We should respect stuntmen for what they do Akshay Kumar

Akshay Kumar has high regards for stutmen who risk their lives for meagre amounts of money and says if he had not been an actor, he would have been a stuntman.

Stunt is an art. When we see stuntmen flying high and jumping from a highrise, we should respect that. And how much are they paid? Not more than Rs.6,000. Having high regards for them, I can proudly say that had I not been an actor, I would have been a stuntman. It's one of the best works," Akshay told reporters here.

The actor, who returns to the small screen as the host of the fourth season of adventure reality show "Khatron Ke Khiladi", performed a nerve-wracking stunt at Filmcity to show that the stunts in this season will be original and not camera gimmicks.

Akshay did the stunt after almost five years and said: "I did this stunt almost after five years. Ejecting the car almost 15 feet above the ground, bursting the oil tanker and crashing it on ground. It's one of the most difficult stunts. I had given all my experience to this stunt."

The show kicks off Friday on Colors.

Akshay had hosted the first two seasons, while the third one was done by Priyanka Chopra.

"I think she (Priyanka) did a pretty good job. Last time the design of the show required a female host. I watched it and I saw that she was very true with what she had done in the show," said Akshay, known as the Khiladi of Bollywood.

"Khatron Ke Khiladi" is the Indian version of the internationally hit show "Fear Factor", and involves dangerous tasks.

Akshay Kumar performs live stunt to promote 'Khatron Ke Khiladi

Actor Akshay Kumar, who returns as the host of adventure reality show "Khatron Ke Khiladi", performed a daredevil live stunt here at Filmcity to stress on the level of stunts in the show this time around.
Akshay, who was known as an action hero before he started doing comedies, first came on a bike wearing a fire-proof suit and said: "I'm doing a stunt like this after five years. I want to tell everyone who is present here that whatever you will see is very risky and it is all real."

Then the actor chanted the Gayatri Mantra and sped away only to return in a car that burst into flames after moving for some distance, but came out safely.

The show that kicks off Friday on Colors, is the fourth season of the show. While the first two seasons were hosted by Akshay, the third had seen Priyanka Chopra as the host.

For this season, the channel has chosen 13 female celebrity participants - each teamed up with a male partner.

The celebrity participants include former Indian women's cricket captain Anjum Chopra, models Diandra Soares, Alesia Raut and Poonam Pandey, actresses Aarti Chhabria, Smita Bansal and Aashka Goradia, item girls Sambhavna Seth and Kashmera Shah, two VJs - Bani and Mia Uyeda, singer Mauli Dave and Dina Singh who is actor Vindu Dara Singh's wife.

"Khatron Ke Khiladi" is the Indian version of the internationally hit show "Fear Factor", and involves dangerous tasks involving at heights and with creepy crawlies.

No dance, Akshay wants action movie with Hrithik

Bollywood star Akshay Kumar is sure he can't match dance steps with Hrithik Roshan, but he hopes to make an action film with him some day.
Akshay was quick to shower praise upon Hrithik after watching the promo of the latter's forthcoming dance reality show "Just Dance".

"Hrithik is a one of a kind actor... He must know he makes all us heroes envy his moves... What that man brings to the dance floor is refreshing, extremely talented, and everything the youth needs to see in a hero," said Akshay.

Akshay hopes Hrithik plans to open a dance school soon.

"If he opens a dance school, I know my son would be the first to attend. Hrithik has performed some of the most memorable and difficult dance steps in the last decade. I, of course, would never dance a duo with this guy, but I'd definitely love to make an action film with him," he added.

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Ravishing Raveena joins Twitter

Bollywood's "Mast mast" girl Raveena Tandon is the latest Indian celebrity to join social networking site Twitter.

Raveena was welcomed by celebrity jewellery designer Farah Khan Ali, who posted: "A Big shout to my childhood buddy and close friend Raveena @TandonRaveena on twitter. Let's give her a warm welcome."

The actress joined the site May 2, but started tweeting actively Tuesday.

"Slow on this but will catch up reeeeaaalll fast!! Thanks guys for such sweet messages (sic)!!" she posted.

The 36-year-old national award-winning actress will soon be seen in Amitabh Bachchan-starrer "Bbuddah...Hoga Terra Baap", set for a July 1 release.

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Javed, Shabana head for Istanbul

Writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar and his actress-social activist wife Shabana Azmi have packed their bags and left for a summer vacation in Istanbul.

"Javed and I enroute to Istanbul for a short break. It's his first time and I'm sure he will love it as I do," Shabana posted on her Twitter page.

The duo got married in 1984, after Akhtar's divorce from Honey Irani, with whom he has two children -- filmmaker-actor Farhan, and director Zoya.