In Housefull, Akshay Kumar was seen as a jinxed man, the harbinger of bad luck no matter where he went. However, his role in the sequel has undergone a sea change, says sources from the film’s sets. Was the change because a lackluster run at the box office has made Akki more superstitious?
Friends of the actor say the move to take up the role in Housefull was prompted by Akki’s desire to move away from the Smart Alec roles that had made him successful. But he wanted his character in the sequel to be more of a crowd pleaser. “Akshay and Sajid (Khan) have forged a good partnership since the days of Heyy Babyy. So Akki trusted Sajid when it came to his characterisation in Housefull as a shy and sober man,” our source says, adding that Akki’s latest transition (in the sequel) is because he’s been seen in too many “family man” kind of roles of late (Desi Boyz, where he turns escort to gain custody of his son and Patiala House, where Akki gives up his cricketing dreams to please his father).
“There’s going to be a lot more masti in Housefull 2,” a unit member tells us. “Akshay is playing a completely new character in the film and the role has been written in a way that it becomes a huge hit with the college student crowd.”
So will Akki’s new avatar prove lucky for the Housefull sequel? Only time will tell...