Reportedly, veteran actors like Anupam Kher and Paresh Rawal were the frontrunners to play the role, however, they have made way for Toilet: Ek Prem Katha star.
Akshay's selection has won many votes, but his biggest fan - CBFC Chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani seems to be the happiest. Speaking to
DNA, Nihalani said, "I can’t think of anyone better to play our Prime Minister than Akshay. He has a spotless image of an idealist and visionary. And look at the kind of work he’s doing.
Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and
Padman are the cinema of social reform that Guru Dutt and V Shantaram were associated with. Also, Akshay has risen from humble working class beginnings to become a national star, just like Modiji. We are certainly looking at a strong possibility of Akshay playing Modiji."
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and yesteryear actor Shatrughan Sinha said, "Akshay is the Mr Clean of India. His image goes well with the image of the New Shining India."
However, according to
NDTV, Akshay Kumar's team has denied it. "He won't be playing Prime Minister Narendra Modi on screen," a spokesperson said.
Why is Akshay Kumar most suitable?
Akshay Kumar may not be as popular as Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, however, he has proved himself to be versatile. Lately, this action-hero has been portraying down-to-earth, middle-class characters with everyday life challenges.
From financially helping drought-hit farmers in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu to launching a martial arts school to provide self-defence training to women for free in Mumbai, the National Film Awards recipient has managed to win respect from fans.
Akshay has been quite vocal about his support for PM Modi's schemes. His film Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Padman are along the lines of what the prime minister has been talking about for the past three years.
Prime Minister Modi's following:
In three of the National Democratic Alliance government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the top followed leader on Facebook globally.
According to
ET, Modi's Facebook Page has more followers than Donald Trump and his official page - PMO India – ranks third followed by Modi page’s personal page and the newly elected US President Trump. The data also shows that Digital India, Make in India and Swachh Bharat are the most engaged campaigns that have been run by the government.
PM Modi has nearly 30 million followers on his personal account on Twitter. Besides, he has at least 18 million followers on his institutional account, @PMOIndia.
It seems to have become a trend to make biopics in Bollywood. Films have been made on Mary Kom, Sachin Tendulkar, M S Dhoni, Sanjay Dutt, and several others. But, Madhur Bhandarkar’s Indu Sarkar and Anupam Kher essaying the role of former prime minister Manmohan Singh in The Accidental Prime Minister, has been the most controversial one of all.
According to
HuffingtonPost, long time BJP supporter Anupam Kher, who has appeared in several critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, will be playing the role of Manmohan Singh in a film based on a memoir penned by the former prime minister's media adviser. Sanjay Baru, who served as Manmohan Singh's media adviser between 2004 to 2008, wrote The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh and released it in 2014. The biopic is set to release ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Akshay Kumar to act as Modi in a Biopic movie. All The Best @akshaykumar
— Magizhmaran Iyengar (@Maransadagopan)
June 21, 2017
Dear @akshaykumar sir i heard u do modi's biopic, please dont do that. No vacancy, no development, no business jb ye modi aaya h #Request
— Akshay jain (@Akkieyy)
June 21, 2017
Some Twitter users had predicted this in 2016 itself.
Few years from now, they will make a biopic on Modi and Akshay Kumar will play Modi
— Vks (@VikHasya)
November 29, 2016
@SirPareshRawal
Sir we audience want to c u and Akshay Kumar again in a movie.
when u r movie on Modi ji's biopic releasing.
— Akshay Planet213 (@mahendrakar01)
February 15, 2016 
 "Narendra Modi's biopic: Rumour has it, Akshay Kumar will be roped it")
