Akshay Kumar finally broke his silence over sporting a fake moustache in Samrat Prithviraj (2022).
When Samrat Prithviraj was announced, there was huge excitement around Akshay Kumar stepping into the shoes of the legendary king Prithviraj Chauhan. Fans expected a grand, powerful performance that would bring the historic ruler to life on the big screen.
But when the film finally hit the big screens in 2022, the response was far from what was hoped for. Many viewers walked out disappointed, pointing to Akshay’s look, body language, and especially the much‑talked‑about fake moustache as reasons why his portrayal didn’t feel convincing.
Now, four years later, Akshay has addressed the backlash over his ‘fake moustache’ in this film in a candid interview with journalist Shubhankar Mishra.
The actor shared that he was working on many films and different looks at the same time. He explained that at present he has a beard, which took him about six weeks to grow, and during that period he did not work.
Akshay pointed out that it was not a matter of refusing to grow facial hair, but rather about the demands of his projects and the time it takes to achieve certain looks.
The Bollywood star further explained that in Samrat Prithviraj the story required a very specific kind of moustache, but that style could not grow naturally on his face. He admitted that the fake moustache might not have looked good and that many people may not have liked it.
Akshay stressed that acting sometimes demands compromises, even when the look isn’t perfect, and added, “If people didn’t like it, then I am sorry.”
Helmed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, Samrat Prithviraj also marked the Bollywood debut of former Miss World Manushi Chhillar. Despite the anticipation, the film failed to impress audiences and ended up tanking at the box office. While the disappointment around the project still lingers, Akshay has since moved on to other ventures and was recently seen in Priyadarshan’s horror comedy Bhooth Bangla.
