'I Became a Canadian Because My Films Weren't Doing Well': Akshay Kumar

Akshay Kumar opens up about his Canadian citizenship.

Akshay Kumar, who recently became an Indian citizen, opened up about his Canadian citizenship and the backlash that he faced because of it over the years.

The actor, in an interview with ANI, shared that he applied for Canadian citizenship when his films 'weren't doing' well at a point and he had given back-to-back flops.

During his conversation with ANI, the actor revealed, "I became a Canadian because my films were not doing well at one time and I gave 13 to 14 flop films. At that time, my friend used to live in Canada and he said you come here and we will work on something. My friend had offered me that we would do cargo business together. I said okay my films are also not going well and a person has to work, no matter where he is. When I started living in Toronto, I got a Canadian passport. In between that, two films were left for release. After the two movies got released it became a big superhit. I told him that I was going back. Then I got more films and reached here today. But I never thought people got a hold of it, it was just a travel document. I just pay my taxes, and I am the highest taxpayer."

Akshay, who announced his Indian citizenship on Independence Day earlier this year, further told the news agency, "For 9 to 10 years I didn't go there. It's a very nice place and one of my best friends is there. I decided that I should take my citizenship. It was just a coincidence that I had received a letter on 15th August that I had got citizenship. But it is not just a passport, it is your mind, it is your heart, it's your soul that has to be Indian. What is the point if I do have an Indian passport but my soul mind and heart are not Indian?"

On 15 August, the actor took to social media to share his official government documents, proving that he has finally got his Indian citizenship. He shared in a statement, "Dil aur citizenship, dono Hindustani (Heart and citizenship, both Indian). Happy Independence Day! Jai Hind."

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Meanwhile, on the work front, Akshay was recently seen in Mission Raniganj alongside Parineeti Chopra. The film, which hit the big screens on 7 September, is inspired by the real life of the late mining engineer Jaswant Singh Gill.