New Delhi: Declaring that he never thought he needed a document to prove his Indianness, Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar on Friday said he is replacing his Canadian passport with an Indian one following a controversy over his citizenship.
The 52-year-old actor opened up about the circumstances behind him getting a Canadian passport at the HT Leadership Summit.
"There was a time when 14 films of mine flopped and I thought that I might have to take up something else to support myself. One of my closest friend stays in Canada and he asked me to come there. He said we will work together on something. He is also Indian but stays there.
"Then I started my process, got my passport and other stuff because I thought my career has ended. I won't get work here anymore. It was just that my 15th film worked and after that I never looked back. I kept going on and on. But I never thought of getting my passport replaced," Akshay said.
Following the controversy, he decided to apply for an Indian passport.
Soon after Akshay announced that he is set to give up his Canadian passport and resume Indian citizenship, netizens have been having a field day with reactions.
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"Akshay Kumar changed his citizenship from Indian to Canadian just because he gave 14 flops (laughing emoji) Aur Ye Hume Deshbhakti Seekhayenge," one wrote about Akshay, who has lately delivered several hits in the genre of patriotic films.
Another wrote: "This @akshaykumar has applied for Indian passport and citizenship now that his pathetic movies are doing well at the box office. Make up your mind na? We are hitting rock bottom, you'll need the Kaneda cover. Hypocrisy ki bhi seema hoti hai."
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This @akshaykumar has applied for Indian passport and citizenship now that his pathetic movies are doing well at the box office.
— Sidrah (@SidrahDP) December 6, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
Make up your mind na?
We are hitting rock bottom, you'll need the Kaneda cover.
Hypocrisy ki bhi seema hoti hai.
'Kya aap aam khate ho?'
">This @akshaykumar has applied for Indian passport and citizenship now that his pathetic movies are doing well at the box office.
— Sidrah (@SidrahDP) December 6, 2019
Make up your mind na?
We are hitting rock bottom, you'll need the Kaneda cover.
Hypocrisy ki bhi seema hoti hai.
'Kya aap aam khate ho?'This @akshaykumar has applied for Indian passport and citizenship now that his pathetic movies are doing well at the box office.
— Sidrah (@SidrahDP) December 6, 2019
Make up your mind na?
We are hitting rock bottom, you'll need the Kaneda cover.
Hypocrisy ki bhi seema hoti hai.
'Kya aap aam khate ho?'
"Gonna tell my kids this guy became patriot overnight after his canadian citizenship got exposed! PS: By that time he'd settle in Toronto bcoz it's his home. #AkshayKumar," wrote another.
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Gonna tell my kids this guy became patriot overnight after his canadian citizenship got exposed!
— ♏αnthαn (@Manthansinh_) December 5, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
PS: By that time he'd settle in Toronto bcoz it's his home. #AkshayKumar pic.twitter.com/CwD42lRM8p
">Gonna tell my kids this guy became patriot overnight after his canadian citizenship got exposed!
— ♏αnthαn (@Manthansinh_) December 5, 2019
PS: By that time he'd settle in Toronto bcoz it's his home. #AkshayKumar pic.twitter.com/CwD42lRM8pGonna tell my kids this guy became patriot overnight after his canadian citizenship got exposed!
— ♏αnthαn (@Manthansinh_) December 5, 2019
PS: By that time he'd settle in Toronto bcoz it's his home. #AkshayKumar pic.twitter.com/CwD42lRM8p
One Twitter user brought in other Bollywood actors too to the controversy. "Jst watched Canadian @akshaykumar 's latest video where he said he applied for Canadian citizenship cause he gave 14 flops in row. Kya reason hai. Mean success mil nahi raha hai toh canada bhaag jao. See #AbhishekBachchan & #VivekOberoi both still saying they r proud Indian (laughing emoji)."
This isn't the first time that Akshay has been questioned over his citizenship.
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Jst watched Canadian @akshaykumar 's latest video where he said he applied for Canadian citizenship cause he gave 14 flops in row.Kya reason hai 😄😠
— Harshada 💞 (@tweets327) December 6, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
Mean success mil nahi raha hai toh canada bhaag jao😂
See #AbhishekBachchan & #VivekOberoi both still saying they r proud Indian😂
">Jst watched Canadian @akshaykumar 's latest video where he said he applied for Canadian citizenship cause he gave 14 flops in row.Kya reason hai 😄😠
— Harshada 💞 (@tweets327) December 6, 2019
Mean success mil nahi raha hai toh canada bhaag jao😂
See #AbhishekBachchan & #VivekOberoi both still saying they r proud Indian😂Jst watched Canadian @akshaykumar 's latest video where he said he applied for Canadian citizenship cause he gave 14 flops in row.Kya reason hai 😄😠
— Harshada 💞 (@tweets327) December 6, 2019
Mean success mil nahi raha hai toh canada bhaag jao😂
See #AbhishekBachchan & #VivekOberoi both still saying they r proud Indian😂
In May this year, he even issued a statement that said he has never hidden or denied that he holds a Canadian passport and that he doesn't understand the unwarranted interest and negativity about it.
With inputs from IANS
