Akshay: I've become a Katrina fan after 'Sooryavanshi'

MUMBAI: Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar is back sharing big screen space with Katrina Kaif in Rohit Shetty's upcoming cop action feature "Sooryavanshi", for the first time since their 2010 dud "Tees Maar Khan". Akshay insists he has become a big fan of Katrina after working together in their new film.

"There is one scene in which Katrina has performed so beautifully that after the shot I have become a big fan of her and her acting talent. Earlier, I was admirer of her beauty but after this film, I have become admirer of her acting. She has done a brilliant job in this film. When she started off, she didn't know a single word of Hindi but today she is working with big stars of this industry," said Akshay, at the trailer launch of "Sooryavanshi" also attended by Katrina, along with Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh, who have very special cameos in the film as Bajirao Singham of the "Singham" films and Sangram Bhalerao of "Simmba" respectively. Director Rohit Shetty and co-producer Karan Johar were also present at the do on Monday in Mumbai.

Akshay Kumar plays the title role of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Veer Sooryavanshi, who heads the Anti-Terrorism Squad in the film. "I have worked in almost 135 films but this is the first time, I am seeing such a huge crowd at the trailer launch of my film. I think Rohit (Shetty) saab has made a good and huge film. I hope that everyone will like this film. Ajay (Devgn) is an old friend. We both started our career together. Both of us were competing for his first film 'Phool Aur Kaante'. I was the first choice it but then he (Ajay Devgn) replaced me. We have done many films together," he said.

Akshay has played a police officer in several films. How does it feel to play a new cop avatar in his latest? "It feels nice. It's not just about the police uniform, but whenever I wear any uniform -- be it of an Army officer, a Navy officer or Air Force office -- it feels very nice. There is dignity attached to every uniform. I feel very fortunate that we (actors) get the opportunity to do various kinds of roles in our career, so I feel very proud about it," he replied.

There is a line in the trailer that Akshay's utters, which goes: "This work will be done by the one and only kameena Sangram Bhalerao". The reference is to Ranveer Singh's protagonist in Rohit Shetty's earlier cop action flick "Simmba", which went onto become a blockbuster upon release in December 2018, and which cast Ranveer as a cop who will go to any wicked extent to ensure justice.

When a reporter asked Ranveer if he is the real 'kameena' (wicked person) of Bollywood, Akshay answered on Ranveer's behalf: "It is a dialogue in the film and it is not about the film fraternity. It is not correct on your part to ask a question like this so, I would request you not to ask these questions."

"Sooryavanshi" is directed by Rohit Shetty and written by Sajid-Farhad. It is the fourth installment of Shetty's cop universe after two "Singham" films and "Simmba". The cast also features Gulshan Grover, Abhimanyu Singh, Niharica Raizada, Jackie Shroff, Sikandar Kher, Nikitin Dheer and Vivan Bhatena.

"Sooryavanshi" is scheduled to release in India on March 24.

Presented by Reliance Entertainment, the film is produced by Shetty, Karan Johar, Aruna Bhatia, Hiroo Yash Johar and Apoorva Mehta.