MUMBAI: Actor Akshay Kumar says when he was new in the industry, he was only approached for action films and not for movies in which he could display his acting skills. The National Award-winning actor says because of his stunts he became a go-to actor for action films.

“When I came to this industry, my first words were that I am a stuntman first, then an actor. For nearly 10 years, I only did action,” Akshay told reporters on Monday evening.

“Whenever someone used to make an action film, they would say ‘take this guy called Akshay’. When it came to acting, nobody used to take me.” In the 90s, Akshay was known for his action movies. He then gradually shifted to comedy and later to the romantic genre before eventually finding a space in the social dramas. “I became what I am today because of action. I am thankful to all the stuntmen, fight choreographers. I did a lot of stunts myself but you (stuntmen) taught me,” he says. Akshay says in his career of nearly 25 years, he never got injured while performing a stunt, something for which he is very grateful to his stunt choreographers. “Nothing like that has happened so far. All my bones are intact because my stunt choreographers have always been good. “They took special care and I truly believe that a stunt choreographer is one who looks after the actor, stunt boys and makes sure the stunt gets completed safely,” says the actor. Akshay was speaking at an event of Movie Stunt Artists’ Association.–PTI