Not scared of stepping into character roles: Akshay Kumar

Mumbai: After moving away from solo-hero projects and tasting success with off-beat movies like Oh My God and Special Chhabis, actor Akshay Kumar says that he would not shy away from doing character roles. "I will keep doing these (Special 26) kind of films even if it's a character role. I am not scared of going towards character actor zone. Just because I am a hero does not mean I should not attempt something different, a new kind of a role. I think I am at a stage where I can run towards it and do something else," Akshay said in a group interview.

"Tomorrow if someone offers me a complete villainous role I would love to do it. Villain is the most powerful man... I admire villains... For example, for 16 scenes, the villain is only beating up people... only in one scene either he gets beaten up or runs away," he said. Ask him if his image as an actor would be affected, Akshay says, "No, its nothing of that sort. It's a film after all. I have done three films where I have played villain and people still love me." Akshay has successfully cemented his position in the 100 crore club but with Neeraj Pandey's film Special 26, he has achieved critical acclaim as well.

The film that hit cinema houses on February 8 has reportedly earned Rs 25 crore at the BO in its first weekend. "For me, both is important... a film running for weeks and the Box Office collection. Reviews, rewards and awards are important. If you get it all in one film then it's a great deal. It means you have signed the right film and it means you have satisfied the audience... but that comes once in a blue moon," Akshay said.

"As all the films that have earned rewards will not satisfy critics. A film like Special 26 comes rarely once in a lifetime where both things are running simultaneously and you are getting the benefits of both the things," he said. Akshay feels Special 26 is his best film till date. "I am happy that the film is doing well. It feels great. It is my best film out of 125 movies that I have done till now," he said.

"The parameter of success for me is how everybody has applauded the film... messages that I have been receiving one after another. Like I met Mithun Chakraborty... he said he liked the film a lot and said I will buy the rights of this film and do it in Bengali. It is a great thing." Considering his previous two films Rowdy Rathore and Khiladi 786 were mass entertainers, Special 26 was a different kind of a film. "I look for doing good films with good filmmakers. I am happy that people will remember me for my performance in this film. I loved the subject of the film. It was not that I was thinking I am experimenting something with Special 26 and did it deliberately. I just loved the story," he added.

PTI