Two thunderbirds and a throne
Akshay – Shah Rukh: Who is hot, who is not?
Umesh Jivnani
(with support from Maria and Niloufer Irani)
Success: deceptive, short-lived and eternally seductive.
Many strive for it, but only a few have the great fortune and privilege of achieving this exalted and exclusive status.
Life time, sweat, tolls and tears are often essential in the relentless pursuit of this almost unattainable ideal.
Stardom: a glittering cape that only a select few will ever be able to wear.
Stars for most purposes glitter on the cinematic firmament, shine brightly for a while, and then fade into obscurity.
But mega-stars, or at least their influence, power and presence, last much longer.
Number One: the ultimate recognition for any star. The honorific title changes constantly, but the prestige that accompanies it lingers for eons, or so it seems.
From time to time, the industry goes through a phase when there is not one number one hero, but two powerful contenders for the coveted throne.
Currently, both Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan are firmly set on the coveted, much-vaunted number one throne.
Both have had huge hits. Shah Rukh scored hugely in the box office numbers with the runaway hit Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Akshay Kumar proved to be an equally expert and unerring brand name with the unprecedented success of Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi.
Currently, these two guys are swimming at the top. The crème de la crème of Tinseltown's filmmakers are knocking on their doors, offering the choicest and most expensive offers.
Both Akshay and Shah Rukh are hugely crazy with fans, the talk of the town for journalists and are in profitable, saleable negotiations with producers.
Both are currently commanding phenomenal prices.
Both are considered to be very professional and dedicated actors.
The only difference is that while Shah Rukh is an acting star, Akshay is an action star.
Since it is so hard to choose between them, Showtime decided to talk to a wide range of filmmakers, producers and distributors to find out how they feel about this matter.
Their views…
Pahlaj Nihalani
(Producer) – Aankhen 1993, Andaz 1994, Dil Tera Diwana 1996, Uljhan 2001, Talaash 2003
Stars are very temporary. They rise fast and they fall almost as fast. It is the actor who stays longer. Granted, they don't reach the dizzying heights or experience the adoration of fans that stars do, but they are remembered longer. It is important to be a good actor to be successful, otherwise the downfall will be much faster. Akshay and Shah Rukh are undoubtedly at the top today, but I don't think they are actors. They are just stars and they have to prove themselves before anyone calls them actors. Akshay is more in demand today because his films are doing well. Shah Rukh was at the top before that. Akshay is definitely more marketable, but I don't know how long he can stay there. I have not seen any of Akshay's films but I heard he suffered pain during his action scenes. He watches all the foreign films and tries the same in his films. It is him and not the stunt director who goes around looking for new stunts to imitate.
Akshay has fought his way to the top and he knows exactly what the audience wants. He is willing to experiment. That is his plus point but Shah Rukh is happy to do his kind of art films which will not take him anywhere because the audience likes commercial films. Shah Rukh is not willing to take the risk and accept films from filmmakers he does not know. He only wants to work with people with whom he has a close bond. Shah Rukh is also very repetitive which is a disadvantage. Shah's positive aspect is that he can try different things but he does not want to. Shah's films flopped perhaps because people were tired of seeing him do the same things over and over again. He can do action films himself. It is important to be a fantastic dancer and fighter to survive in the industry. If Shah Rukh continues on this path of doing limited films and that too only with people he likes, then Akshay will definitely leave him behind. Akshay is more popular with the masses. I have not worked with either Akki or Shah Rukh, but when the time comes, maybe.
Rajiv Rai
(Producer and Director) Vishwatma 1992, Mohra 1994, Gupt 1997, Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat 2001, Asambhav 2004
For me, a good actor is someone who can give me what I want - dance well, fight well and basically fit the role. So, I generally do not differentiate between an actor and a star. I leave the analysis to the emotive directors. I am a commercial filmmaker and have no qualms about admitting it. Talking about Akshay and Shah Rukh, I would not like to give them any special numbers. I have never believed in the numbers game. If you talk about stars in terms of success, Govinda and Ajay Devgan are also equally successful. I have worked with Akshay in Mohra and I find him a very good actor. His main plus point is that he is a very hard-working guy. And sure, he is extremely good-looking. Akshay wins 50% of his battles on screen because of his amazing good looks. I heard about Shah Rukh again, he is a director's delight. I have never worked with him but from what I know he is a very committed actor I think. Actually both Akshay and Shah Rukh have a lot in common. Except that Akshay has a slightly glamorous image whereas Shah Rukh is more of the intense side. Basically it is a "climbing to the top" for both of them. In the future I see them delivering a lot of hits. Both are equally good. The sky is the limit for them.
Keshu Ramsey
(Producer) Haveli 1985, Saaya 1989, Ashaant 1993, Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi 1996, Khiladi 2000, Khakee 2004, Insan 2005, Family Ties of Blood 2006
As the years go by, I think it is the stars who have become more successful than the actors. I think it is more important to be successful than to be a good actor, when a hero is successful, everything works out for him. Today is definitely the time for action heroes. I agree that today Shah Rukh and Akshay are the hottest stars. Definitely. Right now, as far as I am concerned, Akshay is far more saleable than Shah Rukh. Between Akshay, who is a star, and Shah Rukh, who is an actor, I would bet more on the star, but on the other hand, both Shah Rukh and Akshay are equal, I think. Akshay's best performances for me so far have been in Sabse Bada Khiladi and in Yeh Dillagi. Shah Rukh's best performance was in Chaahat. He was excellent in that film. I don't think one is better than the other. Both are good at their jobs. Akshay and Shah Rukh are both equally good. I think Shah Rukh is an actor for the director. On the other hand for Akshay, I think action scenes and dancing are his strengths. At this point in his career, he should do all kinds of roles because people want to see him in every role. He shouldn't leave anything out. Comparatively, Shah Rukh's weak point is action but he is fabulous in emotional and dramatic scenes. Akshay is also good in emotional scenes and he has improved a lot with time. I feel that some of Shah Rukh's past films have not done so well because they are all the same colour. There was a lot of sameness in all those films. Shah Rukh has done better in lighter films like DDLJ than in his action films. He should definitely do more such roles. Both are dedicated actors but I know more about Akshay as I have worked with him. He is extremely hard working and dedicated. For a 7 am shoot, he will be there at 6.45 am. Akshay is definitely more popular with the masses than Shah Rukh. I don't think marriage has affected Shah Rukh's popularity because he entered the scene already married. Given a choice, I would only work with Akshay and no one else because he is a fabulous person and we fit well together as a team.
Balkrishna Shroff
(Distributor - Shringar Films [now Fame India Ltd.])
Over the years, the popular star has definitely become more successful than the actor. Actors like Sanjeev Kumar were brilliant but still Amitabh was more successful as a hero. But today the scene has changed. Today the filmmakers are more important than the stars. Today no star can guarantee the success of a film. Today Akshay and Shah Rukh are definitely gigantic. I cannot say who is more market-enhancing at the moment because it is the filmmaker they work with that counts. I would bet on both of them. If Shah Rukh does a Yash Chopra film, he will definitely be hot. Akshay's good performances have been Sabse Bada Khiladi and Yeh Dillagi. Shah Rukh's best performance so far has been in Baazigar. I think he was good in Chaahat, in the bits and pieces I have seen of the film. Shah Rukh is full of talent. He needs a strong director to control him, otherwise he tends to overact. Akshay's strong points are his dance and action scenes, but he must avoid working with mediocre directors. The reason Shah Rukh's last few films didn't do well was because they were bad films. I don't think Shah Rukh should avoid action films because he is a very flexible person as an actor and this flexibility is very good for action films. Both of them work very hard and are dedicated. I think their popularity changes with the success of their last films, earlier it was Shah Rukh with DDLJ and now it is Akshay with KKK. I don't think Akshay will be successful with negative roles. He shouldn't even try. Both action and romance heroes have their own place. Over the years both have survived side by side. I don't think Shah Rukh's popularity has been affected by marriage at all
Subhash Ghai
(Producer – Director) Karz 1980, Trimurti 1995, Pardes 1997, Taal 1999, Aitraaz 2004, Kisna 2005, Iqbal 2005, 36 China Town 2006, Black & White 2008
I agree when people say that actors have longer run times than stars. I have always hired people on the basis of their acting ability. I had taken Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff at a time when their films were not doing very well, just because they were good actors. Similarly, I said Shah Rukh is a brilliant performer. I have seen the boy in front of the camera. He is just amazing. He has a lot of energy in him. He is almost like a little kid, more like a brat when it comes to his own enthusiasm. And he is totally involved in his work. He gives you 100% of himself. He is tremendous. In fact, I said Shah Rukh is one of the biggest actors to conquer the Indian screen. He is certainly the best asset. If he wasn't, I wouldn't have gone with him. The fact that I am means I have immense faith in him. As far as Akshay is concerned, yes, the boy is very good. As a star, he has been totally accepted by the audience. And he is extremely popular with the girls. He drives them crazy. Whereas as an actor, he still has a lot to learn. A long way to go. But I am sure he will cross that bridge soon. I think in a few years he will be known as an actor.
Shabnam Kapoor
(Producer – Director – Actress)
As Producer including: Insaaf Ki Devi 1992, Hulchul 1995
As Actress including: Humraaz 2002, Run 2004, Mastaani 2005
Over the years, there have been actors like Sanjeev Kumar but then there has also been a star like Jeetendra. Ultimately, analyzing, that's how the stars have been more successful. Nowadays, an actor also has to serve the star's niche to be very successful. He has to acquire that charisma. Take Nana Patekar, he is a brilliant actor but he has that certain something which makes him a star. I don't think you have to be a great actor to be successful. We have so many bad successful actors. If we talk about today's hot stars, then there are Akshay, Shah Rukh, Ajay Devgan, Sunil, Aamir, Salman. All these actors are hot today. I don't think any particular actor is marketable on his own today. It's the overall image that counts, not just the marketability of a star. A single flop or hit doesn't affect a star's popularity much. Today I would bet on both Akshay and Shah Rukh because there is no star value there at the moment. Good films with newcomers are doing well while even bigger films with top stars are flopping. Akshay's best performance so far has been in Yeh Dillagi and Shah Rukh's best performance for me continues to be Deewana. I feel Shah Rukh is capable of giving something different. He has tremendous untapped potential but he is caught up in a phenomenon. Shah Rukh is fundamentally a director's actor. He is capable of so much more. Sure he is a bit stylized but that can be changed. As far as popularity goes Akshay has a stronger connection with the masses than Shah Rukh but then Shah Rukh scores more with class. I would have loved to work with Shah Rukh but as it is now, I am delighted to work with Akshay. But as a debutant director, I would prefer to work with Akshay, he is less challenging and more comfortable to work with. Shah Rukh is more critical since he is a friend. Akshay can carry a negative film well. In the long run, action heroes are ultimately a safe bet at the box office. Shah Rukh needs an image change. He risks being typecast if he doesn't change his stylized portrayal. Like Rajesh Khanna, he has also been given a fixed image. Otherwise, he is a brilliant actor.
Taran Adarsh
(Editor - Market Critic)
Earlier, everyone used to say that Akshay has a weak voice but today he is a major star. His films are getting fantastic attention. He is at the top as far as a star's charisma allows. I think it is not important to be a good actor to be successful. Jeetendra was not a good actor but he was very successful. Right now both Akshay and Shah Rukh are extremely promotional. It is the set-up and the producer that counts. But today I would place my bets on Akshay. His film Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi opened to a huge response as did Amitabh Bachchan's films. Akshay's best performances have been Mohra, Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi whereas Shah Rukh was brilliant in Darr, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Chaahat and DDLJ. He was also very good in Chaahat, different in Trimurti where he was a little irritating.
Akshay's strong points are his looks, his lover boy image, his dance and action scenes but he should avoid emotional scenes. On the other hand, Shah Rukh has crafted his career well. He should develop a strategy to stretch his releases. His last few films flopped because they were bad films. He is an all-rounder and should work with people who can bring out his intensity. Both Shah Rukh and Akshay are professional and hard working but right now action films are in. So Akshay is definitely hotter. If I were to switch to the producer field today, I would take Akshay in my film. Akshay can be successful in negative films but the director should be good. And ultimate action heroes are more durable than romantic heroes.
Shrishti Behl
(Producer - Actress) Angaaray 1998, Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai 2001, Drona 2008
Look, you have to be a good actor to be a star. You can't be a lucky shot. Otherwise good actors like Sanjeev Kumar and Naseer would never have made it to the top... tell me, wasn't Naseer given the 'Sir'? And what about Nana Patekar who is also a very successful boy? So you see, being a good actor is very important first. And it really annoys me when people say Akshay is not a good actor. Damn, they are not being fair to the man. He was never given a chance to experiment. Just because he is a fantastic dancer, people want him to concentrate on giving hit numbers. Just because the rule works in Akshay's case, they just want to pin him down on that. I don't think people have been fair to Akshay as an actor. I think he did a wonderful job in Yeh Dillagi. He was fantastic in that film but nobody wants to give him credibility. Honestly, all these people who think Akshay is not a good actor are clearly biased. Everyone, Akshay looks so damn good. Personally, I think Akshay is both great as an actor and as a star. I have seen him work and he is just amazing.
In fact, Bhatt saab even told me the next day that he is a director's dream. He has that kind of commitment. He is totally involved. And now with Khiladiyon Ke Khiladi, he is really hot. He has captured a whole new audience with his film. In the beginning, he had the families and the women as his audience. Now, with his film, he has taken over the cool tapori crowds, which was earlier Shah Rukh's territory, I feel. Look, I don't know Shah Rukh personally, but from what I've heard about him, I would say he understands films as a medium. He's very intelligent. And he's certainly very consistent. Anyway, if you ask me who I'm betting on, I think I've already given my answer. Definitely Akshay. And not just because he's in our film. Frankly, I think Akshay is fantastic. I'm sure in two years he'll be known as a much better actor too.
Mahesh Bhatt
(Producer – Director) As Producer including: Bhairavi 1996, Papa Kahte Hain 1996, Gudgudee 1997, Raaz 2002, Gangster 2006 As Director including: Abhimanyu 1980, Aashiqui 1990, Junoon 1992, Gunaah 1993, Chaahat 1996, Duplicate 1998, Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan 1999
See, it is very important to be a good actor if you want to be successful. You have to understand the medium. Shah Rukh is very intelligent in that regard. He is a wonderful actor and he knows his plus points and his minus points. And I think that is a big plus. An actor should be clear about his shortcomings. But frankly, I find Shah Rukh to be one of the best we have today. He has this kind of intensity which is amazing. And he has certain insecurities, which makes him even more qualified. Another point in Shah Rukh's favour, he is very dedicated. And he is also a total workaholic, like me. All these qualities put together make a great package. As for Akshay, I worked with him in Angaarey and I must say, he is totally professional, very punctual and very, very dedicated. and then he is ridiculously good looking. You can't go wrong with that kind of face. He is damn perfect, smart looking. As an actor, he is improving, day by day.
Rakesh Roshan
(Producer – Director) as Producer & Director : King Uncle 1993, Karan Arjun 1995, Koyla 1997, Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai 2000, Koi…Mil Gaya 2003, Krrish 2006, Krazzy 4 2008, Kites 2010
Kamal Haasan was a good actor but he did not get much popularity because he was not a star. I agree that Akshay and Shah Rukh are the most talked about actors in the industry. I think both are excellent at what they do. Akshay is excellent in action films and Shah Rukh in performance oriented films. Apart from Karan Arjun, I liked him in DDLJ. I have not seen much of Akshay's films but I liked him in KKK. Flops affect stars. Their stocks fall when their previous films have flopped but I don't think artists should be blamed for flops. Failures and hits are part of every artist's life. I don't think Akshay is more popular than Shah Rukh. I think they are equal in their own way. I don't think Shah Rukh overacts in his films. He is a director's actor so he gives exactly what the director wants. If he has been repetitive, it must have been because the director wanted him to act the same way. Akshay is known to be a good action hero and since that is in big demand, he should capitalise well on it.
Shah Rukh is a very committed actor who is completely involved in whatever he does. He is very enthusiastic and that is very good. I don't think Shah Rukh has any weak points. He is a very sensitive person and he knows what to do. As I said, flops affect a star but I don't think he has sunk just because his films were a flop. One hit and nobody will remember his flops. I don't think Shah Rukh will be unfit for action films. He had been shown as a macho guy in Ram Jaane and he did very well. Being a fantastic dancer and fighter is very important to survive in this industry. It's like a bonus. I don't think the fact that Shah Rukh is married has diminished his popularity or the following of his female fans, nor do I think Shah Rukh is associated with negative roles. Did people not accept him in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa? Shah Rukh has been given a versatile face that can fill all kinds of characters. The action heroes and the romantic heroes are here to stay. In two years, I see both Akshay and Shah Rukh ten rungs higher on the ladder of success.
Abbas-Mastan (Directors)
We think heroes who are stars are more successful than heroes who are actors because all heroes are basically actors. Sanjeev Kumar was a fine actor but Shammi Kapoor was more popular because of his personality. But you cannot compare Shah Rukh and Akshay at the same time. Can you compare Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand or Rekha and Jaya Bhaduri? Everyone has their own unique style. Akshay and Shah Rukh are definitely at the top. We would not say Shah Rukh is better than Akshay or vice versa because you really cannot decide. One flop and you go down, one hit and you go up. Flops and hits come and go. We liked Shah Rukh in Baazigar and Dilwale. Akshay was good in Khiladi. Shah Rukh was very good in Chaahat. You cannot blame Shah Rukh when the film flopped. Actually, when you come out of the cinema, you only remember Shah Rukh and no one else. Shah Rukh's plus point is that he is versatile. He likes to play different roles and he enjoys them. Akshay is a bit unsure about what he can and cannot do. And directors have not tapped into his talent. They only expect him to do good action scenes. They don't focus on his performance. I am sure Akshay can give an equally fine performance with the right director. Shah Rukh can do action-oriented films too. Baazigar was also action-oriented. Shah Rukh has been given an expressive face and he shows anger more through his expressions than through action. It is important to be a fantastic dancer and fighter to survive in this industry and I think Shah Rukh and Akshay are excellent at both.