Lok Sabha elections: Actor Akshay Kumar was among the early voters in Mumbai on Monday during the fifth phase of the 2024 LS polls. In a video shared by ANI, the actor was seen casting his vote at a designated polling booth and proudly flaunting his indelible ink-stained finger. Akshay, who became an Indian citizen last year, spoke to reporters and urged people to go out and vote. Also read: Akshay Kumar reveals why he got Canadian citizenship in the first place
‘India should vote for what it deems right’
Akshay said in Hindi, "I want my India to be developed and strong. I voted, keeping that in mind. India should vote for what it deems right... I think voter turnout will be good (in Mumbai)..." When asked about casting vote for the first time after getting his Indian citizenship, the actor said, “This is great! I am feeling very good!”
Akshay got Indian citizenship last year
Earlier in August 2023, Akshay had shared a picture of his government documents, proving that he has finally got his Indian citizenship. "Dil aur citizenship, dono Hindustani (Heart and citizenship, both Indian). Happy Independence Day! Jai Hind," Akshay had tweeted.
Speaking on getting Indian citizenship, he told ANI in 2023, “For 9 to 10 years I didn't go there. It's a very nice place and one of my best friends is there. I decided that I should take my citizenship. It was just a coincidence that I had received a letter on 15th August that I had got citizenship. But it is not just a passport, it is your mind, it is your heart, it's your soul that has to be Indian. What is the point if I do have an Indian passport but my soul mind and heart are not Indian?”
Akshay Kumar on Canadian citizenship
Akshay Kumar applied for Canadian citizenship in the 1990s after over a dozen of his films failed at the box office in a row. In 2019, the actor renounced his Canadian citizenship, but the process took a long time to complete due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Akshay told ANI, “I became a Canadian because my films were not doing well at one time and I gave 13 to 14 flop films. At that time, my friend used to live in Canada and he said you come here and we will work on something. My friend had offered me that we would do cargo business together. I said okay my films are also not going well and a person has to work, no matter where he is.”
He added, "When I started living in Toronto, I got a Canadian passport. In between that, two films were left for release. After the two movies got released it became a big superhit. I told him that I was going back. Then I got more films and reached here today. But I never thought people got a hold of it, it was just a travel document. I just pay my taxes, and I am the highest taxpayer."