"I can't remember when I've had a serious injury...Except the slipped disc which happened many years ago while I was doing a stunt for Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi. Since then there has been nothing serious, just minor stuff here and there. In fact I'm waiting for something to happen."
Of course Akshay is only joking. He has made a promise to himself after his son's birth. No more of the dangerous stuff. In fact the heart-in-the-mouth derringdo has ceased completely. "I remember this stunt I had done for Mahesh Bhatt's Angaaray where I had slid from one skyscraper to another on a steel rope. I'd never do that again."
So what was the injury this week? "Nothing! While shooting on a mo'bike my leg touched the silencer. That's it. Unfortunately for me I was wearing shorts. Maybe if I had been in my trousers nothing would've happened."
At the moment Akshay is looking forward to the release of Raj Kanwar's Humko Deewna Kar Gaye in May, and to beginning two new projects with Rituparno Ghosh and Sajid Khan respectively.
"None of these are comedies. I've never worked with Rituparno Ghosh or with PNC (Pritish Nandy Communications) before. It sounded right when he narrated the subject of Rahgeer.
I haven't done anything like Rahgeer before.... Both the Sajids (director Khan and producer Sajid Nadiadwala) are my friends. I've done two other films Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and Jaan-e-Man with Sajid Nadiadwala. He's a terrific producer. I'm looking forward to working with him. As for Sajid Khan, he's full of masti and sharaarat. But there's a sensitive side that people will see in his film."
Akshay is currently shooting for a new comedy Bhaagam-Bhaag with a favourite director Priyadarshan, and with Govinda for the first time.
How's the experience of working with Govinda? "Fine, just fine. I don't have a problem with anybody," says the new extra-cautious Akshay. "I'd rather just do my work and talk only when necessary. Even if I've to speak about a film I first let others have their say and then have my say."