a
very
reasonable
budget
and
also
sold
at
a
price
lesser
than
regular
Akshay
starrers.
Also,
because
you
are
also
the
producer
of
the
film,
the
film
looks
like
a
winner
commercially.
Do
you
wish
to
detail
on
the
economics
part
here?
There
was
no
need
to
make
a
high
budget
movie.
It's
about
a
common
man
and
common
everyday
problems.
It's
not
an
Avatar
or
Blue
kind
of
a
film.
We
are
not
trying
to
change
cinema
with
this
one;
we
just
want
to
tell
a
story
and
make
you
feel
things
that
you
haven't
felt
for
a
while.
The
economics
of
the
film
are
simple.
What
we
needed
visually,
we
got
and
paid
for.
We
sold
it
for
what
was
right
and
the
rest
isn't
written
yet.
On
a
different
note,
even
though
Housefull
turned
out
to
be
a
good
earner
for
all,
not
many
have
still
been
giving
credit
to
the
film
for
what
it
deserves.
Isn't
it
disheartening?
Oh
how
I
love
your
different
notes
(winks).
To
be
honest,
nothing
is
a
shock
to
me
anymore.
It
doesn't
matter
what
you
do
or
what
you
prove,
it
is
never
enough,
so
why
fight
the
inevitable.
I
witnessed
the
rapture
inside
theatres
all
over
Mumbai,
London
and
Canada.
I
had
proof
enough
of
how
much
people
enjoyed
Housefull;
that's
all
I
need.
And
that's
all
Sajid
Khan
needed.
People
will
never
let
you
walk
up
the
mountain
of
Bollywood
without
the
impossible
struggle.
It's
what
we
call
human
nature
unfortunately
and
I'm
incredibly
used
to
it
by
now.
Of
course
one
can
guess
so.
After
all
there
is
this
entire
controversy
around
the
RK
Laxman
visit
as
well.
Really,
that
seems
to
be
in
a
really
bad
taste,
isn't
it?
After
all
it
seemed
like
a
harmless
visit.
I
really
don't
want
to
get
into
it.
What
was
said
was
extremely
distasteful.
Yes,
you
are
right,
but
I
am
not
going
to
delve
into
it.
I
was
officially
invited
to
visit
Mr
RK
Laxman
by
his
wife
and
the
Times
Of
India.
Even
they
feel
bad
for
the
outcome
of
such
an
innocent
visit.
But
as
always
I
can't,
in
fact
no
one
can
stop
people
from
saying
or
writing
what
they
want.
Also,
it's
not
the
first
time
that
Twitter
has
been
the
cause
of
problems.
All
one
can
do
is
deal
with
it,
and
move
on.
In
such
a
situation,
it
was
none
other
than
Amitabh
Bachchan
who
supported
you.
That
must
have
been
a
humbling
experience?
I
know.
You
couldn't
imagine
how
very
touched
and
humbled
I
was.
I
was
actually
shooting
in
Manali
at
that
time
and
wasn't
really
in
touch
with
the
world.
I
had
to
be
told
about
the
situation.
Still,
for
Mr.
Bachchan
to
stand
his
ground
and
support
our
fraternity
yet
again
is
just
inspiring.
I
have
said
this
for
years
that
our
entire
industry
actors/media/reporters/producers
-
everyone
would
be
so
much
better
off
if
we
all
had
a
touch
of
Mr
Bachchan's
dignity.
He
is
one
of
India's
greatest
role
models
and
no
one
can
deny
that
fact.
Finally,
is
life
beautiful
for
Akshay
Kumar?
Life
couldn't
have
been
better
(smiles).
I
just
had
a
wonderful
month
long
holiday
with
my
wife
Tina
and
my
son
Aarav
with
our
good
friends
from
New
York.
I
have
one
of
my
favourite
movies
releasing
today,
my
son
was
just
awarded
his
green
belt
in
karate,
me
and
my
wife
have
just
opened
our
office
together
in
the
very
building
we
live
in,
and
I've
just
wrapped
Action
Replayy.
I
am
a
very
happy
man
right
now.