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MUMBAI: Akshay Kumar is among the busiest actors in Bollywood and has a knack to be a part of multiple releases each year. Through the course of his career, he has been a part of some of India's most loved films, few of which have the potential to be spun into franchises or be developed further.
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There is emphasis being put on franchises and universes because the audience today needs a bang for their buck and if it's a film part of a reputed intellectual property, it inadvertently becomes a must watch.
These films have goodwill since they are the films that have resonated with viewers and have become part of pop-culture. Akshay Kumar has around 12 films that are already a franchise or have the potential to become franchises.
Following are the Akshay Kumar films that are franchises or can become franchises:
1. Khiladi:
The Khiladi franchise is one of Akshay Kumar's earliest franchises. It gave him the nickname of 'The Khiladi of Bollywood'. The actor has been part of numerous films of the 'Khiladi' origin, the last one being Khiladi 786. Khiladi films are high on action and have subtle humour in them. Although the franchise has been a hit and a miss on the commercial front, it is safe to say that it has enough mileage to work for the audiences of today.
2. Hera Pheri:
Hera Pheri is hands down one of the funniest films from Bollywood. The Hera Pheri franchise consists of two films, both of which are extremely popular among netizens. Memes of the films are used daily and that has given it a lot of authority. The makers have been trying to make the third part for a while now but it is under legal hassle. We would hope that the legal issues are sorted so that we have more films from the franchise.
3. Welcome:
Welcome is one of those films that instantly worked for audiences, unlike Hera Pheri which eventually became a cult. The characters in Welcome are now household names. Welcome had a sequel named Welcome Back which didn't have Akshay Kumar as a protagonist. However, the third part of the franchise is now in pre-production with him making a comeback into the franchise. It has been titled Welcome To The Jungle and it will release on Christmas 2024. It will be interesting to see how the film resonates with the audience since a lot of the iconic characters have been replaced by new ones.
4. Awara Pagal Deewana:
The fun comic-caper of the early 2000s had Akshay essay the role of Guru Gulab Khatri. The film was liked at the time of its release but over time, it also gained a cult for itself. Much like Hera Pheri, the sequel has been in contention for a while but it is sadly under legal hassle.
5. Baby:
Baby is a no-nonsense spy-drama that found unanimous appreciation. It wasn't as big a grosser as it was anticipated, but it certainly has enough in it to be spun into a franchise. The biggest USP of this film franchise would be that it is more raw, riveting and grounded compared to other commercial spy films made in the country. There are enough conflicts to keep the film franchise running.
6. Holiday:
Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty is the official remake of the Tamil blockbuster Thupakki. Akshay Kumar reprised his role of a soldier very sincerely and honestly. The film blended comedy and action so well that it was an instant favourite among moviegoers. Just like Baby, there are a lot of story conflicts that can make Holiday into a full blown movie franchise.
7. Special 26
Special 26 was a very interesting film for its time. Based on true incidents, this story of tricksters posing as CBI officers found unanimously positive feedback. It didn't open well but owing to positive word of mouth, it emerged a success. A similar kind of film of tricksters having the last laugh can act as a spiritual sequel to Special 26 and become a perfect franchise kick-starter.
8. OMG
OMG (Oh My God) already is a successful franchise with both parts emerging super-hits at the box office. The first part is about an atheist challenging the supreme powers of God while the second part is related to how God helps a believer of his who is going through one of his life's toughest phases. The franchise's unique concept has already resonated with the audience and it is safe to assume that we may get more OMG films in the years to come.
9. Rowdy Rathore
Rowdy Rathore is Akshay Kumar's most successful film of this millenium, commercially. It created a frenzy at the box office and is one of Akshay Kumar's only two blockbusters. The film about a corrupt police officer with strong moral ethics has immense sequel potential. Akshay Kumar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali were considering sequel ideas but nothing has worked out so far. For those unaware, the film is the official remake of SS Rajamouli's blockbuster Vikramarkudu.
10. Housefull
Housefull is already the joint biggest comedy franchise in India along with Golmaal, commercially. Audiences of all ages like films from this franchise. All the films have secured a verdict of Hit or better which is great for the prospects of the fifth installment of the franchise which is set to go on floors by year end, for a Diwali 2024 release. The film's casting is still not final.
11. Sooryavanshi:
Rohit Shetty's cop-universe needs no introduction. It is among the biggest intellectual properties in India and is going to grow further with Singham Again. Akshay Kumar reprises the role of Veer Sooryavanshi and will be seen in almost every cop-film from the universe going forward. Sooryavanshi's sequel shall be happening soon as well.
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12. Jolly LLB
Akshay Kumar acted in Jolly LLB's sequel titled Jolly LLB 2. The story revolves around a small advocate named Jolly who fights for the needy and deprived, against strong legal and political forces. It has a good blend of comedy and drama. Arshad Warsi who essayed the role of Jolly in the first installment expressed his desire to return in Jolly LLB 3 along with Akshay Kumar. We may get a third installment if things work out.
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Credits - Pinkvilla
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