For those who do not know, Akshay Kumar has a Canadian Passport and has often faced a lot of heat from the public and has even been the butt of jokes for his Canadian Citizenship.
However, recently the actor appeared at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit alongside Kareena Kapoor Khan and claimed that he has applied for an Indian Passport and has decided on giving up his Canadian citizenship.
Speaking at the event, Akshay said:
“I have now applied for the passport. I am an Indian and it hurts me that I am asked to prove that every time. My wife, my children are Indian. I pay my taxes here and my life is here.”
He even spoke about when and why he decided to apply for Canadian citizenship in the first place:
“There was a time when I had 14 flops in a row and I was wondering what to do. One of my closest friends who stays in Canada told me ‘come here and we will work together’. I started the process to get a Canadian passport because I felt my career was finished and I won’t get more work here. But my 15th film worked and I never looked back. I never thought of changing my passport.”
Akki’s statements have attracted mixed reactions from people on Twitter. While many supported him, some asked him to stop being a “hypocrite”.
Yes he is Indian and we all are proud of him…
And also proud because he is contributing for his country INDIA 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️— SINGH ANKIT(akki) (@20apr1996) December 6, 2019
Some people attacking him not for his passport. They attacked him because he promote patriotism.
— Laal (@B_H_A_R_ATIYA) December 7, 2019
Akshay Sir, those people r not against ur Canadian Passport, they're against u, even if u own Indian Passport they'll definitely create another issue.
— 🅄🅂🄼🄰🄽 🅂🄾🄻🄾³⁴-🇳🇬 (@UsmanSolo) December 6, 2019
This @akshaykumar has applied for Indian passport and citizenship now that his pathetic movies are doing well at the box office.
Make up your mind na?
We are hitting rock bottom, you'll need the Kaneda cover.Hypocrisy ki bhi seema hoti hai.
'Kya aap aam khate ho?'
— Sidrah (@SidrahDP) December 6, 2019
Gonna tell my kids this guy became patriot overnight after his canadian citizenship got exposed!
PS: By that time he'd settle in Toronto bcoz it's his home. #AkshayKumar pic.twitter.com/CwD42lRM8p— ♏αnthαn (@Manthansinh_) December 5, 2019
This will backfire big time
What the was the reason to apply for Canadian passport in the first place?
Now this U turn because he thinks his movies will get hampered if he continues with his Canadian citizenship.— . (@anonymous__1O1) December 6, 2019
Setting aside the citizenship issue, we cannot ignore the fact that Akshay Kumar has contributed significantly to the Hindi Film Industry for nearly three decades. And for that, we are thankful!