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How is Akshay Kumar able to maintain his PR status? So we have bollywood for company! That is news to me.

Hot star loves the cold


PRITHI YELAJA
STAFF REPORTER

Even padding around in his pyjamas with a stubbly face, Akshay Kumar looks every inch the Bollywood movie star he is.

He had slept in yesterday to recover from jet lag at the Oakville home of the man he considers his godfather, Ajay Virmani, the Mississauga founder and CEO of Cargojet.

It was Virmani who persuaded Kumar, the veteran of 100 films, to fly to Toronto from Mumbai to headline a sold-out fundraiser for Trillium Health Centre last night.

"He is a father figure to me. I can't refuse him anything," says Kumar, who met Virmani during a film shoot in Toronto.

The show featured a glitzy lineup that also included Lara Dutta, a former Miss Universe and Bollywood actress, Ruby Bhatia, a Mumbai TV host, and Sukhbir, a.k.a. the "prince of bhangra." All of them did the show for free.

Coming to Toronto is like coming home for Kumar, 38, who became a permanent resident of Canada in 2001.

"Canada is a great country," he says. "It's my second home."

He owns a condo on Lake Shore Blvd. where he spends a few days every few months to "chill" from his jet-set life.

"I love the people here," says Kumar, who can travel around the city virtually unrecognized, unlike Mumbai, where he is mobbed by adoring fans wherever he goes.

The fundraiser was just a pit stop in Kumar's jam-packed Bollywood-style schedule, which involves flying around the world to shoot on location, sometimes juggling half a dozen movies at a time.

He was in New York earlier this week shooting Janeman with Preity Zinta and Salman Khan.

Then it was off to Mumbai for a couple of days to help put the finishing touches on Garam Masala with John Abraham, slated to open in India next month.

"It's a comedy with my character dating five different women at the same time. They're all air hostesses who work with different airlines. It's my flashback mode, acting in that role, " he says with a chuckle.

The storyline parallels Kumar's life in his bachelor days, where his love life made him prime fodder for Bollywood gossip. Back then, he dated virtually every one of his female co-stars, including Pooja Bhatra, Raveena Tandon and Rekha.

"Everybody has their wild period, and after that you settle down," says Kumar, who married into Bollywood royalty when he wed actress Twinkle Khanna — daughter of Dimple Kapadia and Rajesh Khanna — in 2001. They have a son, Aarav, 3.

Not only is Kumar forgoing his usual $100,000 fee to appear at the fundraiser, he is also writing a cheque to the hospital for $51,000 — a round number plus one is considered auspicious for Hindus — to be used for cancer services.

It's a cause close to Kumar's heart. His father died of prostate cancer in 2000.

Kumar also acts as Special Olympics ambassador for India and works to help raise awareness of heart disease in the country.

But his family roots are far from the glitter of India's film industry.

Rajiv Bhatia, Kumar's real name, was born in New Delhi in 1967 into a middle-class family. His father was an accountant with UNICEF, his mother a housewife.

In 1984, he went to Bangkok to learn martial arts while working as a waiter to support himself.

He's put that training to good use in his movies, in acrobatic fight scenes that have earned him a reputation as the Bruce Lee of India.

Kumar was earning 5,000 rupees a month teaching martial arts in Mumbai when a makeup artist told him he should model. His first modelling gig paid 15,000 rupees for 90 minutes' work.

"I couldn't believe the whole ratio, making that much money just for posing, turning this way and that way," he says.

Soon after, a Bollywood scout noticed him.

He made his film debut in Saugandh in 1991, and in 2001, he won a Filmfare award for best villain for his role in Ajnabee.

He's looking forward to shooting Family, acting alongside Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachan, in December.

Kumar has already done six films with Bachan, whom he describes as a "great guy and a delight to work with."

Though Kumar plans to continue acting for several more years, when he decides to call it a career, he plans to retire in Canada.

"I love living in cold places. I really like the snow!"

How is Akshay Kumar able to maintain his PR status?

Maybe he works full time for a canadian business????

The question still remains : How is he able to maintain his PR status?

Akshay says: \\\"\\\"I love the people here,\\\" says Kumar, who can travel around the city virtually unrecognized, unlike Mumbai, where he is mobbed by adoring fans wherever he goes.\\\"

what??? Did he ever try going to gerrard street....he would be stampeded by crazy females within minutes..

Another quote from AK: \\\"I love living in cold places. I really like the snow!\\\"\\\"
well, buddy...perhaps you havent spent January and February in Canada..have you?


coming back to the question about his PR status..

well, many theories coming to my mind..But, one of the popular ones is about AK, ex-girlfriend and the lady immigration officer..enough said!!

seenappa

Seenappa,

Filmi dimaag sure you have ! You could make a good Hindi/Hollywood film writer.

Try that as a career in Canada. You could be rolling in millions !



Thanks & rgds.

Rajan.

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Let's make India a better place !

Thanks Rajan,

I guess, this is my chance to be the 'Subhash Jha' of canada.

The next time i bump into Akshay on the streets of Toronto, i will put on my best south indian accent and say 'Please saaar.....tell me know, how you maintain your PR status..because i am your bestestt fan.'

regards,

seenappa

Jha or Ghai?

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I once made a mistake, but I was wrong about it.