In a recent remark, Akshay Kumar stated that he wants to be the sun and not a star, which drew attention. It queried whether it was a subtle sneer at Shah Rukh Khan, who has been always referring to himself as “the last of the stars.”
Whereas SRK has been enjoying the whirlwind of back-to-back blockbusters Pathaan and Jawan, the recent releases of Akshay have failed to achieve their commercial success, a couple of them barely scraping over Rs 5 crore on opening days.
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Akshay’s use of the star and sun example may be proof that he seeks to be a constant, ongoing presence in the industry—he doesn’t want to be a fly-by-night but a constant presence.
Others have taken it to mean insecurity with SRK’s consistent box office success. Whatever the case may be, however, Akshay’s ability to reinvent himself and grow with changing tastes in Bollywood still astounds.
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Whether the statement was at the expense of SRK or not, it reflects the changing orientation of the industry. With movies based on content and OTT taking a call on what being a star looks-like, these two actors are walking this new ground in their own ways.
In the end, Akshay’s utterance seems more of what he wants to accomplish himself rather than throwing an insult at somebody else. It is just another chapter in the ever-changing terrain of Bollywood.
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