Is Akshay giving John the cold shoulder?

Mumbai: Having to replace another actor in a project is always a sore topic in Bollywood. And currently on opposing sides of that equation are John Abraham and Akshay Kumar. John has replaced his good friend and former co-star Akshay in two films: Welcome Back and Hera Pheri 3. Both the films had Akshay playing the lead in the previous installments.

Naturally, the buzz in B-town has all been about the discomfort that has crept into the friendship between the two men. Lending credence to the talk is that while John has clarified that he spoke to Akshay before stepping into both projects, Akshay has chosen to maintain a non-committal silence on the issue. In fact, when he was asked outright about what he felt regarding John taking over the roles, Akshay refused to comment. “Akshay’s reaction has triggered off speculation that he isn’t too happy with the development. Why else would he evade the topic?” asked an industry observer.

Akshay’s spokesperson has said that all is well between the two actors. And even if it isn’t, here’s hoping they find a way to smooth over their differences, if any.