Akshay Kumar to work with Farah again

Before another film with Farah Khan, Akshay Kumar is being directed by Farah's husband Shirish Kunder. "Why just her husband? I'm doing a second film with her brother Sajid Khan and a second film with Shirish. Shirish and I are producing his Joker. But it has nothing to do with the circus."

Akshay co-stars with Sonakshi Sinha in Joker. "I saw her in Dabangg. It didn't look like her first film. She was so confident and complemented Salman perfectly. I hope we look as good together."

Defending Tees Maar Khan, Akshay says, "No matter what some people have to say the fact is, our film had the biggest opening of the year along with Dabangg and Golmaal 3. Audiences go to a Farah Khan film to see a Manmohan Desai kind of full-on masala entertainment. To that extent, she hasn't disappointed. I was doing what Austin Powers does in the Hollywood slapsticks. People seem to love that."

However, Akshay admits the collections dropped from Monday. "I'm happy that TMK took a great 3-day opening. But I'd have been happier if there wasn't a drop in the collections on Monday. Only 8-9 other films got such an overwhelming opening this year. That I featured in two such openers this year - Housefull and TMK - is a matter of great happiness."

Akshay defends Tees Maar Khan. "I don't regret doing anything. I can't see the weaknesses in TMK. I respect what Farah does in her cinema. .Why are the trade pundits comparing the collections of TMK with 3 Idiots and Dabangg? These are all-time hits. We never said we were making a timeless classic. Farah had set out to make a time-pass masala comedy. I think she succeeded in that. I enjoyed working with Farah. She's got spirit. And she's a mooh-phat. That's why she sometimes gets into trouble."

Trouble, say reliable sources from the industry, came from the coterie close to Shahsukh Khan who felt Farah was getting her comeuppance for having deserted the SRK's camp for Akshay.

Akshay is quick to point out, "I don't belong to any camp. I've worked with every camp. Farah asked me to work with her and I did. Why should Shahrukh mind? Priyadarshan worked repeatedly with me worked with Shahrukh in Billu. Did I mind? Actors must move out of their comfort zone. It helps them to grow."

No matter what the critical reaction to Tees Maar Khan, Akshay Kumar will be doing another film with Farah Khan.

"Why not? I had a ball working with Farah. I'm looking forward to working with her again. We're planning something. She's a very tough taskmaster. Men are scared of her. So am I. She speaks her mind no matter what the consequences. She isn't scared of anyone. She knows what she wants and won't shut up until she gets it. She wasn't making a film to win National awards. She made a commercial film," he shoots back, unperturbed by scathing comments on TMK from within and outside the film industry.