Akshay Kumar on Bollywood’s language debate ahead of 'Bhooth Bangla' release: ‘I will speak in Hindi, that is my comfort'

As Akshay Kumar gears up for his highly anticipated reunion with director Priyadarshan in Bhooth Bangla, the superstar is making waves for his candid take on the industry's linguistic shift. In a recent interview, the actor reflected on the 1990s, a time when English was considered the "fashionable" choice for stars, revealing why he steadfastly refused to abandon his roots, even at high-profile award nights and global conclaves.In an interview with IANS, speaking about the language preference, Akshay Kumar said, "In the ’90s, even if there was an award night, I always said that I would speak in Hindi. Generally too, I always speak in Hindi. Even at many of my conclaves, where there are English speakers, I fold my hands and tell them, 'You speak in English, but I will speak in Hindi.' That is my comfort." According to the report, English was widely preferred for conversation in the 1990s; however, actors like Akshay Kumar and Govinda were among the few who always opted for Hindi. In the same interaction, Akshay shared that for him, Hindi has always been about comfort and authenticity rather than perception.The actor is currently busy promoting his upcoming film 'Bhooth Bangla', directed by Priyadarshan. The actor and the filmmaker are coming together for a project after over 15 years. The horror comedy also features Paresh Rawal, Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi, Rajpal Yadav, Mithila Palkar, Jisshu Sengupta, Rajesh Sharma, and the late veteran actor Asrani. 'Bhoot Bangla' is set to release in theaters on 10th of April.Apart from this, Akshay Kumar has Priyadarshan's 'Haiwaan', co-starring Saif Ali Khan. The movie also stars Shriya Pilgaonkar and Saiyami Kher. Malayalam superstar Mohanlal is set to make a special appearance in it. The makers are aiming for a 2026 release. Akshay also has the multi-starrer 'Welcome to the Jungle,' directed by Ahmed Khan. Meanwhile, he recently joined the star cast of 'Golmaal 5', which Rohit Shetty is helming.