Akshay Kumar went flat out promoting the cause of menstruation hygiene and low-cost sanitary napkins beside smashing period taboos. But for all the cynics who believed that the actor would ease up on the propaganda now that PadMan has released, we are happy to reveal that he’s still taking the message forward.

“It’s not just a film or acting for me. Once the film releases, it doesn’t mean my job is over. In about four-five days, I will shoot a documentary for the Government about sanitation. Even Bhumi (Pednekar) has been asked to do it as a public service. I decided to take it up because I believed in it. I can’t even talk about what I’ve seen, read or heard about traditional menstruation practices. Around 42 crore women don’t use sanitary pads. Even if it changes three, five or 10 percent, I would consider it great.”

RECOMMENDED READ: AKSHAY KUMAR AND BHUMI PEDNEKAR TO COLLABORATE ON ANOTHER PROJECT!

For an actor who was previously known only for action-oriented films, he has come a long way. “When a filmmaker thinks about a film and feels that only I can do the role, it makes me happy. They won’t think that yeh toh comedy hai, tragedy hai, yeh villain ka role hai — they know they can come to me with all of it. I have done it with my hard work and my parents’ blessings. Earlier, there were so many films being made, but I would only get a small chunk of action flicks. The rest were taken up by other actors. I would never get them. That hunger got me to attempt a different kind of movies.”

…And he’s doing it with ease, one has to admit. Not the sort to take himself seriously as an actor, he points out, “I work in a good environment where I want to laugh and smile. I’m not that kind of an actor who would close the door and rehearse for a month for a role. I know actors who do it, but I cannot follow the same. I can work on it for four-five days, think about it, absorb the character and do it naturally. For me, acting isn't working but my passion and it comes only when you are happy within. If you see me on the sets shooting, you will notice I smile, even while doing a serious scene.”

How many actors do you know, who can do that!