In 2022, superstar Dhanush captured attention with his appearance in the American action thriller The Gray Man, alongside Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas. The Raayan actor received widespread acclaim for his performance as Avik San, not only from Indian media but also from Western outlets. Known for his exceptional acting skills, Dhanush also shined as a co-star.

In a throwback interview, global icons Chris Evans and Ana de Armas shared their experiences of working with the Kubera actor. Ana praised Dhanush, calling him “incredible.” Talking to News 18, Ana De Armas said, “Dhanush is incredible and he is the most patient human being I have ever seen. He is truly hard-working. Dhanush and I have spent endless hours at these stunt facilities where we were training and rehearsing for weeks for fight scenes and he was just there and he was focused and he was there no complaining, no nothing. He was so into it and so lovely to work with. I mean, he is so much fun.”

To this, Chrish Evans added, “ Patient and poised and lovely and so polite, professional.” For the unversed, directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, The Gray Man was released on July 22, 2022, and received mixed reviews at the box office. While moviegoers loved the hard-core action sequences and the brilliant performances by the cast, they were certainly not happy with the script. The movie had a limited theatrical release but was later dropped on Netflix for streaming. 

The plot of The Gray Man revolves around CIA Black Ops mercenary Court Gentry. He is one of the best assassins and is part of the Sierra program. The story takes a turn when, during his mission, he unveils the dark secrets about his chief, Denny Carmichael, who wants to kill Gentry and this is where Dhanush’s characters make an entry. 

Dhanush was seen playing the role of a deadly assassin named Avik San in the Russo Brothers’ The Gray Man. Following the first installment, the makers announced that the action thriller would have a sequel

Audiences will no longer see Akshay Kumar’s well-known anti-smoking advertisement, affectionately dubbed the Nandu ad, in theaters. According to recent reports, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has decided to pull this ad, which has been shown before films for six years. While the reasons behind this sudden removal remain unclear, reports indicate that it has been substituted with a new anti-tobacco advertisement.

According to a report from Bollywood Hungama, the change took effect in September 2024, with the Nandu ad notably absent from the Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video. The decision to remove the ad, starring Akshay Kumar, was made last month, and the replacement focuses on the benefits of quitting tobacco within just 20 minutes.

The Nandu ad showcases actor Ajay Pal, a Madhya Pradesh native, alongside Akshay Kumar. Ajay, who made a brief appearance in Akshay’s 2018 film Padman, caught attention while selling cotton to Akshay’s character. Following this, he was invited to participate in the anti-smoking advertisement, according to Midday. Ajay also had a role in Akshay’s 2023 film Selfie.

For those unfamiliar, the ad features Akshay Kumar and Ajay Singh Pal as Nandu. It depicts Nandu smoking a cigarette while discussing his wife’s hygiene issues. First aired during the release of Akshay’s 2018 film Gold, the advertisement sees Akshay advising Nandu to quit smoking and instead invest the money he saves in sanitary pads for his wife, effectively promoting the message of Padman as well.

In 2012, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, along with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, implemented a mandate requiring films with smoking scenes to display anti-smoking advertisements both before the movie starts and after the intermission.

On the professional front, Akshay Kumar has an exciting lineup of films in the works, including Jolly LLB 3, Welcome to the Jungle, Bhoot Bangla, Skyforce, Housefull 5, Hera Pheri 3, and more. His most recent appearance was a cameo in Stree 2, featuring Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor.