After Selfiee’s debacle, what should Akshay Kumar do to get back into the top league? Trade experts share their views: “He should do hardcore action films; it’ll be great to see him in the Dhoom series”

By Fenil Seta -

March 2, 2023 - 4:30 PM IST

Last month, the film industry was in celebration mode after Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan opened to record collections. This month, the mood has turned depressing. First, Shehzada failed to entice and now Selfiee’s box office performance has shocked the industry. Despite starring Akshay Kumar in the lead, it opened at just Rs. 2.55 crores. It barely crossed the Rs. 10 crores mark in the weekend. Sadly, for Akshay Kumar, this is his fifth consecutive theatrical flop, that too in less than 365 days.

After Selfiee’s debacle, what should Akshay Kumar do to get back into the top league? Trade experts share their views: “He should do hardcore action films; it’ll be great to see him in the Dhoom series”

We asked trade experts what Akshay Kumar should do to get back into the top league. Trade analyst Atul Mohan advised, “Actors, in general, should stop city tours. As for Akshay Kumar, He should do hardcore action films. He should stop doing routine stuff.” He thinks his next film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, co-starring Tiger Shroff, can be promising as “it is projected as an action movie.” He also added, “It’ll be great to see him in the Dhoom series. Pre-pandemic, there were reports that he’ll be doing Dhoom 4.”

With Selfiee being a remake, many feel that remakes should be a strict no for him. Atul Mohan disagreed, “Remakes played a major role in reviving Akshay Kumar’s career. Rowdy Rathore (2012), Holiday – A Soldier Is Never Off Duty (2014), Gabbar Is Back (2015) etc were all remakes.” He added, “The correction is absolutely necessary for him. He will need to focus on things like project viability.”

Film exhibitor and distributor Akshaye Rathi wished the best for Akshay Kumar, “I really hope that going forward, things go back to normal very quickly. I also hope that the films that Akshay Kumar chooses have theatrical worthiness, which I am sure will come into play. Whenever times and people’s preferences have changed, he’s one of the earliest adapters to new genres and new styles of filmmaking. From being an action hero to doing love stories to comedies to social entertainers, he adapts very quickly. So, it’s only a matter of time.”

Akshaye Rathi continued, “Many of Akshay Kumar’s recent films were made before the pandemic or during the pandemic when the industry was trying to figure out the audiences’ preferences. Now that things are clearer, I am sure he’ll hit the bullseye very soon.”

Trade veteran Taran Adarsh remembered, “I have had the fortune of being on the sets of his very first film, Saugandh (1991), in Pune. He has come a long way. He has evolved as an actor and has always been a professional and a producer’s actor.”

To the cynics, his advice was, “Don’t undermine any 90s actor, be it Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar or Ajay Devgn. Please don’t start writing obituaries.”

He also disagreed with the idea floated around that Akshay Kumar’s next release should be the much more viable and safe project, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, “That’s wrong. What is the fault of those three producers (of Soorarai Pottru remake, OMG Oh My God 2 and Capsule Gill)?”

Raj Bansal, the owner of Entertainment Paradise in Jaipur, also said, “I won’t agree to it. He just has to take a break.”

Akshaye Rathi signed off by saying, “It should be about rebuilding the connect with the pulse of the audience and their evolving taste. You need to be ahead of the curve rather than with the times. You need to anticipate the mood that people would be in when the film is up for release rather than when it’s being made. Akshay Kumar is aware of the ground realities and is also one of the astute businessman. He might be taking a king’s share of revenue but also makes sure that the value chain also makes money. With a career of 3 decades, going by the form that he’s in and the drive he has, I am sure more than a decade lying ahead!”

Also Read: Akshay Kumar takes the blame for his films not working; says, “It is my fault, 100%”