Actor Akshay Oberoi, known for his performances in Laal Rang (2016), Gurgaon (2017) and more recently Fighter (2024), is also part of Yash headliner Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups. He plays Tony, a stylish, scheming gangster in the film. The actor can often be seen on the fringes of big-budget ensembles (he also has Shah Rukh Khan’s King in his list of upcoming projects) and wishes to get into the centre someday. “It will take time, but it will happen,” he says. “Every dog has its day.”
In a candid conversation we spoke to Akshay about how he landed Toxic, if the prominence of his role in a film affects his choices, and his opinion on the mixed reviews received by the Geetu Mohandas directorial.
Now that Toxic is out, how are you feeling? How has the response been?
I feel great. The film has made about Rs 200 crore already. I have never been part of such a big production, so all of this is really exciting.
Recently, the audience rating of the film was removed from BookMyShow. There have been mixed reviews overall. Some are praising the film for being a spectacle, others are panning its storytelling. What’s your take on all of this?
I don’t know anything about it. I guess it’s your work and not mine to think about all of this. I worked on the film, watched it and liked it. I am proud of the film. My work on it is done, so don’t ask me about people’s reaction on it.
How did Toxic happen? I heard that you read Moe Greene’s lines from The Godfather to land the role?
Geetu (Mohandas, director) wanted to hear how I sounded in English. She was sure of me as an actor but because we also shot in English, she wanted to see how I handle the language. I think she was only expecting a voice note but I actually wore a suit and sent her a video of me enacting the lines (laughs). I just wanted to give my best shot.
What interested you about the character of Tony?
I was narrated Toxic and by then I knew what kind of film it is going to be and the expansive starcast it is going to have. Amid all the characters, I found Tony to be someone I could do something with. When Geetu narrated the film to me, she was very particular about how the character looks, his clothing, his mannerisms, that intrigued me.
You have been part of many big-budget ensembles lately. There was Fighter, now Toxic and upcoming is King. These films do make a lot of money but your role in them is still small. Is the success of the project a marker for success for you, or the prominence of your role also a factor?
Today we are having this conversation because I am a part of Toxic. I am just interested in people watching my work and to get a platform like this film is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Such big-budgeted films don’t get made often. I do the smaller films also because I just want to be seen. There will probably come a time when I can have a control over what is being offered to me, maybe then I can look at my career more strategically.
Recently your 2017 film Gurgaon was shown at a homage screening. Your performance in the film was lauded when it came out. Did that role boost your career in some way?
I think it’s all compounding in some way for sure. I’ll tell you honestly, when Gurgaon released I did get a lot of critical acclaim but the film in itself was showcased in about 70 to 80 theatrical screens all over India. There was not much awareness so a lot of people didn’t watch the film. Two years later, it landed on Netflix and since then, slowly it has built an audience. Gurgaon led to Flesh (2020) which was produced by Siddharth Anand and that’s how I got Fighter (2024). Fighter then led to Toxic. In fact, for Toxic’s event in Hyderabad when I was introduced on stage, they listed out Gurgaon and Fighter as my works. I never expected for these two films to be mentioned in the same breath.
What kind of space are you in when it comes to work?
I think I would like to have a little bit more access to money. I am not saying I want to lead a Rs 200 crore film but would definitely want to headline a Rs 20-25 crore movie. I would love to create my own stuff, something that is content and performance driven but also works as a good theatrical experience.
