In a subtle message to an upset Arshad Warsi, Akshay Kumar says actors should remain unfazed about being replaced in sequels
MID-DAY (August 3, 2016)

Last fortnight, Arshad Warsi had admitted that Akshay Kumar replacing him in the sequel to 2013 hit movie, Jolly LLB, “bothers me a little bit”. But, Akki feels an actor should take such decisions on the makers’ part in their stride instead of feeling bad.

Arshad had reportedly said, “I was supposed to do it, but Fox Star Studios needed a bigger star, so they chose Akshay… If you have a bigger star, then even if the film is not that good, you still manage to [re] cover the money, so risk factor from the producer’s point of view is less. It bothers me a little bit, but not that much… I was the one who convinced Subhash [Kapoor, director] to go ahead and do it because he was not willing to.”

At a recent interview for his Independence Day release, Rustom, Akshay was asked for a reaction to Arshad’s confession when he said, “I don’t have anything to say. Talk to [the] producer. It is the producer’s call.” He continued, “I did Welcome and not Welcome Back, but I did not feel bad. It was my franchise, so should I feel bad? Even [in] Hera Pheri [third instalment], now somebody else is doing.” Akshay has already started shooting for Jolly LLB 2 in which he plays a lawyer for the first time.