Akshay Kumar: My wife better pay me a salary

Congratulations, your wife, Twinkle Khanna, just launched her first movie production house.

I know right!! Times are changing and for the better! If there is one thing I can promise, it's that my wife will bring a whole new light to the meaning of progressive opinions, regression, culture and the future with her own magical 'Funny Bone'. Proud doesn't come close to how I feel about her passion for change, I'm more than behind her, I'm in awe of her!

You already had three existing banners. Why did Twinkle feel the need for another?
Twinkle has and always will be an independent woman. She is not a trophy wife and nor am I a trophy husband for her. Throughout our marriage, she has continued to keep her individuality and independence intact. Once she gave up acting, she steered towards interior designing. She has her own company, 'The White Window', that's been running for years, as well as a family company, The FarAway Tree. Now she is a successful author and 'Mrs Funnybones' is her new identity. When she felt the need to make films she believes in, she decided to float her own production house. She is the most forward-thinking person I know. She has my support, encouragement as well as millions who follow her sentiments. She will do nothing but good in her new-found position. All I can urge is for people to watch this space.

Are you also happy to take a salary from her?
Happy? My wife better give me a salary, no one else is gonna buy her congratulatory diamonds for making her films. She needs to pay me so that I can pamper her! In fact, I'm looking forward to working under her. I not only want to be a doting husband but also an ideal actor who fits in with her vision. That is my New Year resolution. She is going to give me a run for my money for sure.
Your next film, 'Jolly LLB 2', is a slice-of life comedy on the working of the Indian courts. Why didn't your wife step in to produce it given her banner is going to make films with wry wit?
'Jolly LLB 2' is a sequel to the hugely popular 'Jolly LLB' (2013) and filmmaker Subhash Kapoor's brainchild. Subhash was a journalist before he became a filmmaker and he normally works on his own ideas. He already had a producer on board when he approached me so there was no question of Twinkle or anyone else coming on board.

The first had Arshad as Jolly, the second has you as Jolly. Isn't that odd?
All I can say is that had there been no Arshad there would be no Jolly. The franchise is hugely indebted to him. He did such a brilliant role as the protagonist in part one and set the premise for me or anyone else playing Jolly in the sequels.

On a recent televison chat show Aamir Khan confessed he wants to ask you for tips on how to make money. What do you say?

Ha, trust the highest grossing actor to want to ask me such a question! Unfortunately I'm on an outdoor shoot, with limited access to television, so am unaware of his statement and wouldn't want to comment on anything unbeknown to me. My only tip for anyone is if you want to earn more, then make more.

Here I must confess that I like all the three Khans- Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir who have a die-hard fan following and the secret ingredients needed to make movies a billion-rupee industry annually.

But for some reason they seem to be taking it slow. Even I find it hard to wait so long for their films to release. I'm glad that Salman and Shah Rukh have started doing at least two films annually because I genuinely look forward to their movies. It is brilliantly intense that someone like Aamir (earlier even SRK) released only one film a year sometimes, but I miss them on the big screen. I can only imagine how their fans feel.

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