Skip to content

Akshay Kumar in Conversation at The Red Sea International Film Festival

December 10, 2021

The Red Sea International Film Festival (RedSeaIFF) in partnership with VOX Cinemas, MBC GROUP and Saudia Airlines today welcomed actor, producer and stuntman Akshay Kumar. The in conversation was hosted by the Festival’s Director of International Programming Kaleem Aftab at the Festival in Jeddah’s UNESCO World Heritage Site old-town (Al Balad), nestled on the eastern shore of the Red Sea.

 

Kumar discussed his illustrious career and the evolution of Bollywood in the intimate in-conversation, as well as the hopes he has for future cooperation between Bollywood and Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning film industry. Akshay Kumar said: “I will tell all my colleagues to come and shoot in Saudi Arabia!”

 

Akshay Kumar has made over a hundred films since he missed a train to a modelling gig in Bangalore and decided to visit a film studio instead.

His breakthrough came in 1992 with Khiladi, a suspense thriller that instantly made him an action star, with an enthusiasm for doing his own stunts that earned him the title “the Indian Jackie Chan”. Since then, he has branched out to become a romantic heartthrob, popular comedian and critically admired dramatic actor, winning a National Film Award for Best Actor in 2016.
He was also facilitated with the prestigious Padma Shri honour, India’s fourth-highest civilian award for contribution to cinematic arts.