Celebrating 15 years since the release of the blockbuster Singh Is Kinng, director-writer Anees Bazmee has shared intriguing insights about the film. In a recent interview, Anees disclosed that Akshay Kumar agreed to star in the movie without even reading the script. Recalling the remarkable moment in an interview with Hindustan Times, Anees said, “I remember Akshay was shooting for a film in a different country. So I called him, shared the idea and within five minutes, he was on board.
However, due to Akshay’s busy schedule, Anees couldn’t narrate the entire script to him. During the interview, Anees also revealed that he wrote the script with a young man from Punjab in mind, but the concept of the protagonist wearing a turban wasn’t initially part of his vision
The decision to have Akshay Kumar wear a turban in the film came later when Anees Bazmee wanted to present the actor in a new avatar. He said, “I randomly landed on the set where Akshay was shooting for some other project. I took a turban and asked him to wear it. When I saw him, I was sure that this is how I want to carve this character called Happy Singh.
Akshay readily agreed with the decision as he had never portrayed a Sikh character before. Anees also shared that as the script was further developed, it was tweaked to be respectful and sensitive to the Sikh community. Other actors were chosen to complement Akshay’s character and appear convincingly as Sikhs.
The team also shot scenes in Punjab, surrounded by genuine sardars, who expressed immense excitement upon learning that the film was titled Singh is King.
