Akshay Kumar is playing a conman in Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan. The actor tells Sreya Basu that the film is going to be a complete entertainer.

Farah Khan only works with Shah Rukh Khan. So, were you surprised to find yourself in her camp?
More than surprised, I was happy about it... I got to play a part in one of her films. That was a more exciting thing for me. So, let's keep these camps aside; camps are for kids.

Your image as 'aadha Robindood' (half Robinhood) is already gaining popularity among the youths...
(Laughs) You have to credit that to my character in the film, who loots wealthy people, but does not distribute the riches among the poor. If I would have played a full Robinhood, then this film would not have been made. In that case, he would have given away all his riches and won't have been Tees Maar Khan.

Tees Maar Khan is having offtrack promotions-the music was launched in a local train, and then there was a party at Juhu beach for the masses. Whose concepts are these?
The film is for the masses and we are trying to connect with them. All these weird ideas came from Farah's brain. There is a train robbery sequence in the film. So, the music launch idea came from there.

She made me board a train after 24 years for the music launch. As for the beach party, I have never heard of anything like that before. She wanted to connect directly to the people and tell them about the film. But all of us really enjoyed ourselves.

Your pairing with Katrina has always turned out to be a box office success...
Thankfully, things have been working for both of us and if that's the trend or way to make it at the box office, we are ready to team up again and again.

Do you think your pairing with Katrina is going to click this time too?
We will know that on December 24 when the film releases...doodh ka doodh, paani ka paani ho jayega.

As a producer, is there any apprehension about the box office collections?
Not just as an actor, as a producer also, I am very happy with the results. The film has been made on a unique idea and the results of all our efforts will start showing soon.

You have tried your hand at so varied genres...action, comedy, serious roles. But there are critics who say you lack the credibility factor. Do you agree?
I don't think about these things so much. I only do those films which I want to do, I feel like doing. I do films to make myself happy, my audiences happy. I am happy to be an entertainer.

Is it true that you are always conscious that your market rates keep rising?
I do four-five films a year. And now I have my own production company as well. Obviously, being the producer, I can't charge money from myself. So, that way, my rate is zero. But when the films do well, my money comes back to me only.

How do you look at the race for the No 1 position in Bollywood?
I have never participated in this competition for No 1, 2 or 3. We are not horses at Mahalaxmi race course. Every year over 150 films are made in Bollywood and there are only seven or eight heroes. And for any of us, it is not humanly possible to do more than 3-4 films a year.