Mr Funnybones is ready to bring the house down yet again in Bhooth Bangla by Priyadarshan, his director of several superhit laugh raisers.
Key Points
- Akshay Kumar, known for his slapstick to satire comedy, continues that legacy with Bhooth Bangla, his upcoming film directed by Priyadarshan.
- His comic brilliance has been shaped through collaborations with Priyadarshan and others, delivering iconic performances in films like Hera Pheri, Garam Masala and Bhool Bhulaiyaa.
- Over the years, Akshay has balanced goofy humour, sharp timing, and emotional depth, making him one of Bollywood's most consistent and versatile comic performers.
Slapstick comedies, horror comedies, situational comedies, satirical comedies, spoofy comedies, deadpan comedies, cringe comedies, Akshay Kumar has the A to Z of funny down pat.
Sukanya Verma lists the 10 best comic performances of Akki's career.
Mr and Mrs Khiladi, 1997
Akshay may have found the sur of rib ticklers in Priyan's Hindi remakes of Malayalam movies but his flair for goofy can be traced back to David Dhawan's loony Mr and Mrs Khiladi.
As the good-for-nothing slacker daydreaming about love and luck, Akshay's 'bache ki jaan lega' gripes whilst manoeuvring a sumo wrestler continues to evoke chuckles.
Hera Pheri, 2000
Priyadarshan's iconic remake of Ramji Rao Speaking sealed the deal as far as Akshay's comic prowess go.
Lending a robust, rakish air to Raju's sly fox persona yet sympathetic to the scarcity fuelling his opportunistic tendencies, Akshay's performance is bang on the buck as is his witty banter around Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty.
Garam Masala, 2005
A serial skirt-chaser armed with a puss-in-boot smile, Akshay plays to the field in Priyadarshan's comedy of confusion.
Fibbing, flirting and fabulously underscoring his comfort in the genre, the man adds the garam in this masala.
Jaan-E-Mann, 2006
The Tom and Jerry energy between Akshay and Salman in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi unlocks new levels of camaraderie in Jaan-E-Mann.
Except in place of a cocky bully, there's a nerdy klutz whose goofy laugh and gawky nostalgia pack in an unique mix of heart and hilarity.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa, 2007
Comedy is at its most persuasive when actors let their hair down and Akshay's natural born prankster seldom has a problem finding the pulse of mischief. Though he makes his entry only at interval point, his psychic antics are a perfect foil to Vidya Balan’s chilling meltdown.
Om Shanti Om, 2007
Akshay Kumar's roaring cameo in Farah Khan's love song to the silver screen doesn't get points for originality. Yet, the Khiladi's version of guns and groin, ripped off a sequence in the Swedish comedy Kopps, is just TOO funny to ignore.
Tashan, 2008
Kareena Kapoor's size zero may be Tashan's original USP but Akshay's foolish and frolicking ways as Bachchan Pandey is where the fun lies.
It's an unsophisticated, unkempt character disposed to crotch scratching and unruly behaviour that would feel distasteful in lesser hands but Akshay turns it into comic gold.
Singh is Kinng, 2008
Singh is Kinng is a showcase of Akshay at his comic prime.
Despite its utterly inane premise founded on Sardarji jokes stereotypes, the timing of his humour ensures even the silliest of gags has the audience rolling in the aisles.
Jolly LLB 2, 2017
Akshay's artful eloquence is tailor-made for Jolly LLB 2's zinger-heavy arguments. Ditto for his authentic transformation as small-town lawyer spouting sense and sarcasm on realising how real the ridiculous can be without losing an ounce of his inherent roguery.
Khel Khel Mein, 2024
Akshay Kumar channels his inner imp to play a suave plastic surgeon prone to gossip, mischief and knowing smiles in a room full of friends and secrets. By now he's mastered the trick too well to get it wrong.
And he doesn't.
If only he'd do more of these slightly smarter exercises in witty instead of the franchise-friendly farces.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
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