Petrified of voice-overs, the actor takes tips before recording his first such assignment for Patiala House

Akshay Kumar has never been shy of seeking guidance to improve his acting skills. So, it comes as no surprise that he sought theatre actor Manish Chaudhary's help before recording the voice-over in Patiala House.

Apparently, when director Nikhil Advani informed Kumar that he'd be doing the voice-over in Patiala House, the actor's first impulse was to refuse.

Says a source, "Akshay has always considered his dialogue delivery to be his weakest point as an actor. He has constantly worked on improving. He lacks oratorical confidence. To serve as the link between all the characters of Patiala House gave him sleepless nights. Akshay even suggested that Nikhil Advani get someone else instead."

Advani then got the voice-over recorded by actor Manish Chaudhary (who played Ranbir Kapoor's boss in Rocket Singh Salesman of the Year). He then persuaded Kumar to listen to him.

Advani admits doing the voice-over was not easy for Kumar. "Akshay worked really hard on the voiceover. He spent hours getting it right. He has never done a voice-over before. Yes, I got Manish Chaudhary to do the voice-over, which Akshay then studied. He got the style and nuances right, " says Advani.

While Advani had written the voice-over in a formal and crisp tone, Kumar improvised a great deal. "Akshay made the voiceover colloquial and conversational. You hear his voice throughout, linking the characters and plot.

He has punctuated the original dialogues with laughter chuckles, sobs and silences." The star is so impressed by his vocal exertion in Patiala House that Kumar now intends to take regular tips from Chaudhary on voice modulation.