I'm an actor, not a teacher: Akshay on artistes' responsibility in films

Akshay Kumar on Tuesday said films don't perpetuate negativity in society and as an actor his responsibility is limited to the role he is performing.

The treatment of women in pop culture came under scanner again after a young woman veterinarian in Hyderabad was raped and murdered.

Many were quick to point how Bollywood has normalised stalking, lack of consent and general ill-treatment of women on screen.

When asked about this, Akshay said in a group interview, "A film should be taken as a film. You come there, enjoy, pay for ticket and don't take it so seriously. We show 'no smoking' but have people stopped smoking? Everybody is doing their job, I'm trying to do mine. We are all making a film."
"Just like how you have the freedom of speech and writing, the person also has the freedom of acting, whatever he wants to. It is being passed by the censor. If it is passed by the censor, then what's the problem?"
When pointed out that the responsibility as an artiste should remain the same when he's doing a slapstick comedy like "Housefull" and a message-oriented "Toilet: Ek Prem Katha", Akshay said, "My responsibility with 'Housefull' is that I'm doing a slapstick comedy."
"It's just a character, when we have to speak, we do. Where it's just a comedy, I take it like that. When I see someone else's films also, be it Inder Kumar or anyone else who makes comedy films, I go in that kind of a mood."
"This film is on IVF, a serious matter, we are talking about exchange of semen. Now, someone can say it's such a serious matter how can you show it in this (comic) way? But I'm playing a character!"