It was time to change focus, get intense: Akshay Kumar

Mumbai, Feb 8 (IANS) Akshay Kumar is in the mood for intense and dramatic roles and will be seen as a Sikh guy trapped in the patriarchal family system in "Patiala House". He says he accepted the offer as it was completely opposite to his real life story and also because he is keen to change his funny guy image.

"It was a conscious decision to do a serious role because it's been three years since I've done something like this. The last was 'Namastey London'. I've been away from it for quite sometime now and was concentrating on comedy. So I thought of changing focus and doing something serious," Akshay told IANS in an interview.

"While playing the character, I felt that I'm playing what real people go through in life, what circumstances they face. I'm not playing just a role, it is a culmination of the lives of common people out there," added the 43-year-old.

Akshay showed his funny side in his first hit comedy "Hera Pheri", but his comedies like "Action Replayy" and "Tees Maar Khan" bombed at the box office.

Set in London, "Patiala House" sees Akshay Kumar's character Gattu trapped between his dreams and his father's aspirations for him.

The film has been directed by Nikhil Advani and co-produced by Bhushan Kumar, Mukesh Talreja, Krishan Kumar and Akshay along with his wife Twinkle Khanna.

Akshay says what attracted him to the role was that his life story was completely opposite to his character in the movie.

"My father supported all my dreams. He worked double shifts so that I could train in martial arts. So this situation was completely alien to me. I grew up with love and support from my parents. So that's why it was so endearing to play a son, who forgets his dreams for his father's," he said.

The film that also stars Anushka Sharma and Rishi Kapoor among others will see Akshay sharing screen with his real life mother-in-law Dimple Kapadia. The senior actress plays his mother in the movie and the actor said he had fun filming with her.

"Me and my mother-in-law are quite inseparable. I have more things common with her than Twinkle. Twinkle and I are totally opposite, whereas me and Dimpleji are quite similar," said the actor.

"During the entire schedule, we played cards, fooled around on youtube, she taught me sudoku (number game) and I took her to various places with my son. So it was fun. She is a fun lady," he added.

This is his first film with Anushka and he said: "Anushka has a very vital role to play in the film. She is my shoulder, my brick wall and my unconditional support in the movie. She shocked me on the sets with her expertise. There is no doubt that she will go very far," he added.

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Patiala House