Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has revealed a lesser-known and deeply personal detail about his family—his father once played the role of Lord Shiva in a film. Speaking in a recent interview alongside actor-producer Vishnu Manchu, Akshay said he is still searching for visuals from the film, the name of which he cannot recall.
“My father was from Amritsar. We moved to Mumbai when I was five years old due to his job,” Akshay explained. “He loved watching film shoots. During one such shoot in 1971, someone on set asked him if he would like to act. He ended up portraying a brief role as Lord Shiva. That was the only film he ever acted in, and I’ve been trying to find it ever since,” he added, visibly emotional.
Akshay, who has himself portrayed Lord Shiva in OMG 2 and the upcoming mythological film Kannappa, said it was a blessing to play the role. “I consider it divine grace that I’ve had the opportunity to play Lord Shiva twice,” he said.
During the interview, Akshay praised Vishnu Manchu’s efforts in Kannappa, which is set to release on June 27. He commended Vishnu for taking an active role across multiple departments, including acting, production, and stunt choreography. “Although my role is brief, Vishnu took the time to narrate the entire story to me. That speaks volumes about his commitment,” he said.
Akshay also admitted that he was not familiar with the story of Kannappa before signing the film. “I hadn’t seen any of the earlier films based on the legend, but I was drawn to this story after hearing the narration,” he noted.
Directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh, Kannappa features a star-studded cast including Prabhas, Mohanlal, Mohan Babu, and Kajal Aggarwal. The film also marks the acting debut of Vishnu Manchu’s daughters and son.
