India is everything to me: Akshay Kumar on decision to renounce Canadian passport
New Delhi, Feb 23: Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, who has often faced criticism over his Canadian citizenship, says India is everything to him and he has already applied for a change of passport.
He feels bad when people say things without knowing the reason for him taking up Canadian citizenship, Akshay said in an interview in the first episode of the new season of Seedhi Baat on Aajtak.
"India is everything to me... Whatever I have earned, whatever I have gained is from here. And I'm fortunate that I get a chance to give back. You feel bad when people say things without knowing anything...," the 55-year-old star said.
Akshay, known for his films such as "Hera Pheri", "Namastey London", "Toilet: Ek Prem Katha" and "Padman", also spoke about a lean phase in his career when he delivered more than 15 flops. This was in the 1990s. The poor box office performance of his films pushed him to apply for Canadian citizenship, he said.
"I thought that 'bhai, my films are not working and one has to work'. I went there for work. My friend was in Canada and he said, 'come here'. I applied and I got in.
"I had just two films left for release and it is just luck that they both became superhit. My friend said, 'go back, start working again'. I got some more films and I kept getting more work. I forgot that I had the passport. I never thought that I should get this passport changed but now yes, I have applied to get my passport changed and once I get the renounced status from canada..."
Akshay's citizenship became a topic of debate after an interview with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2019 just before the Lok Sabha elections.
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Nightclub fire: Luthra brothers brought to Goa from Delhi
Panaji (PTI): Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, were brought to Goa from Delhi on Wednesday after being deported from Thailand in connection with the December 6 fire incident that killed 25 persons.
They will be interrogated by the Goa Police in connection with the devastating fire at the nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, an official said.
A team of the Goa Police, along with the Luthra brothers, landed at the Manohar International Airport, Mopa, in North Goa at 10.45 am.
ALSO READ: Goa nightclub fire: Luthra brothers deported from Thailand, taken into police custody
They are likely to be taken to the Anjuna police station for questioning. The accused will also be produced before a court in Mapusa town for their regular remand, the official said.
After the fire tragedy, the Anjuna police had registered a case against the Luthra brothers on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The Luthra brothers were arrested on Tuesday as soon as they landed in Delhi after being deported from Thailand. A court there allowed the Goa Police their two-day transit remand.
The duo had fled to Phuket (Thailand) early on December 7, hours after the fire at their nightclub, prompting the authorities to issue an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancel their passports.
They were detained by Thai authorities at Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian government, which later coordinated with officials in Thailand to deport them under legal treaties between the two nations.
Five managers and staff members have already been arrested by the Goa Police in connection with the fire.
