Akshay Kumar recently announced at an event that he has decided to give up his Canadian citizenship and that he’s applied for an Indian passport. The Good Newwz actor also added that he is saddened by the fact that he is constantly asked to prove his loyalty towards his nation.

Speaking at the event, Akshay said, “I have now applied for the passport. I am an Indian and it hurts me that I am asked to prove that every time. My wife, my children are Indian. I pay my taxes here and my life is here.”

One of Hindi cinema’s most bankable actors, Akshay Kumar had applied for a Canadian citizenship at a time when he had 14 back-to-back flops. “There was a time when I had 14 flops in a row and I was wondering what to do. One of my closest friends who stays in Canada told me come here and we will work together’. I started the process to get a Canadian passport because I felt my career was finished and I won’t get more work here. But my 15th film worked and I never looked back. I never thought of changing my passport,” he said.

Interestingly, Akshay hasn’t had a flop since 2016, and his last two films, Housefull 4 and Mission Mangal before that has crossed the Rs 200 crore mark.

Netizens have had quite diverse reactions to this piece of news about Akshay Kumar. On one hand, many have congratulated the Kesari actor and reiterated the fact that he need not prove his loyalty towards his country, he is, after all, a tax-paying resident. on the other hand, tweeple have pointed out how Akki decided to give up Indian citizenship following failure, and now, after a successful run at the movies, he wants to come back.

“Akshay Kumar changed his citizenship from Indian to Canadian just because he gave 14 flops. Aur Ye Hume Deshbhakti Seekhayenge,” one user wrote, taking a jibe at Akshay’s.recent hits which have been of the patriotic genre.

Another suggested he retain his Canadian citizenship, given how things are going down in India. “This @akshaykumar has applied for Indian passport and citizenship now that his pathetic movies are doing well at the box office. Make up your mind na? We are hitting rock bottom, you’ll need the Kaneda cover. Hypocrisy ki bhi seema hoti hai,” read the tweet.

“Gonna tell my kids this guy became patriot overnight after his canadian citizenship got exposed! PS: By that time he’d settle in Toronto bcoz it’s his home. #AkshayKumar,” read another.

On the work front, Akshay Kumar’s next, Good Newwz, starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, Diljit Dosanjh and Kiara Advani, is set to hit theatres on December 27, 2019.