2023 to be a turnaround year for fitter and dapper Akshay Kumar; likely to breach Rs. 200 crore club again due to his versatility

December 7, 2022 - 10:02 AM IST

Akshay Kumar has over the years gone from being one of Bollywood’s foremost action starts, to being one of the most bankable and prolific actors. With multiple releases each year, Kumar has not only reinforced his claim at the top, but has also become one of the most sought after actors. While there certainly will be a few naysayers who claim that the superstar’s dream run has ended, his long line of films proves otherwise. In fact, in 2022 Kumar featured in five films, viz. Bachchhan Paandey, Samrat Prithviraj, Raksha Bandhan, Ram Setu and the OTT release Cuttputli. Similarly, in 2023 Akshay, who off late has been sporting a new leaner dapper look has a line-up of five releases four of which will hit the big screens and one releasing on OTT. But what can we expect from the actor’s films at the box office is what Bollywood Hungama takes a look at.

2023 to be a turnaround year for fitter and dapper Akshay Kumar; likely to breach Rs. 200 crore club again due to his versatility

Selfiee (Feb 2023): Starting the year with a bang is Akshay Kumar first release in the form of Selfiee. Co-starring Emraan Hashmi, Nushrratt Bharuccha and Diana Penty the film which was announced earlier this year is being helmed by Raj Mehta who gave us films like Good Newwz and JugJugg Jeeyo. Given Mehta’s repertoire of work and the fact that Selfiee features two massive names viz. Akshay and Emraan the film is being touted to be one of the biggest releases of 2023. Adding the business of the film at the box office is the wide release window it enjoys. Slated to release on February 24, 2023 Selfiee see a clear run at the box off till the Ajay Devgn starrer Bholaa releases on March 30. Given the scale that Selfiee is being mounted on, and the anticipation for the film, trade predictions claim that the venture could possibly be one of the biggest openers of 2023.

Capsule Gill: Coming back to doing, what he does best; Akshay Kumar will be seen headlining the cast of Capsule Gill. Based on real life events and situations the film, which is a biopic of sorts, will see the actor returning to social-drama, which have proved to be box office success in the past. As trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, “Akshay has definitely not limited or stereotyped himself in 2023; he has an array of films in varied genres, proving that he can be rather versatile”.

Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (December 2023): After kick-starting 2023 with Selfiee, Akshay Kumar will end the year with an equally big if not bigger blockbuster. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, which is said to be an action entertain with Ali Abbas Zafar heading the project is building up to be one of the biggest releases of the year. In fact, given the current trend and buzz surrounding this venture that features Akshay Kumar alongside Tiger Shroff, the film could easily turn out to be one of the highest grossers of 2023.

OMG! Oh My God 2: Apart from big-ticket entertainers and a though provoking social-drama that is sure to pull some chords, 2023 will also see Akshay Kumar in a franchise film. OMG! Oh My God 2 will see the actor taking centre stage in a different avatar. Given Akshay’s characterisation for the film, and the fact that the second instalment comes on the wings of a hugely successful first that still remains fresh in the audiences’ minds, trade estimates that OMG 2 will eventually be one of the long run ventures that outlast new releases.

Veer Daudale Saat: Akshay Kumar is just proving that he is quite literally the master of all. Delving into regional cinema with Veer Daudale Saat, Akshay will be seeing playing the role of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Though a regional film, Veer Daudale Saat is expected to be a massive money spinner. Given the fact that the territory Mumbai/ Maharashtra usually make up for a major chunk of Bollywood release revenue, chances of the Mahesh Manjrekar directorial hitting the box office bulls eye are higher than ever. “This will be another first for Akshay. He is not limiting himself to doing the same thing repeatedly. If you look at his line up, they include a mix of everything, and the fact that he is working with directors he has not worked with in the past is sure to help bring out something new”, says Taran Adarsh.

Startup (OTT): Away from the big screen, Akshay will also be capturing the OTT audience with the Soorarai Pottru remake titled Startup. While in 2022 Akshay was seen in Cuttputli on OTT, continuing his foray into the OTT space the actor is slowly establishing a base. Interestingly, given the recent trend of south remakes doing well, case in point Drishyam 2, it is being predicted that the Soorarai Pottru remake could see a similar trend.

All in all, Akshay Kumar is set to have a stellar 2023, with varied films in equally varied genres. “Akshay Kumar is certainly making all the right moves, from choosing different films across different genres; he has a presence in almost all sectors of the entertainment industry. Besides this, he also has very different roles in each of the films, so expect something new in each”, concludes Taran Adarsh.

Also Read: UNVEILED! First look of Akshay Kumar as Shree Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Vedat Marathe Veer Daudle Saat out! Watch