Akshay in love with Marathi plays

Actor-producer Akshay Kumar's quest for good stories and unique concepts is now taking him to Marathi plays. He has produced a film in the language.

"I like the sensibilities of Gujarati plays and I love Marathi plays also. I can speak Marathi fluently. I go and watch Marathi plays as well. I must say that they come up with very unusual subjects," Akshay, who was born and brought up in the capital, said during a media interaction here Wednesday.

"I am producing a Marathi film. It is already completed. I am not acting in it. It's called '72 Mail', ('72 Miles')," he added.

Based on a novel by Ashok Vhatkar, "72 Mail" has been directed by Rajiv Patil, whose film "Jogwa" won the National Award in 2009. It is about the journey of a 13-year-old boy who walked from Satara to Kolhapur in Maharashtra in 1960.

Akshay has been associated with Gujarati plays since 2002 when his "Aankhein", which has been inspired by director Vipul Amrutlal Shah's Gujarati play "Andhalo Pato", released. Even his 2005 hit "Waqt - Race Against Time" has been an adaptation of a play in the same language. Both the films were appreciated.

But he wasn't third time lucky as his 2010 release "Action Replayy", also an adaptation of a Gujarati play, failed to replicate the success of his last two films.

When asked about his fascination for Gujarati plays, Akshay said: "It might be that Gujarati people appeal to me a lot. Paresh Rawal is Gujarati, Vipul Shah is also Gujarati and 80 percent of my staff is also Gujarati. 'Aankhein' and 'Waqt' are very close to my heart, but something went wrong with 'Action Replayy' and that was the only film which didn't work."

The 45-year-old is currently promoting "Oh, My God!!", which is again inspired from Paresh Rawal's Gujarati play "Kanji Virrudh Kanji" and tells the story of an atheist who incurs huge losses when his antique shop is destroyed by an earthquake.

The play was staged in Hindi too as "Krishan vs Kanhaiya".

"Oh, My God!!" is slated for a Sep 28 release.