Akshay Kumar tells us his new drama, Holiday, is a hard-hitting take on terrorism that’s unlike any other Bollywood film out there.
Can you tell us a little bit about the movie Holiday?
Our director, the legend himself, [A R ] Murugadoss, has created a story that will have you looking over your shoulder as you leave the cinema. The film is thought-provoking and very relevant to this day and age.
Your co-star Sonakshi Sinha plays a boxer. Did she come to you for fitness or training tips?
No, Sonakshi did it all by herself. As a martial arts and fitness enthusiast, I must admit that she did a great job – and achieved a good right hook. I’ve always helped guide her with training techniques, but she’s the type of person who needs to do things on her own terms.
You’ve worked in five films with Sinha. How has it been?
Sonakshi has a great approach to her work, which makes it easy and enjoyable for everyone around her.
How was it on sets with A R Murugadoss?
Murugadoss is definitely a man of many ideas. He has the mind of a deadly viper, I swear, but he is quite gentle when he isn’t thinking up a terrorist plot. He is a visionary director and has handled the subject sensibly and with a lot of thought and grace.
The movie is a remake of the 2012 Tamil blockbuster Thuppakki. Will the Hindi version be true to the original?
What a lot of people don’t realise is that I signed the film before the Tamil version was even made. Because of my dates, the director asked if he could make the Tamil version first.
In the film you portray an officer from India’s Defence Intelligence Agency. What sort of research was required to prepare for the role?
This film promotes patriotism; it is all about my character’s great love of his home city, Mumbai. We had to do a lot of research because it is not your typical Bollywood film. Sleeper cells are interesting – they can be used by special forces to protect the city or they can be used by terrorists to destroy it. But I didn’t consider it as research, more of an opportunity to open my eyes to any suspicious activity. It was brilliant, in all honesty.
With your background in martial arts, do you prefer doing action films?
This is what I love about acting most – the versatility. I have been lucky to be able to play various roles during my acting career, but my smile is at its biggest when I’m in action mode.
Was there any challenging sequence or an action scene that you enjoyed shooting the most?
We had one of the best stunt teams in the world. The well-known British stuntman and action director Greg Powell and his trusty team of talented ninjas, as I call them, were awesome to work with. They taught me things that people in Bollywood take for granted – how to hold a gun correctly, for instance. My favourite scene is the underground fight sequence in a deserted kitchen. It was so raw and unbelievably real. I was battered, but enjoyed every bit of it.
Can you tell us about your look in the movie?
I play a no-nonsense army intelligence officer. But there’s a lot more to him than that. The film does a good job of showcasing the character’s flaws. This leads my character into some pretty tense situations.
What other movies of yours are scheduled for release this year?
It's Entertainment is out on August 8; the films Baby and Gabbar will be released early next year.
Will Baby be filmed in Abu Dhabi?
Yes, it will be shot in Abu Dhabi. I adore Abu Dhabi and Dubai – it's home away from home. I love the people, the cultural sites, the sports, the food and the weather. I can't wait to come back again soon. It's gonna be hot, but nothing will get in the way of Baby.
• Holiday is out in UAE cinemas on June 5
aahmed@thenational.ae
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National photo project
Chris Whiteoak, a photographer at The National, spent months taking some of Jacqui Allan's props around the UAE, positioning them perfectly in front of some of the country's most recognisable landmarks. He placed a pirate on Kite Beach, in front of the Burj Al Arab, the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland at the Burj Khalifa, and brought one of Allan's snails (Freddie, which represents her grandfather) to the Dubai Frame. In Abu Dhabi, a dinosaur went to Al Ain's Jebel Hafeet. And a flamingo was taken all the way to the Hatta Mountains. This special project suitably brings to life the quirky nature of Allan's prop shop (and Allan herself!).
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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More Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions:
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Match info
Costa Rica 0
Serbia 1
Kolarov (56')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
SQUADS
South Africa:
JP Duminy (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, Robbie Frylinck, Beuran Hendricks, David Miller, Mangaliso Mosehle (wkt), Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed
Fixtures
Oct 26: Bloemfontein
Oct 29: Potchefstroom
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 5 (Lenglet 2', Vidal 29', Messi 34', 75', Suarez 77')
Valladolid 1 (Kiko 15')
More from Armen Sarkissian
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
FORSPOKEN
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Company%20of%20Heroes%203
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Suicide%20Squad%3A%20Kill%20the%20Justice%20League
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Diablo%20IV
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Baldur's%20Gate%203
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Marvel's%20Spider-Man%202
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Assassin's%20Creed%20Mirage
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Starfield
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
