By: Murtuza Nullwala
Akshay Kumar starrer BellBottom is all set to release on 19th August 2021. It will be the first Bollywood movie to hit the big screens after the second wave of Covid-19 in India.
BellBottom is based on a true incident that took place in the 80s and talks about unsung heroes of India. While talking to PTI when Akshay was asked if unsung heroes are the new face of nationalism via movies, the actor said, “Cinema does play an important role in showing nationalism. It is essential that we tell everyone about these people who do so much for the country, the risk they take. I am glad I got the opportunity to be part of Bell Bottom which is about an unsung hero.”
“With this film, I would like the audience to see and understand the life of an agent, who are unsung heroes, and how they work selflessly for the country without expecting anything in return. And how he goes unnoticed. It is a great life and people should know about them,” Akshay added.
Talking about his views on nationalism, “What I believe about nationalism I show it onscreen through films and that is what I want to say about nationalism. As the contribution of many heroes goes unnoticed, it is imperative they are celebrated through films.”
“They are the unsung heroes and even if there is more glorification being shown, then I don’t see any problem in that. I feel it shouldn’t be less, if it is more than it is ok. They deserve praise,” the actor added.
However, the actor says that he just doesn’t enjoy playing unsung heroes. “I enjoy every space. I have played this man who stands in support of women in Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Padman, an out-and-out comedy role in Houseful, and then played a transgender in Laxmii. So, I have not restricted myself to playing particular kinds of roles.”
While BellBottom is based on a true incident, Akshay says that they have tried to make a ‘little big and commercial. He said, “The film is about this mission and how these men saved the lives of several people. These undercover agents are very normal people. They are not like James Bond, they do things in a very raw and real manner. Like, my character is not someone jumping from one building to another. Since this is a real story, things are done in a logical way. But we have tried to make it a little big and commercial (by adding some fantasy). However, 80 percent of the story is real.”
BellBottom was one of the first Bollywood films to go on the floors during the pandemic. The shooting of the film took place in the UK.
While talking about shooting the movie in the pandemic, Akshay said, “We didn’t face any difficulty. The credit goes to the producers to take the crew of more than 200 people to shoot over there but with all the necessary protocols. They took the risk to do something unbelievable.”
Well, BellBottom is set to release, but Akshay’s other film Sooryavanshi has been ready for a release since last March 2020, and Akshay says that there is nothing much that he can do because of the current scenario.
The actor said, “We don’t know what is going to happen. I don’t have any answer. I am not the only one facing this difficulty, everyone in the industry is. There are so many people who are facing such big difficulties and my difficulties are nothing in front of them.”
Apart from BellBottom and Sooryavanshi, Akshay will be seen in movies like Bachchan Pandey, Atrangi Re, Raksha Bandhan, Ram Setu, and Prithviraj.
