Akshay Kumar puts his hand around her neck, draws her close towards him and then caresses her head playfully. Soon she is all over him: rolling down and darting up his body. No, she is not Twinkle Khanna. Not even Katrina Kaif. The lady in question is a lemon yellow-coloured python…

Akki, 40, found his new love at the Bangkok launch of Viacomm 18’s GEC Colors. Once he let go of her, we caught up with the new Akshay — all-action once more despite just being conferred with a doctorate by a Canadian university and being on the brink of a TV debut — at the Royal Orchid Sheraton hotel on the banks of the beautiful Chao Phraya river.

You haven’t done a single action film for the last five years. Why this change of course with Chandni Chowk to China?

I stopped doing action after my son Aarav was born in 2002. Now after these past five years, I find that his favourite films are Tarzan and Spider-Man. So, I thought I should do action again. I am doing action again only for my son. Both Chandni Chowk to China and Singh is Kinng have lots of action.

But why are you doing TV? Surely it has nothing to do with Shah Rukh and Salman doing television…

I am not doing Khatron Ke Khiladi (an adaptation of international hit Fear Factor) because it’s on TV. I have had many TV shows offered to me before but I have not liked the nature of the programmes. I am doing this show because it is about stunts. I just love doing stunts. I have always wanted to do something like this. It’s going to be absolutely different from any reality show that you have seen on TV. In fact, it will be different from the original show Fear Factor. This will be a variation. Yes, the Fear Factor people will be there with us in South Africa but trust me, it will be very different.

We know what you can do but would the 13 ladies competing against each other be able to overcome their fear?

They are fighting their own fear. They are not fighting with each other. All women love doing stunts. Whenever I have spoken to them they have wanted to jump at the opportunity. Women generally have conquered fear much better than men. They are mentally much stronger. I have seen it in my mother and sister.

Have you never felt scared doing any stunt?

There is nothing like the scariest stunt in the world. I have seen people break their ligaments trying to jump from a sofa five feet high. Because probably they didn’t have any fear. It is always the fear which helps you to perform all the stunts.

So there is no risk involved if you take the right precautions?

Not just stunts; anything we do is risky. Any film I do is risky. Tashan was risky. Singh is Kinng is risky. This show is risky. People can just switch off the show and say I don’t like it. Or they may say I like it. Everything is risky.

Talking about Tashan, everyone’s gone gaga about your performance but the film hasn’t been received too well…

No, Tashan has not been received very well. And that makes me realise that I have to work much harder and I have to perform much better.

Singh is Kinng has already taken off thanks to the Rs 13.5 crore music rights deal. Vipul Shah says it’s because of you. What do you think?

It’s very nice of my business partner to say something like that. Either our music really deserves it or my partner is a very good businessman. Both Namastey London and Singh is Kinng are co-productions by Vipul and me. I don’t give my company’s name Hari Om Productions in the credits, though. So I am happy that the music has got Rs 13.5 crore. Today entertainment and business are growing very fast and so a price like this should open a lot of new doors for the film industry. I personally like the music very much.

You are mixing comedy and action in both Chandni Chowk to China and Singh is Kinng. Do the two go together? Which one is easier?

Yes, action and comedy can merge very well with each other. And that’s where Chandni Chowk to China comes in. It’s my autobiography. I play a vegetable cutter and then I get into martial arts... Comedy is very difficult, much more difficult than action or stunts. Action is a lot simpler, you just jump from a building with all the possible precautions. But to make people laugh every moment is very difficult. You can do stand-up comedy all your life but if you are not making people laugh, you will be booed off in one second.

It must be awkward for you to meet your colleagues like Shah Rukh and Salman especially after all the hype regarding the competition between you...

See, there are 300 films made in Mumbai every year. How many of them can I do? Maybe three or four. So who am I competing with? There’s space for everyone. Like on TV. Shah Rukh and Salman are both doing TV. I have seen Shah Rukh’s show. He is doing a good job. I will do my job. There is no competition. We are all a big family, the film industry.

What about the IPL? Shah Rukh and Preity bought teams. You became a brand ambassador…

I am into sports. I am not into trading. I believe in sportsmanship. I believe it’s a game, it’s not a war. I have a very positive approach towards the game. It’s a religion in India. We love watching it. I don’t need to go and tell people that please watch the game. They all know it. I am associated with Delhi Daredevils because they go with my personality and I go with their personality.

Finally, how does it feel coming back to Bangkok, where it all started?

I get really nostalgic when I come to Bangkok. I have so many memories of the place. There are so many images which come to mind when I come back here. Waiting tables comes to mind, serving people comes to mind, cooking comes to mind. Bangkok without bridges comes to mind. The traffic is the same though, because no one wants to pay the toll tax for bridges (laughs). I am really grateful to this city for whatever I am today. And I always wait to come back to this second home of mine.

Khiladi kumar

Khiladi (1992): The Abbas-Mustan thriller was arguably the best of the Khiladi films

Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994): The funniest of them all, Saif proved a great foil for Akki

Sabse Bada Khiladi (1995): Best remembered for the wonderful lyrics of the song Bholi bhali ladki khol tere dil ki pyaarwali khidki

Khiladiyon Ke Khiladi (1996): Rekha goes the full monty behind glass doors with Akshay, who also fights with Undertaker

Mr & Mrs Khiladi (1997): The weakest of the lot, the David Dhawan comedy didn’t work

International Khiladi (1999): Only Khiladi film with real-life partner Twinkle, this was heavy on action

Khiladi 420 (2000): Another weak one and perhaps the reason why there hasn’t been a Khiladi films for the past eight years