Producers are bullish on Akshay as there is a guaranteed return on investment. His new price of 22 crore is considered to be justified too as he has got huge and formidable releases in the future, starting with Yashraj's TASHAN.
Others to follow in 2008 would be Warner brothers biggest action film CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA (erstwhile titled MADE IN CHINA), Sajid Nadiadwala's KAMBAKTH ISHQ, Vipul Shah's SINGH IS KINGG and Nagesh Kukunoor's EIGHT by TEN.
Last year, even when released on the same day, Akshay's collections of 'Bhool Bhulaiya' were bigger than those of Yashraj's 'Laaga Chunari Mein Daag' overseas as well as in the domestic market. Within five days of its release, the film was number seven on the UK charts. 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa', a comic-thriller directed by Priyadarshan, registered collections of over 200,000 pounds in the first three days
In US also, the film came as a big surprise because Yash Raj films are known as big brands in the overseas market.