It’s unprecedented for Bollywood actors to distance themselves from their films after its completion.
Experience has taught us that actors are willing to travel around the world hawking their movies. But Farah Khan’s latest production, Joker, a sci-fi fantasy adventure starring Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha, has its principal actors MIA from the all-important promotion junkets.
A joke going around B-town asks whether they have been abducted by aliens. But the explanation behind their absence is far less complicated, maintains Khan, Joker’s producer.
“We knew he [Akshay Kumar] wouldn’t be unavailable this week,” said Khan in an interview with tabloid!.
“He wanted us to postpone the film but we wanted a solo release and August end was the only available week for a single-film release. September is jam-packed with films. We took a calculated chance. Also, it’s become a bit boring when actors go to reality shows and malls to promote their films time and again,” said Khan.
Though it’s prudent to take her explanation with a pinch of salt, especially since she’s planning to go down the time-tested route of auctioning on-screen clothes, she has ruled out a fall-out between the Joker director (and her husband) Shirish Kunder and Kumar.
“Those are just rumours and it’s upsetting to read such reports,” said Khan.
Speculation is rife that lead Kumar is unhappy with the final product and was doubly miffed when its makers introduced dummy aliens to his rival Shah Rukh Khan at his house to generate buzz around the film.
But can 44-year-old Kumar, who has held a high position in Bollywood for over two decades and starred in more than 100 films, turn this petty?
