"Can you believe I will finish my second film tomorrow amid this pandemic," asks Akshay Kumar, who hasn't let the unusual circumstances come in the way of his work. Having shot for Bell Bottom in the UK, the actor is currently wrapping up the period drama, Prithviraj.

The excitement in his voice, however, has to do with his latest release, Laxmii. While the Raghava Lawrence-directed venture may have been slammed by a section of the audience, Disney+Hotstar announced that it broke the viewership record previously held by Dil Bechara to register the highest opening on the platform, on Monday. "I feel great. I know a lot of critics don't like my films, and I understand it. But my focus is on my audience. I am told it's the biggest opening of my career. The film achieves something pivotal. Having a transgender protagonist normalises and reinforces the rights of the LGBTQ community. Be it with PadMan [2018] or Toilet: Ek Prem Katha [2017] or Mission Mangal [2019], the idea is to do more than just entertain or deliver a box-office success. I want to make a difference," states the actor.