Akshay Kumar shares an intimate connection with Shiva, one that has only grown deeper over the years. The actor, who recently starred in and lent his voice to the devotional song, Shambhu, can’t help but feel emotional when he speaks to us on Mahashivratri today.

“The connection I have with Shiva has strengthened further since I lost my mother. He calms my soul and makes me feel that with loss, there’s always a new life,” says the actor, who played Shiva’s messenger in the 2023 film OMG 2.

He tells us, “The film came to me at the right time. Through it, I got comfort and strength when I didn’t even know I needed it. Now, I wake up and listen to his songs during my workout every day. I feel his strength and resilience. I trust the next chapter of my life because I know the author is going to be Shiva.”

In fact, not many know that the 56-year-old has started signing off his messages and posts with ‘Jai Mahakal’. Ask what drove him to do that, and Kumar shares, “I picked it up in Mahadev Ki Nagri, Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), which I visited for the shoot of OMG 2. Everybody was greeting each other with ‘Jai Mahakal, Har Har Mahadev’, and no greeting ever went unanswered. After all, Mahadev is everything, and eventually everything unites with him.”

The actor, who is looking forward to the release of his next big film, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, hopes to witness the grandeur of Mahashivratri celebrations some day. “I haven’t had the chance to do that yet, but I’d love to. I did visit the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain last year to ring in my birthday, and got to witness the Bhasma Aarti. The whole atmosphere was soul-stirring. I’ll never forget it.”

The actor’s super energetic performance at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s pre-wedding celebrations in Jamnagar, Gujarat, left everyone in awe. “It happened at around 3 in the morning!” says Kumar, a known early bird, adding, “It was grand, of course. The Ambani family was so loving and caring. They left no stone unturned to make everyone feel included. Anant and Radhika were very gracious hosts. May Mahakal bless the happy couple.”