Filmmaker Priyadarshan recently weighed in on the contrasting screen personas of Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar, pointing out how their individual styles shape the kind of roles they can convincingly portray.Priyadarshan highlighted Akshay’s ability to seamlessly blend into the role of an everyday man. He said in an interview with India Today, “The plus point of Akshay is that he can look like a common man. His body language, the way he walks, especially when I did Khatta Meetha, I really thought that he looked like a road contractor who is struggling,” he said. He further added, “Many actors have a little more stylish way of carrying themselves. Akshay can definitely look, and has the body language of a common man. And he lived as an ordinary man, so he understands the nuances of an ordinary man.”On the other hand, the director explained that Shah Rukh’s polished, urban persona can sometimes limit his ability to convincingly portray more rooted, rural characters. Recalling their collaboration on Billu Barber, he shared, “I remember I took SRK to a very remote village, a deep village in the South. So, he asked me, ‘How did you find this place?’” He went on to recount SRK’s own admission: “He told me something. I can never relate to a village because I always grew up in Delhi,” adding, “Shah Rukh can never act as a villager, because his body language is very polished, very urban.”Priyadarshan also spoke about his storytelling style, which often draws from the struggles of ordinary people. “What I call is humour of life, humour of poverty,” he said, elaborating on his approach to filmmaking. Referencing Hera Pheri, he added, “Actually, if you ask me, Hera Pheri is a comedy of poverty. Everybody is desperate, no money, nothing.”Meanwhile, Priyadarshan is preparing for the release of his upcoming film Bhooth Bangla, headlined by Akshay Kumar. The film also features Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Tabu, and Wamiqa Gabbi in key roles, and is slated to hit theatres on April 16.
