Entertainment | Celebrity
Akshay takes the plunge
Long before Akshay Kumar became a superstar, he was known for his dare-devil stunts. After a spate of flops, namely Chandni Chowk To China, Jumbo and 8x10 Tasveer, along with the mediocre Kambakhht Ishq, Kumar now returns to the big screen in his trademark action role for Blue - touted as India's first real underwater action-adventure.
- By Abdulla Mahmood; writer; Eplus
- Published: 00:00 October 22, 2009
- Image Credit: Supplied
Do you feel a film of Blue's magnitude, with its unique subject of underwater adventure, will work at the box office?
To be honest, when Tony [Anthony D'Souza, director of Blue] narrated the script to me, I had apprehensions about whether it could be translated to the screen. But Tony had done his homework and he worked on getting Pete Zuccarini, who shot the underwater sequences of Pirates of the Caribbean and Deep Blue Sea, on board. So, in every sense, Blue is a first-of-its-kind underwater action adventure, which should be a novel experience for the audience.
How did you prepare for the role?
I had to be physically fit to play Aarav. I worked hard to tone down and lose 4kg. I had to undergo intensive training in deep sea diving. In fact, I went to Ko Samui [Thailand] to train to become a certified diver, as the underwater sequences required me to be at my best.
What made you go for the new look in the film?
My character (Aarav) is a suave businessman who has a grey side to him, and there is a certain amount of edginess too. So I got my left eyebrow slashed and opted for a black and white goatee along with fiery-coloured costumes to give my character an edgy look.
Will you be seen performing new stunts in the film to thrill your fans?
I think Blue has the best action sequences I have done so far in my career. The hi-octane action scenes are choreographed by James Bomalick who has worked on The Fast and The Furious - Tokyo Drift. The underwater sequences are some of the most difficult scenes that I have shot. There's one scene with 40-odd sharks!
Were there any mishaps while shooting the underwater scenes?
Oh, definitely! I had a life-threatening experience when I hurt my head underwater and the bleeding attracted a lot of sharks. Thankfully, one of the divers had the presence of mind to throw bait in the opposite direction to distract them. Actually, I still found a couple of sharks coming my way, but luckily nothing happened.
Why do you take such risks now that you are a family man?
Performing my own stunts gives me an adrenaline rush. For me, Blue is not just a film but an adventurous experience that I enjoyed. And I had no qualms about undertaking a certain degree of risk. I have taken precautions over the years, but such incidents do happen, despite all the safety measures in place.
Is it true that you and Sanjay Dutt didn't get along during the film's shoot?
All these rumours are fabricated just to create unwanted animosity, simply because we have been teamed up after a long time and our earlier projects never took off. In fact, we bonded very well during the shoot. Recently, I even visited his home for a puja, which speaks volumes of our bonhomie.
What was it like shooting the Chiggy Wiggy track with Kylie Minogue?
It was simply fabulous! Kylie is a thorough professional and a brilliant dancer.
What's next on the cards for you?
I have Priyadarshan's De Dana Dan slated for release next month. Currently, I am working with Sajid Khan on Housefull and Vipul Shah for Action Replay. Besides that, I'm doing a film with Nikhil Advani. All of them are slated for release in 2010.
Share this article
More from Celebrity
More from Arts & Entertainment
More than just entertainment
Popular in Entertainment
-
Gallery
Bollywood celebwatch
A look at Bollywood's best and brightest stars in action
Entertainment Editor's choice
-
Crooning thespians
See more stars who've tried their hand at singing
-
'Twi-hard' fans pack movie theatre
Dubai's 'Twi-hards' tell tabloid! what they think of 'The New Moon'
-
Ramzi strikes a chord
Radio 1 gets an exclusive interview with Ramzi
