Akshay Kumar is high on hope this year, with Vikram Bhatt's Awaara Paagal Deewana, Vipul Shah's Aankhen and his latest starrer Haan... Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya.

The film releases Friday, February 15. Subhash K Jha gets chatting with the actor about the film -- which Akshay readily confesses -- he had a blast working on:

What's with the eloquence about having had fun during Haan... Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya.

That's because working with Suneel and Dharmesh Darshan is like having ghar ka khana [homemade food] --- very appetising and fulfilling. [Incidentally, the actor only eats home-cooked food on the sets.]

I had enjoyed doing Dharmesh's earlier film, Dhadkan, too. And Suneel's Jaanwar gave me a new lease of life. In Ek Rishtaa: The Bond Of Love, Suneel gave me a chance to work with my screen idol Amitabh Bachchan.

Now I am doing an unusual thriller in Suneel's Talaash, where I costar with Kareena Kapoor. Raakheeji, who played my mother in my debut film, Saugandh, and recently in Ek Rishtaa, plays my mother again in Talaash. Suneel has started another film Mere Jeevan Saathi with me, Karisma and Amisha Patel.

At this rate you will be branded the Darshans' permanent leading man.

Maybe I was their brother in my last life. But I can't imagine not being in their films.

Why is Haan... Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya being released on Valentine's Day?

Because it is one of the most romantic films ever made. Besides romance, it is also about love, success and tradition.

My character Raj Malhotra is a romantic at heart. A very successful man, he knows exactly where to draw the line in a relationship. Raj knows how to charm people and make them smile. He is like me. *grins*

He's not like those givers who are dukhi [sad] from inside. Raj is a very happy man. That's different from the way film stars are shown in our films.

How different is Aankhen from Haan... Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya?

Absolutely different. There's no similarity between the two.

In Aankhen, I play a role unlike anything I have done before. In Haan... Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya, though my character [as a film star] has been done before, will be quite different from those.

I have decided not to repeat my characters for the next couple of years. After that, I might play a character I have already done because there aren't too many variations on the basic characters in our films.

In Aankhen, you worked with very exciting actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Sushmita Sen and Arjun Rampal...

Yes it was wonderful. Arjun and I hit it off right away. Like me, he loves doing masti [mischief] on the sets.

Sushmita stars opposite Arjun but I had important scenes with her. She's not a conventional leading lady in the film, and she has done a wonderful job in Aankhen. She's just beautiful.

And with Bachchanji, the comfort level went up higher this time.

There has been a spate of successes in 2002. Is that a good sign for your films?

It's a good sign for the whole film industry. It's very encouraging when a comparatively small film like Raaz does well. Filmmakers will now think of making films within sensible budgets. I hope the luck holds out.

I have a gut feeling about Haan... Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya --- it has all the ingredients for a commercial Hindi film in the right doses. It has the right look and feelings.

Have you signed any new films?

No. Every week there are rumours about one project or the other but until I actually sign the papers, I am not doing any new film. Madhur Bhandarkar did offer me a film. It was an off-mainstream subject. But I am not yet prepared mentally to do that kind of a film.

What kind of a film did he offer you?

It was a film with an army background. I know of at least seven films which are being made on the cross-border issue. Ab dekhna, yeh Raaz hit ho gayi na, ab dus film announce honge bhoot ke oopar [Watch, now that Raaz is a hit, there will be ten films announced on ghosts].

Actually, the only one who will benefit from the success of Raaz is Vikram Bhatt. I loved the film --- good songs, powerful story. Vikram has cleverly put in Indian sentiments at the end where the wife goes all out to save her husband's life. Even women, who would otherwise shy from horror, are lapping it up.

We need more directors to break the mould. Vikram directs my comedy Awara Paagal Deewana. Let's hope he gives me a Raaz, too.

Does the unpredictability of the box office scare you?

You never know what the audience likes. Some of our greatest hits like Ek Duje Ke Liye and Sholay were written off. But they caught on and audiences went berserk. Even today, Sholay is chicken soup for the sickened soul.

What plans for the immediate future?

To finish this interview quickly! *laughs*

Seriously, I am waiting to see what Haan... Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya brings for me on Friday.