Akshay Kumar

What do you think about the music of Tashan?

I love the track Dil Dance Maare... It has a Bhojpuri flavour. I have never heard something like that, it’s a great dance number. There is another romantic number Falak Tak. It’s a great travel song shot in Ladakh, Rajasthan, Kerala and a little bit of it in Mumbai. These are the two songs which are my favourite.

What was it like working with stylist Aki Narula?

While doing my clothing and styling, Aki Narula has worked on the smallest details. Aki’s styling was very cool and stylish yet he was very real and in the character. I loved my look in the film and it really works for my character Bachchan Pande.

What made you decide to do this film?

To begin with, the fact that it was a Yash Raj film excited me. I have not worked with them for a long time... It’s been a gap of 12 to 13 years (after Yeh Dillagi). The second thing was the script — it really excited me to do the film. And, of course, my character Bachchan Pande — it was something I hadn’t played before. It is great masala and is complete in every way. Tashan is very character-driven and the story has a great graph. It is unconventional and that is what excited me.

Can you tell us something about the character you play in the film?

I play the character of Bachchan Pande who is from Kanpur who accidentally happens to watch two/three films like The Godfather and gets very inspired! He works for a recovery agency as a recovery agent and how this character falls in love is what it is all about.

How was it working with first-time director Vijay Krishna Acharya?

I think he has a great sense of scripting. He has scripted many good films like Guru and the Dhoom films. I was sure he would make his own film in a great way. It was fun working with him. He has a great sense of humour and we really got along very well. He is a north Indian and so am I... so we kind of have the same kind of humour.

The good thing about him is that he gives his actors and his characters a lot of space. He tells them to perform and places his camera according to that... it’s not like we have to look at the camera and act. Instead, in his case, it’s like the actor has to perform and the camera is supposed to catch him. We were really free when we were working with him. We were not feeling claustrophobic because he allowed us to move freely. I hope I get a chance to work with him again.

What was it like working with action director Peter Hinnes and doing an action film after a long time?

Peter Hinnes is from Vietnam. He has settled in South India and works in South Indian films. He is the most well-known action director there. He’s not worked in many Hindi films but wherever he has worked, he has done a great job.... The action of Tashan is very realistic. He made me do a little bit of Parkour in this film. I had to learn it because I am not that well-trained in it. He got this idea when I showed him some of my stunts. The little bit of Parkour is also one of the highlights of the film.

While performing we were having so much fun. If you see the fight, it’s more of a choreography, because of the environment we created. It was great working with Peter.

Akshay Kumar with Kareena Kapoor in Tashan

What is your “tashan factor”?

My tashan is my own attitude and attitude towards life. I think tashan stands for style and I think it’s ‘me’! That’s what tashan means to me.

Any memorable incidents during the shoot of the film?

The entire film has been memorable... shooting in a difficult terrain like Ladakh. Because of the high altitude, a lot of people had fallen sick, despite which the shoot continued. Then we shot in Rajasthan in extreme heat and we still had to wear a jacket! Anil Kapoor had to wear long coats and I am sure it was memorable for him too! Then when we went to Kerala it just did not stop raining and we had to take many breaks in-between shots. The director and the entire crew worked very hard to complete the shoot.

After a long time I was working with Saif Ali Khan, my kid brother, and Kareena with whom I have worked very often. And of course Mr Kapoor! It’s my second movie with him and so it was a lot of fun working with all of them.