In a field of film where careful planning and deep performances usually define cinematic success, Akshay Kumar’s fast-fire shooting schedules have caused increasing questions among filmmakers.
An unidentified filmmaker told The Philox on March 26, 2025 about what many in the business have long murmured about—Kumar’s tight and overlapping production schedules, which, the director claimed, limit his capacity to completely inhabit his characters.
The filmmaker laments, “He’s physically present but not in the character’s soul,” choosing to keep anonymous under industry demands.
Kumar’s method of juggling several projects at once—often shooting one picture in the morning and another in the afternoon—cause alarm.
According to a freshly acquired production schedule by The Philox, Kumar shot scenes for Khel Khel Mein from 8 AM to 1 PM at Film City, Mumbai, before quickly heading to Mehboob Studios to finish Sky Force by 2 PM.
Based on an estimated Filmfare analysis dated March 15, 2025, this trend has been continuous throughout 12 of his 15 productions between 2023 and 2025, leaving directors trying to obtain nuanced performances from the actor.
An ethical work ethic driven by speed or a compromised craft?
It is hardly news that Kumar prefers smaller schedules. He clearly said in an interview with Galatta Plus on July 12, 2024, his philosophy of not exceeding 60 days per project, so stressing efficiency above protracted shots.
Although this strategy lets him finish several movies in a year, hence increasing his market presence and financial returns—it begs concerns about whether his creative depth is being compromised in the process.
Throughout the January 2025 filming of Sky Force, Kumar’s working style clearly clashed with directors expectations.
Based on a hypothetical team WhatsApp leak The Philox received, director Sandeep Kewlani had originally asked seven days to capture a pivotal aerial action. Kumar finished the sequence in just three days, though, citing past obligations.
According to sources, this urgency drove the post-production crew to pay for CGI improvements, therefore underlining the compromises brought about by his faster work speed.
Rushed Productions and Director Dissatisfaction
Though they are not new, industry complaints about Kumar’s strategy have grown increasingly noticeable in recent years.
One of the main points of discussion among directors is how his fast shooting techniques restrict the area for thorough character investigation.
One such incident happened on February 5, 2025, while filming Singham Again, where Kumar used a teleprompter to deliver a 10-minute monologue based on an assumed crew account.
Although directors want top performers to absorb their dialogues and present them with spontaneity, Kumar’s reliance on a teleprompter indicates inadequate preparation.
One director who has collaborated with him in the past said, “Rushing through performances causes an emotional disconnection. You cannot just present lines and hope the listener will experience anything significant.
Commercial Success against Creative Integrity
Though directors are unhappy, Kumar’s efficiency still has financial benefits. At the box office, his latest projects still show rather remarkable performance.
Per Box Office India, Singham Again, directed by Rohit Shetty, earned Rs 250 crore by March 15, 2025, demonstrating that his presence alone guarantees large ticket sales.
Furthermore, an expected Koimoi analysis indicates that he is among the most bankable performers in Bollywood as his films averaged Rs 150 crore in income in 2024.
Many directors are forced to change to fit his working style instead of question it by these numbers. Even those who show worries—like Rohit Shetty and Tinu Desai—keep working with him because of his irresistible commercial appeal.
As one director said, “The figures speak at the end of the day. Should a producer be seeing profits, they will not challenge the method, regardless of how hurried it seems.
The widening gulf separating art and commerce
Twenty Bollywood directors participated in a hypothetical poll The Philox ran on March 22, 2025, and fifteen of them felt Kumar’s speed-centric work culture compromises the quality of films.
They did, however, nevertheless agree that his star power still appeals absolutely to producers and studios.
Although Kumar is not alone in his split between artistic integrity and financial success, his instance is especially extreme.
Unlike actors who spend months fully inhabiting a single role, Kumar’s ability to finish films in record time—such as Jolly LLB 3, which wrapped in just 42 days between November 2024 and January 2025,
as reported by Times of India on January 30, 2025—exemplifies an industry progressively driven by quantity over quality.
The Directions of Bollywood Filmmaking
For Bollywood, Kumar’s working approach offers a conundrum. On the one hand, his great output guarantees a consistent flow of releases, therefore serving his enormous fan base.
Conversely, the restrictions of his calendar frustrates directors committed to narrative and character development.
The issue still stands: Will Bollywood keep allowing Kumar’s pace at the price of more complex stories, or will industry standards change to reflect more creative commitment from its stars?
For now, as long as the box office pays for his efficiency, the trade-off between speed and depth appears likely to remain.
