Akshay Kumar on retirement: 'A person should retire only when he has five seconds left to die'
After 36 years in films, the actor says work still beats staying home every day
Dubai: Thirty-six years, over 150 films, and no plans to stop. Akshay Kumar was asked recently whether he has ever considered retiring from the film industry, and his answer was as entertaining as anything he has put on screen.
Speaking at the trailer launch of Welcome to the Jungle, the actor admitted that the thought does briefly cross his mind, just not for very long. "It happens at 4 in the morning, when I wake up," he said.
"But after five seconds, I remember that I have to go for a shooting. After that, I remember that 300 people are waiting for me and I have to go to the set. So, it happens for five seconds. Then I think that I'll retire the next day. Then I wake up at 4 in the morning and it repeats. So, 36 years have passed by doing this."
What would he even do at home?
When pushed on why retirement holds no appeal, Akshay had a very practical answer. "What will happen if I retire? I'll get a job as an electrician sitting at home. I'll become a dog walker. I'll become a gardener. I'll get all the household chores. I think it's better that I go to work. I won't retire. That will be better."
He also revealed that he has already tested what time off looks like, and it did not go well. "I have tried. After a day, they said, 'Son, when will you go to work? When will you go to work?' That's it. So, it's like this. It's better to keep working."
His philosophy on the whole concept
But beyond the jokes, Akshay offered something that felt genuinely felt. His issue is not just with retirement but with the word itself. "Honestly, I think the word is wrong: retire. A person should retire only when he has five seconds left to die. While dying, he'll say, 'Brother, I'm retiring.' That will be better. Don't worry about retirement. Keep working. If you want a long life, keep working."
