Akshay Kumarwho has spent more than three decades in the industry, believes that Indian cinema is undergoing a major change, and is ready to be a part of it.In an interview with Shubhankar Mishra, Akshay He talked about collaborating with new age filmmakers like Aditya Dhar and Sandeep Reddy Vangamaking it clear that he is open to working with them—if the role fits.“If any of these directors think I deserve to be in their films, they can approach me. But most importantly, they should find something that is right for me, and I should feel good about it. I want to do an action film.”
‘RRR, Baahubali showed how great cinema can be’
Reflecting on how stories evolve, Akshay pointed to films like RRR and Baahubali, which director SS Rajamouli praised for pushing boundaries.“RRR, even Baahubali, was very different. It was larger than life, where a man controls ten elephants with one hand, the director focusing on the man’s forearms. That’s the director’s opinion, and it was done beautifully. Very well made films.’“They showed us another side of filmmaking: how big and larger than life it can be.”
“Animal brought back the era of angry youth: ten times more power”
Akshay also spoke about the influence of Animal and Kabir SinghTo Vangari for redefining screen rage.“Then came Animal with Ranbir Kapoor and Bobby Deol. I can never forget Bobby Deol’s character. In Animal, the anger went out of bounds.”“The film brought back the whole ‘angry youth’ era, with ten times more power than what Amitabh Bachchan brought back then; that was limited, Animal wasn’t. Sandeep Reddy Vanga brought it back in a very different way.”“It was a new cinema and a new way of seeing a hero. People saw that he too is a hero who doesn’t bite but can stab ten times. Same with Kabir Singh: he’s the most passionate lover.”
“Dhurandhar was very well written, rooted in reality”
Talking about Ranveer Singh starrer Dhurandhar, Akshay praised its writing and depth.“The way to explore the country: it was a very well written film. All questions were answered. It was very clear that the authors knew a lot and gathered information from multiple sources, making it a film rooted in reality.”“It was very nuanced and beautifully done – taking something real and expanding it into a larger cinematic experience.”
“Cinema is evolving”
Summarizing his thoughts on the changing landscape, Akshay said that he is excited to explore such storytelling opportunities in his path.“Cinema is evolving. If I ever get the chance to work on films like this, I’d be happy.”
