Who is King

Who is King?
7 Dec 2008, 0041 hrs IST, ANJALI MUTHANNA
TNN

King Khan or King Kumar? According to a poll by a production company, it seems that it’s Akshay Kumar, at least where sports endorsements are Akshay Kumar More Pics
concerned.

Akki’s also had two releases this year — Tashan and Singh is Kinng. Shah Rukh, on the other hand, has been keeping a relatively low profile after the IPL and his Paanchvi Pass... stint. Moreover, his only 2008 release (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi) will be out only next week, while Billoo Barber, which was supposed to be out in November, has been pushed to February 2009. So, has 2008 been the year of the Khiladi or the Badshah?

Big-screen battle
Shah Rukh was part of the two biggest films of 2007 (Chak De! India and Om Shanti Om) but Akshay had four back-to-back hits: Namastey London, Heyy Babyy, Bhool Bhulaiyya and Welcome. “So, in terms of box office collections, Akshay would definitely have led the market because four successful films outweigh two,” says entertainment editor Indu Mirani.

However, it’s not really fair to compare the two because they work in different genres, says media analyst Anil Wanvari. “Shah Rukh represents Indian cinema on an international level because of the kind of films he does — films shot in foreign locales and aimed at the NRI market. Think Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna,” he explains. But Akshay has also headed in that direction with Singh is Kinng, which was received well by NRI audiences, he adds.

Show them!
Both actors have also hosted TV shows this year. SRK did the quiz show Paanchvi Pass..., while Akshay did the action-oriented Khatron Ka Khiladi. “Akshay was the perfect fit for that show because it goes with his image,” says Anil. On the other hand, Shah Rukh might not have been the only person who could have hosted Paanchvi Pass.... “True, Shah Rukh’s known to be a witty and intelligent man, but even Saif Ali Khan could have done the same job. However, during the course of the show, Shah Rukh made it his own.”

Yehi hai right choice, baby?
There’s endless debate about the wisdom of roping in Shah Rukh Khan for endorsements because he does so many already — from cola to fairness cream for men. Akshay, however, does only a handful, the current ones being Thums Up, Grasim and Levi’s. Does this go in Akki’s favour? “The flavour of the season might be Akshay because he’s had a string of hits, but Shah Rukh has the bigger, wider and more sustaining appeal. However, the fact that Shah Rukh endorses so many products does reduce his credibility,” says Abhijit Avasti, executive creative director, south Asia, for an international ad agency.

But that’s nothing to worry about, says brand specialist Harish Bijoor, because celebs who endorse products go through a certain cycle. “First, they’re narrow spectrum brands, which means that they endorse relatively few products. That’s how Shah Rukh Khan started out and that’s where Akshay is now. Then they become broad spectrum brands, endorsing several products because they want to increase their market appeal — which is Shah Rukh’s current status and where Akshay will be in the next eight or 10 years,” he says. But Harish adds that things can change if the stars decide to go back to being narrow spectrum brands by, say, endorsing one product a year, but charging Rs 40 crore for it.

CAST: Akshay Kumar, Om Puri, Kirron Kher, Javed Jaffery, Neha Dhupia, Sonu Sood, Katrina Kaif, Ranvir Shorey
Music By: Pritam (Pritam)
Lyrics By: Mayur Puri ()
Shooting Locations: Australia, Mumbai, Punjab, Egypt