‘Acceptance is all’

[1]

Every time there is a big-ticket release, the industry goes abuzz with how much moolah it will rake in and staggering figures like 100 crores and 200 crores are thrown around. For Akshay Kumar, however, the star of the soon-to-be-released Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobara, acceptance is what matters the most.
He says, “From my biggest releases to the smallest of advertisements, no matter what I do, I always pray for its acceptance more than anything. You’d be surprised if I tell you how much acceptance means to a performer; it’s almost like an award in itself. It may not be given as a trophy on stage but when people actually enjoy what you have done, it doesn’t compare to any amount of financial success.”
Speaking of his own cinematic journey that has been replete with ups and downs, Akshay says, “I have had some releases that have raked money but weren’t exactly loved so much along the way. I have had other extremely appreciated films with memorable performances that have gone almost unnoticed at the box office. Now you tell me — which ones do you think made me feel like a true actor? The successful forgetful ones or the adored unfortunate flops?”
Akshay is keen to see how people react to OUATIMD. “I am more interested to see how people react to mine and Milan Luthria’s version of a love-struck villain. A lot of people think that the collections speak for a film’s acceptance. I disagree. It’s one thing getting the audience to the cinema hall, which is of course a job well done, but getting everyone to love your work is something else altogether. I strive for that,” he says.