A candid video featuring Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has recently emerged on social media, shedding light on an unsettling practice within the industry. In the clip, originally shared by an Instagram page, Akshay Kumar opens up about an incident where he was asked to attend a show for half of his usual fees in order to receive an award. The revelation came during an old conversation with fellow actor Anupam Kher, when Akshay was questioned about why he has never been awarded in Bollywood.
Since the video resurfaced on the internet over a month ago, netizens have taken to social media to applaud Akshay Kumar for his honesty and willingness to speak up. The 55-year-old actor further disclosed that awards are often bestowed only upon those who attend the shows, rather than being based solely on merit and performance. Reflecting on his experiences, he shared an observation, saying, “Actually, let me tell you when I present an award, sometimes it has a mark on it indicating that this person’s name was cut out and replaced with someone else’s.”
Akshay Kumar’s revelation highlights a systemic issue within the Bollywood industry. It is not the first time such practices have come to light. In 2016, actor Rishi Kapoor admitted in an interview that he had purchased his Filmfare Best Actor award for the 1973 film “Bobby.” In another instance, Rishi Kapoor confessed to paying Rs 30,000 to secure an award.
Similarly, Shah Rukh Khan had attempted to bribe an editor to obtain his first-ever Filmfare award for Best Actor for the movie “Baazigar” in 1994, after winning the Best Debut award for “Deewana” the previous year. Shah Rukh Khan acknowledged this in an interview, shedding light on the pressures and questionable practices that exist behind the scenes.