‘I am sorry’: Akshay Kumar addresses backlash over his ‘fake moustache’ in Samrat Prithviraj

Back in 2022, Akshay Kumar headlined the highly anticipated period actioner Samrat Prithviraj, portraying the legendary king Prithviraj Chauhan of the Chahamana dynasty. The film generated significant buzz ahead of its release and marked Akshay’s reunion with Yash Raj Films. However, despite the expectations, it performed poorly at the box office and drew widespread criticism, particularly directed at Akshay’s portrayal of the iconic ruler. One of the major criticisms was that he did not convincingly resemble Prithviraj Chauhan, with viewers pointing to his physique, body language, and especially the use of what many felt was an unconvincing fake moustache. Now, four years later, Akshay Kumar has addressed these criticisms in an interview with Shubhankar Mishra, clarifying that it was not a matter of unwillingness to grow facial hair. He said, “See, I’m working on lots of things, lots of films and lots of looks. Like right now, I have this beard. I took around six weeks to grow it, and during those six weeks I didn’t work. So it’s not like that.” He further explained, “In Samrat Prithviraj, the story required a particular kind of moustache, and that kind of moustache cannot grow naturally on my face. So yes, maybe the fake moustache didn’t look good, maybe a lot of people didn’t like it. But at the end of the day, it’s acting. Growing that exact moustache might not be possible for me. But sometimes you have to do it. And if people didn’t like it, then I am sorry.” Also Read | ‘I am losing crores’: Why Mukesh Khanna is blocking Ranveer Singh from becoming the next Shaktimaan Recently even veteran actor Mukesh Khanna criticised Akshay Kumar for the same during a conversation with Zoom. While praising Ranveer Singh for his versatility, he said, “Ranveer is a terrific actor, has terrific energy, he can do Dhurandhar, he can do Gully Boy, he can do Khilji,” referencing the actor’s wide-ranging performances. He added, however, that playing certain roles requires more than just acting ability. “But in Shaktimaan, you need not just the actor but also the face. Like Prithviraj Chauhan should look like Prithviraj Chauhan when he stands, which Akshay Kumar did not look like in the film. They put on a wig and whatnot. When I played a historical character, it used to take me 1.5 hours just to change costumes. I used to wear a seven-inch crown.” Akshay Kumar was most recently seen in Bhoot Bangla, directed by Priyadarshan and co-starring Paresh Rawal, Tabu, Rajpal Yadav, and Wamiqa Gabbi. The film is currently playing in theatres. Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.