Four reasons why Akshay Kumar is a good choice for 'Prithviraj'

The film is slated to hit the screens on Janary 21, 2022

Yash Raj Films recently unveiled the teaser of Akshay Kumar's upcoming movie Prithviraj, which is based on the life of the legendary king Prithviraj Chauhan, much to the delight of fans. The video garnered a fair deal of attention as it featured the mass hero in a new avatar. A section of the audience, however, felt that the 54-year-old isn't the best choice for the biggie as Rai Pithora died at the age of 43. While everyone is entitled to an opinion, the fact remains that the Bellbottom hero has the potential to help Chandraprakash Dwivedi's magnum opus enjoy wide patronage.

The curiosity factor

To begin with, it is not uncommon for actors to play a character younger than their real age on the big screen. Shweta Tripathi, for example, received rave reviews when she played a 14-year-old student in Haraamkhor at the age of 30. Similarly, Telugu star Balakrishna experimented with his reel image when he played the young NTR in certain portions of NTR Kathanayakudu.

While the film flopped many regard it to be one of the finest releases of his career. Akshay too may be able to surprise the audience when he plays a young Prithviraj in the period drama. The curiosity surrounding his look is likely to help the film open to a good response at the box office. This would not have been the case had a 'Gen Y' star essayed the role.

Best for business

Akshay, who began his career in the 90s, remains a force to be reckoned with even decades after he made his debut. The 'Khiladi' gave strong proof of his star power when Sooryanvanshi emerged as a big hit this Diwali despite the fact that theatres were operating at 50 per cent capacity in Maharastra. Bellbottom too made a decent impact even though it didn't hit the screens in Maharashtra. His mere association with Prithviraj should help the film set the cash registers ringing.

Something fresh

The star has never done a period drama of this scale before, somrthing that alone makes the film an exciting prospect for the industry. This may not have happened had a Ranveer Singh or even a Shah Rukh Khan done the project. The Befikre actor has starred in two period dramas-- namely Bajirao Masatani and Padmaavat-- in the past six years. Similarly, SRK garnered praise with his work in Asoka, a film set in a similar space.

A safe bet

Prithviraj promises to be a tale of valour with patriotic undertones. This is exactly the type of cinema Akshay has become synonymous with because of his work in films such as Baby and Kesari. His reel image and ability to connect with the audience could work wonders for the movie.