Superstar Akshay Kumar has seen both good and bad phases in his career and he believes it is important to learn from such experiences as nothing is permanent in life.
The actor said he has seen people write an obituary of his career after a string of flops but he has always made a strong comeback.
"I have been through this phase three times. So I wouldn't be surprised if I go through it again. The best way is to keep working hard. When I had delivered 14-15 flop films, everyone said 'Gaya Gaya' (he's gone gone) and then after giving hit films, I heard them saying, 'Aa Gaya Aa Gaya' (he's back, he's back). I remember these words.
"It is part of life and this happens to everybody, be it in personal or professional life. Basically, you have to take it all in your stride, be bold and face the next day," Akshay said in a group interview.
The 51-year-old actor is currently one of the most bankable stars in Bollywood, courtesy his back-to-back hits like Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, Gold and Kesari.
His ardent fans have given him the sobriquet 'Guarantee Kumar', owing to his recent performance at the box office, but Akshay believes a person's success is a result of good combination of hardwork and luck.
"Audience is very bold today and they don't care, they say what they feel is correct. I am glad the audience calls me that ('Guarantee Kumar'). But there is no guarantee of anything. There are times when I see a film and feel it will do wonders at the box office but then it doesn't work at all. So you don't know what will work, till it releases.
"After 30 years, I have realised that films work not just due to hard work, it is definitely needed, but you do need luck and it does make a lot of difference. I believe 70 per cent in luck and 30 per cent hard work," he added.
The actor is currently promoting his next release Mission Mangal, which is set to hit the theatres on the Independence Day.
The film is based on real-life scientists, who contributed to India's first interplanetary expedition, Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), launched by Indian Research Space Organisation (ISRO) in 2013.
Akshay said of late, the efforts of India's premiere space agency have started getting recognised by everyone and he believes a part of the credit should go to the current government.
"I was reading an article in which it was written that earlier two to three per cent of the budget was given to space and science. Now it is 18 per cent. This government is going to focus on space science and all. So we see something like 'Chandrayan 2'.
"ISRO is there for 50 years but it has become very famous of late because we used to not talk about it earlier," he added.
Citing the example of Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who previously was the Defence Minister and is currently the Finance Minister of the country, Akshay said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is walking the talk when it comes to gender equality.
"There was a perception that only men can be a scientist or engineer but I believe a woman can be an equally good scientist or engineer. Things are changing in India so much today. In our country, we have a woman holding an important portfolio like finance or defence ministry."
Mission Mangal may have a niche topic at the centre but Akshay said the film also has a commercial aspect which helps in making it appealing to the masses.
"I have not made a documentary film. I have made a commercial cinema where there are elements of laughter, fun, emotions and two-three songs. When I made Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, I did add commercial elements to make it more appealing. You have to bring such stories on the big screen but in a commercial way," he said.
Amar Kanwar is getting a huge London show in 2026.
Will host a site-specific, immersive installation.
Feature both new and existing films, transforming the entire building.
A new catalogue will feature unpublished writings and a long interview.
Indian filmmaker and artist Amar Kanwar, a quiet but monumental figure in contemporary art, is getting a major retrospective at Serpentine North. Slated for September 2026 to January 2027, this Serpentine Gallery retrospective won’t be a standard exhibition. It’s being conceived as a complete, site-specific art installation that will turn the gallery into what organisers call a “meditative visual and sonic environment.”
Amar Kanwar’s immersive films and installations will fill Serpentine North next year Instagram/paolamanfredistudio
What can visitors expect from this retrospective?
Don’t walk in expecting to just sit and watch a screen. Kanwar’s work has never been that simple. The plan is to use the entire architecture of Serpentine North, weaving his films into the very fabric of the space.Yeah, the Serpentine's been tracking his work for years. He was in that 'Indian Highway ' show back in 2008. Turns out that was just the start.
What it is about his work that gets under your skin?
He looks at the hard stuff. Violence. Justice. What we’re doing to the land. But he does it with a poet’s eye. That’s his thing. And it’s put him on the map. You see his work at big-league museums like the Tate, the Met. He’s a fixture at major shows like Documenta. You don't get invited back that many times by chance. His work just has that weight. His art isn’t easy viewing; it asks for your patience and focus. The upcoming Serpentine show is being built specifically to pull you into that slow, deep way of looking.
Alongside the films, the Serpentine will publish a significant catalogue. It’s not just a collection of images. It will feature a trove of Kanwar’s previously unpublished writings, giving a deeper look into his process. The book will also contain an extensive interview between the artist and the Serpentine’s artistic director, Hans Ulrich Obrist.
The gallery is betting big on an artist who works quietly, but whose impact resonates for years. As one staffer put it, they’re preparing for an installation that changes how you see, and hear, everything.
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