He may not be in the Khan league, but Akshay Kumar is in a league of his own as the actor hit gold with a string of hits this year.

The critics have not been kind to his films, but the audiences have been lapping it all up, according to Akshay and the box-office results.

“I personally feel that audiences don’t look at the reviews. I have seen films which has got reviews of just one star but the film is a huge hit and the movie that gets five stars, doesn’t manage to pull crowds. So I don’t think anybody follows reviews. What they follow is their instinct, the promos and the kind of mood they are in,” a brutally honest Akshay said.

His three releases Namaste London, Heyy Babyy and Bhool Bhulaiyaa were all trashed by critics, but they all turned out to be blockbusters.

After the hat-trick, his new release Welcome has managed to set the cash registers jingling yet again. And audiences just don’t seem to mind his repetitive comic act.

The new king of comedy has not only mastered his comic timing but is also ready to give tips on what not to do in a comic film. “When you do comedy, the most important thing that I don’t do is to make faces. I let the situation take over me rather than me taking over the situation”

Akshay may be on the roll but unlike his contemporaries, many of whom have gone behind the camera as well this year, the actor has no such current or future plans.

“I don’t see myself producing any film or directing one either. I enjoy just being an actor. It’s a full fledged job, you need to concentrate 24 hours on that,” Akshay said.

And for those of who you who have been missing the Khiladi Kumar, next year he will be seen in his action avtaar in Yashraj Films Tashan, Nikhil Advani’s Made In China and Anees Bazmee’s Singh is King.

The clash of titans ‘Saawariya’ and ‘Om Shanti Om’ at the box office this Diwali has excited film buffs who are all set to throng theatres in huge numbers and the whopping sale of the films’ tickets stands testimony to this.Tickets for Shah Rukh Khan’s Om Shanti Om at PVR Juhu, were sold out in five hours for Friday, Saturday and Sunday and people are equally enthusiastic about Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Saawariya’. Both films will open simultaneously this Friday.

Both the biggies have been in news for different reasons like Shah Rukh Khan’s six pack, top model Deepika Padukone, daughter of former badminton champion Prakash Padukone, Ranbir and Sonam Kapoor children of Rishi and Anil Kapoor respectively, who make their debut in the industry with much-touted Bhansali film.

If Bhansali has two star kids- Ranbir and Sonam Kapoor- Farah has the new ’six-pack’ King Khan. If Bhansali has used Salman Khan and Rani Mukherjee in cameo roles to add to the star power to his movie, Farah has used 31 leading actors- new and old- in a song sequence.

‘Saawariya’ is said to be an intense love story and a tribute to the the late showman Raj Kapoor.

Farah directed SRK’s home production ‘Main Hoon Na’ earlier and Om Shanti Om is her second directorial venture.

The music of the film is already a superhit. Producer Shah Rukh Khan has ensured that all goes well with his 70s inspired reincarnation drama, while Sony Pictures Entertainment is also leaving no stone unturned to ensure a good opening for ‘Saawariya’.

Eros International, which is distributing Om Shanti Om, is releasing the film with approximately 1000 prints worldwide. ”8000 tickets were sold on the internet. About 80 per cent of the single screen theatres in Mumbai are already full. We can safely say that this is the biggest ever opening for a film,” sources said.

‘Saawariya’ advance booking started last saturday and the film is being released with 1200 prints worldwide.

Across India it may be a fight between Om Shanti Om and Saawariya. But in Chennai, it’s a Tamil film Azagiya Tamil Magan starring Vijay that’s vying with Shah Rukh Khan`s movie for the top honours.

And if the booking trend has to be trusted, so far it indicates that Vijay’s film has a clear headstart.

King Khan usually opens No 1 at the Chennai box office. But not when he’s pitted against the biggest star in Tamil cinema after Rajinikanth.

ATM hits seven screens in the city with a total seating capacity of 4120 seats per show as opposed to OSO`s 4 screens and 2930 seats.

Supriya Rajashekhar, director of corporate communication of Satyam Cinema said, “It’s different here in Tamil Nadu. There`s been a phenomenal response to ATM here in Chennai much more than OSO and Saawariya.”

On the eve of his film release Vijay spends time at the Velankanni Shrine. His prayers before his previous film Pokkiri were clearly answered and it was a blockbuster. In ATM he plays a double role opposite Shreya, Rajinikanth`s sweetheart in Sivaji.

Sreedhar Pillai a senior film journalist said, “It’s an experiment with the Vijay image. He’s playing a negative role for the first time.”

The season throws up another intense battle between Asin and Shreya for the top slot in Kollywood. Asin, who has already been snapped up by Aamir Khan for the remake of Ghajini and by Kamal Haasan for Dasavatharam is paired opposite Suriya in Vel.

Asin said, “I’m paired with Suriya. It`s after we last worked together in Ghajini. It`s a fun film.”

Among the slew of new releases Kannamoochi Yenada is billed as a family entertainer. For the Tamil film industry that has seen 32 films since the release of Sivaji in June this promises to be a dazzling Diwali.

“No Smoking”, a film about a chain smoker’s efforts to bid adieu to smoking, failed to impress audiences, while another Bollywood release “Jab We Met” received a good response from movie enthusiasts across the country today.

Director Anurag Kashyap’s “No Smoking” is a story about a rich and powerful chain-smoking businessman, “K”, who decides to kick the habit, after his wife threatens to leave him.

This then leads him to the “Laboratory” which is not quite the run-of-the-mill rehabilitation centre, but a dungeon run by yet another powerful character Baba Bengali whose ideas of reform are different from the usual “twelve steps” programme.

The film is set in India, Azerbaijan and Russia.

Despite the presence of big stars like John Abraham and Bipasha Basu in the movie and a very unique storyline, the opening show didn’t receive a good response from the audience.

“It was fine. Not bad. It’s all about no smoking and all that”, said Ankur, a movie enthusiast.

Meanwhile, actor John Abraham was away in Indore promoting his film. He took oath along with 100,000 students against smoking.

“We want to make this city and country a no smoking zone”, said Abraham.

But how much this promotional campaign will help the movie can only be gauged after some time.

Another flick that hit theatres across the country is Imtiyaaz Ali’s “Jab We Met” (When we met) starring Sahid Kapur and Kareena Kapoor.

It was well received by the audiences, which found the movie and songs appealing.

“It’s awesome, it’s amazingly nice. Well it’s a story about a young girl who lives in a dream world and how she falls in love and all that. Good time pass”, said Sahiba, a viewer.

Imtiyaz Ali, Director, Jab we Met (When we met) is confident that movie will do well.

“It’s a very positive feeling. It is a feeling of being thankful to all the energy, all the people and all the forces that has caused this film to happen”, said Ali.