No leading lady for Akshay

Just as Amitabh Bachchan turns 70 on October 11, Akshay Kumar will start the shooting of his next home production Boss. It's Akshay's way of honouring the Big B. In Boss, Akshay plays a kind-hearted gangster, much like Amitabh's role in Agneepath.

Says the source, "This is Akshay's way of paying his respects to Amitabh. It also happens to be the birthdays of the director Tony d'Souza and of the film's other male lead actor, Ronit."

For the first time, in Akshay's career, there will be no leading lady opposite him in Boss.

Interestingly, this is not the first time Akshay is playing a mafia don. Even before he starts shooting the sequel to Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai, Akshay is all set to start Boss with Blue director Tony d'Souza, helming the good gangsters versus bad cop saga. While Akshay plays the good gangster, Ronit Roy will play the bad-ass cop.

Mithun Chakraborty has been roped in to play Akshay's father. The last time they were seen together was in the disastrous Chandni Chowk To China in 2010.

Says a source close to Akshay, "It was a conscious decision to keep Akshay's character single. Akshay convinced his director Tony that going solo will make the character mysterious, sinister and sympathetic. So the heroine's role was scrapped. But the film will have a young romantic pair, played by two newcomers."u00a0