My Family Be a SPORT!

MY Family

Hi guys,

As promised I'm back. My whole purpose of being present on a social network was to connect with you guys and share everything about my life.

Hence I would like to start off with introducing to you all, my family without whose love and support I would have never made it.

At home, I share my life with my wife, Tina, my son, Aarav, my mother, Aruna Bhatia, sister, Alka, little niece, Simar and of course my dogs, Stitch and Okie.

At work, I am dependent on my key staff members, who have become family to me…

My driver, Ravi
My trainer, Jennifer
My manager, Lokesh
My executive assistant, Zenobia
My assistant, Nitin
My hair dresser, Milind
Make up artist, Narendra dada.

I hope to continue sharing about my life and family with you here, until then take care.

Love,
AK.

Be a SPORT!

Hello my friends,

Firstly I'd like to apologise for the long gap, I've recently been in South Africa shooting for the second season of Khatron Ke Khiladi Fear Factor in Cape Town, as well as trying to juggle my time with dubbing for Kambakht Ishq, supporting my Delhi Dare Devils at the IPL, taking my entire family on Safari whilst preparing myself for some insane stunts for my show. Thank god I'm much better at juggling 5 extreme events than I'll ever be at juggling 5 balls… Speaking of balls I'm now in Singapore filming for De Dhana Dhan… But the second I landed what was the most important thing to me - My IPL! So I called up my producer and said I don't care where I stay even if it's in the back of a kitchen, I need to watch my IPL. Bad news, my hotel didn't have the channel ;o( So what else can I do but personally find the hotel manager and fold my hands in humble request and plead and plead for what ever it takes to please get that channel. Can you imagine by the next day I was sitting in my room watching KKR vs PKXI, happy is not enough to describe how I was feeling… And wow what a season it's been, seriously I wish the best for all the teams, you have me on the edge of my seat, and I'd like to send my best regards to ShahRukh Khan's Knight Riders, they've put up a good fight so don't worry boys you will always be loved. And Preity Z she has a tremendous fighting spirit which I must say I adore, she makes us all proud. And dear Shilpa what a come back after the first match, Shane Warne and Yusuf Pathan have carried her team well, keep smiling Shilpa…

While we're on the subject of sports, as much as I love my cricket, my family has many sporting talents in them, my little girl Simar loves basket ball, and she's won matches for her school already. But seeing like most sports in India (unlike cricket) it doesn't have that much funding or backing. So I did some research that I'd like you all to check out. Look up the "Harlem Globetrotters" they are an American basket ball league that have taken everyone by storm, they are incredible at basketball but there's a twist, they go around performing the funniest comedian tricks in the arena which just leaves you with your mouth open in awe, seriously! Please check it out, coz I feel that not being a world champion at a sport doesn't mean you cant hold a place in peoples hearts with that sport, those guys are champions but it ain't always about winning, it's the taking part… So as I sign off, remember you don't have to be the Best to be Great, you just have to want to get up and take part in something. For a simple example look where it's got Shilpa, I remember when she didn't know the difference between a wicket and a stump, now she owns half a team. And my daughter Simar may not be in the NBA yet, (she's only 9) but she tries and strives to be.
So people Be a Sport, wake up and try a Sport.

With much love and support

Your Akshay…

http://akshay.bigadda.com

The Battle Is Over…

Hello Everyone…

Three down, two more movies to go this year, I almost feel like a cricketer, if I Hit two more wickets this year India's won, and if I don't then I think I'm off the team, 'He He' ;o) I'm only kidding, I aint going anywhere,coz right now I'm so happy and tension free. If you saw a picture of me two weeks ago, I looked like someone had put a gun to my head and was being forced to create world peace… But now, post 'Kambakht Ishq' I look like I've been on holiday, I haven't, but at least I look like I have. I feel great, my audiences have given me a Huge Hit, I'm back to my funny usual self, meaning I've put my head straight into another movie, yes wait for it, Sajid Khan is back with an almighty bang. We're into our 4th day of shooting 'House Full' in oh so sunny England, (seriously it rains here more than Bombay, no wonder Londoners get depressed…) I have to say even in the rain Sajid Khan is probably the funniest Indian on the planet, I can't tell you much as its too early into the film, but he's already made one of the heroines fall out of a window, he's made me destroy an entire living room and lets just say there was a parrot on set, but he doesn't flap anymore…

It's so cool here in London, no wonder there are so many NRI's here, there's a cinema on every corner, beautiful parks, loads of restaurants, and I know I'm a guy but the shopping is wicked, my family is having a ball. I've been taking my wife and son to Hyde Park everyday, even Aarav trains with me at 6 o'clock in the morning. We've hired out mountain bikes, we've been conditioning on the monkey area in the kids adventure playground, he loves it here, there's so much to do… Even though I'm buzzing with excitement, diving head first into a new movie is not an easy task. I sat one whole day with Sajid and the writer to get the feel of my new character, we didn't move from the room for 10 hours, we just ate curds to keep us alive. We just went over and over on how we're going to entertain our audience in a bigger and better way than before. Sajid has worked solidly on this movie for 2 years now since he directed 'Heyy Babyy', Now it's up to me, Ritesh D, Lara D, Deepika P, and the rest of the nutty gang to deliver Sajid's enthusiastic genius comedy timing on screen. So the pressure's back on but we're all loving it. The stories you're all gonna hear about what we've been getting up to on the sets will be hilarious enough let alone the movie at the end of it…

But for all of you who are living in Bombay, be safe, stay inside when the storms are bad, stock up on food, and take care, the rains are God's way of feeding us, just be careful…

Much love and care,
Your Akshay…

http://akshay.bigadda.com 

I m a clown not a king Akshay Kumar

I'm a clown, not a king: Akshay Kumar
By Joginder Tuteja

Mumbai, July 14 (IANS) "Kambakht Ishq" has hit the bull's eye at the box office by grossing Rs.100 crore (Rs. 1 billion) in the first week despite unfavourable reviews - and Akshay Kumar is having the last laugh. But he insists that he has no inclination of being the 'king' of Bollywood and is content playing a 'clown' for his audiences.

"Really, ever since the time it became loud and clear that 'Kambakkht Ishq' had succeeded amongst the audiences, I'm being asked if I'm marching towards the top again. My reply to them is that I'm happy living and dying being where I am and that's anywhere but on top," Akshay told IANS in an interview.

"See, I'm a clown and not a king. Once a clown, always a clown! I belong in the ring, not on the podium," said Akshay, who was deeply hurt that many of his contemporaries from the industry have been apparently trying to pull him down.

Before "Kambakkht Ishq", the 41-year-old saw a twin setback in the form of "Chandni Chowk To China" and "8X10 Tasveer". It was just apt that he announced his presence in a big way with the action-romance flick.

Eros International, the distributors of "Kambakkht Ishq", declared that the film had grossed about Rs.100 crores (Rs.1 billion) worldwide in the first week, making it one of the most successful openings in Indian cinema.

The film has grossed Rs.70 crores (Rs.700 million) in India and Rs.21 crores (Rs.210 million) overseas. And the music and digital rights of the movie have fetched Rs.10 crores (Rs.100 million) - No wonder Akshay comes down on the critics who had a field day ripping apart the film.

"Well, critics to us are like how the tax man is to everyone. We all wish they didn't exist, but they do. It's up to the people if they want someone else to make decisions for them," he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Talking about the naysayers, he said: "I know they definitely had a whale of a time with this one, didn't they? What to do? I can't force them to be nice to me and I'm not the type to put a gun to anyone's head; so let them be.

"I have faith that my audience will come and prove my work's worth. And this time they surely have and I love them for it."

Has he himself never been influenced by critics for films that feature someone else?

"Honestly speaking for myself, if I want to see a movie I will, even if all my friends say it's crap. In fact, it will only make me want to see it even more. We all don't like sugar in our tea; so why would we all like the same movies? it's simple. Trust your own judgement and not someone else's. That's all I can say," he said

Celebrate the great success Kambakkht Ishq Hit Critics Vs Audiences

Monday, July 13, 2009

This past Monday, the 6th of July, as I walked into the J.W Marriot to celebrate the great success of our film Kambakkht Ishq, after repeated congratulations, almost every journalist asked me the same two questions: 1. How does it feel now that the film has been declared a super hit ... did you expect it to be so successful? I feel euphoric. Nearly 150 films are released every year and yet only a handful can earn the tag of being a "super hit". So, yes, it makes me feel very special that I could do that, and that too with my first film.Also I am not going to be modest… YES I did expect this. I started with big dreams and expectations and believed fully in them. After months and months of sitting in isolated rooms writing, thinking about how to involve the audience, how to most impact them so that they laugh, they cry, they be entertained through the film, it is such a wonderful feeling to feel satisfied that we succeeded. 2. How do you feel about the critics not responding well to the film? To be completely honest again, the day we decided to make a film with a premise in which a watch, that would ring every hour, was accidentally left behind inside the hero's stomach, we knew we were not making a film for critical acclaim. We knew this film was, quite simply, a means to entertain the audience But I would like to respond to some of the critics who attacked this film in a very personal way, often with a strong hidden agenda. I feel I must comment, because like me, there will be more first-time filmmakers eagerly releasing their films and looking at the critics for a fair review. Critics who called the film illogical and sexist ... yet, rated a quite illogical and outrageously sexist Hollywood flick The Hangover, with four stars! The hypocrisy seems quite blatant. One is certainly allowed to his or her own personal taste, but when it is this inconsistent, one has to ask what is behind the opinions. Will due respect be given only if a film like this comes from the west or it garners $200 million before the critics in India review it. What I am trying to say is the millions of people that pack into audiences are no less intelligent or critically thinking than the few who publish their critiques in the newspapers. And, in turn, those viewers who typically show preference for "intelligent" films also seek out entertainment and emotional stimulation. So, why are both camps so disparaging of the other? I think the oppositional dichotomy established only serves to limit each one of us as a viewer. It is time critics acknowledge that this generation of filmmakers are far too cinema literate, informed and aware. I do not assume my audience any less intelligent, as the critics have implied, because they seek entertainment in a film. Trying to run down mainstream cinema feels so passe.I would like to sum up by saying we should not attempt to read more into a film than is there. There are many films that are purely intended to be an escape, but, why should an escape be any less valuable? In these times, when one cannot open a newspaper, turn on the news, or even look outside on the street without feeling the heavy weight of a tumultuous world filled with international crises, should I not be impressed if someone is able to carry me to a more up-beat emotional state with a film? We are so hesitant to deem acclaim to comedy or romantic films (which we typically reserve for "serious" dramas). Perhaps, instead, the respect awarded to any given film should be determined equally by the emotional and intellectual reactions provoked and pleasure it provides. How could we then say that the emotions of an audience of millions are any less or more relevant then the emotions of a small handful of people called "the critics"? The critics are allowed to their opinions. But, compared to the feelings and reactions of the millions of viewers, I know where my real judgment is coming from. The audience. The audience that has truly loved the film because it's not everyday (and the critics will agree too) that a film does Rs. 100 crores business worldwide in its very first week. Thank You audience. Posted by Sabbir Khan