Akshay Kumar has come a long way from the time when he was an assistant to photographer Jayesh Sheth in the late 80's long before he embarked on his path to stardom, a fact which he has not forgotten at all, unlike others of his ilk who tend to get a bout of amnesia when they taste success in a big way.

Like Rajanikant down South, success has not spoilt him at all, in spite of the fact that he proved to be the box office king last year by delivering as many as four super duper hits - Welcome, Bhool Bhulaiya, Namaste London and Heyy Babyy, Akshay continues to be a down to earth munda, even now after having churned out one more earth shattering hit in the form of Sing Is Kinng.

Akshay is quite excited about the fact that his latest release- Singh Is Kinng, in which he once again plays to the gallery and has been romantically teamed with Katrina Kaif who he calls his lucky mascot, has grossed around 140 ctrores at the box office.

Incidentally it is hat trick with Katrina Kaif withy whom he had delivered two hits earlier - Namaste London and Welcome.

The thorough gentleman that he is, when I meet him for this interview at a South Mumbai five star hotel, Akshay is irked when he is asked whether he has a big hand in promoting the career of Katrina Kaif "It is belittling Katrina if I am asked this question.

Why don't journalists ask Katrina whether she has had a hand in promoting my career, especially since I have got two hits when I acted with her?

Each and every actor who is working in a film is responsible for the success of a film."

Akshay has never been one of the quintessential Bollywood bravado heroes who would kiss and tell and embarrass the women in their life.

Though he and Shilpa Shetty were in love once and had fallen out too, he does not harbour any ill will towards her or detest her.

"If I am offered a good script which appeals to me, I am ready to work with Shilpa Shetty. Why should I not do a film with her?

Over the last several years since I had started my career, I have delivered quite a few hits with Shilpa including Main Khiladi Tu Anadi. I would love to work with her".

Akshay confesses that he had great expectations from the film Singh Is Kinng which had been released all over the world with as many as 1800 prints.

"I am a Punjabi from Amritsar and hence I did not have any difficulty to get into the skin of the character of Mr Happy Singh that I played in the film. The character is basically me. Anees Bazmee who has written and directed the film wrote this after watching me for nearly a month.

I can relate to the character in real life. I had actually suggested the title to Vipul Shah after I saw a truck which had the lines Singh Is King written in the back, at a time when neither the script nor the title had been even thought of."

Akshay confesses that he shares a great chemistry with producer Vipul Shah who has earlier directed him films like Aankhen, which incidentally marked Vipul's debut as a director, Waqt and Namaste London.

Akshay unequivocally blames the media for all the veiled speculations that he had sabotaged the show "The Unforgettables" which had the Bachchans, with Preity Zinta, Ritesh Deshmukh, Shiamak Davar and Vishal- Shekhar.

"Why should I think of sabotaging their shows? I have worked in seven films with Mr Bachchan, who is like the pillar of this industry. I am often asked who the king of the film industry is and I have always replied that it is none other than Mr Amitabh Bachchan.

You cannot discount the fact that he has been in this industry for the last 35 to 40 years. All the rest of us whether it is Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan or for that matter I may claim to be kings but are not".

Akshay has a sound advice to youngsters who want to follow him as far as physique and fitness are concerned.

"I have always believed that if you cannot give at least one hour every day to your own body, you should just kill yourself."

Akshay adds that the best way to live life king size is to have a positive attitude in life which will help one go a long way.

Akshay is one of the few heroes in Bollywood who has always made it a point to maintain a well toned boy though he has never bothered to go in for 6 pack abs, like say Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om.

Akshay spends his evenings whenever he is shooting outdoors by jogging to his heart's content and does not indulge in drinking bouts at all, unlike most of his colleagues in the industry.

Akkshay knows how to take a pot shot at himself.

"If tomorrow, I find myself out of work as an actor, I would not be bothered at all because I can always take up the job of editing, since I am well known for chopping off all my co-actor's scenes in films in which I am working", quips Akshay with a poker face when asked about his penchant to edit his co-actor's scenes in all his films.

Akshay says. "I was happy when I entered the industry almost two decades ago. I am happy today too. I am not insecure of my co-actors. There is room for every one at the top.

When the media asks me whether I consider any other star as my competitor, I tell them that I am not in competition with any star on the scene today but am sacred of only the new comers, who are breezing in on the scene nowadays.

They keep me on my toes. I would not call myself King just because I play the title role in Singh Is Kinng, because the title is too heavy for me to carry." - Jyothi Venkatesh