Actor Akshay Kumar was one of the early voters in Mumbai on Monday during the fifth phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In a video shared by ANI, the actor was seen casting his vote at a designated polling booth, proudly displaying his ink-stained finger afterwards. Akshay, who became an Indian citizen last year, spoke to reporters and encouraged people to exercise their right to vote.
Speaking in Hindi, Akshay said, “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)…” Reflecting on casting his vote for the first time as an Indian citizen, he added, “This is great! I am feeling very good!”
In August 2023, Akshay had shared a picture of his government documents, confirming that he had obtained Indian citizenship. “Dil aur citizenship, dono Hindustani (Heart and citizenship, both Indian). Happy Independence Day! Jai Hind,” he tweeted.
Commenting on his citizenship, Akshay 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 applied for Canadian citizenship in the 1990s after experiencing a series of box office failures. In 2019, he renounced his Canadian citizenship, but the process took a long time due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He explained to ANI, “I became a Canadian because my films were not doing well at one time and I gave 13 to 14 flop films. My friend in Canada suggested I move there and we could work on something together. 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.”
Akshay added, “When I started living in Toronto, I got a Canadian passport. During that period, two of my films were released and became big hits. I told my friend that I was going back. Then I got more films and reached where I am today. But I never thought people would make an issue out of it, it was just a travel document. I pay my taxes, and I am the highest taxpayer.”
Akshay Kumar’s participation in the elections and his encouraging message highlight the importance of civic duty and national pride as India moves through a crucial phase of its democratic process.
