Kylie was an Akshay Kumar fan even before 'Blue'

By Subhash K. Jha, Mumbai, March 7 : Australian singer Kylie Minogue signed up for Hindi film 'Blue' not just to get a taste of India and Bollywood but also because she is apparently a huge fan of action star Akshay Kumar.

"It started when Kylie watched 'Chandni Chowk To China'. She was completely hooked to Akshay's antics. In fact one of her main incentives for accepting 'Blue' was the opportunity to meet up with Akshay. When she decided to do the film and the date for her arrival was confirmed, she made discreet inquiries about Akshay's schedules and his availability," said a source close to the film.

Apart from shaking a leg for director Anthony D'Souza's "Blue", she's also fallen in love with all things Indian and has even draped a sari for a part of a song.

"She wanted to go through the full India experience, including the khaana (food), wedding and of course the Taj Mahal and Jaipur," the source added.

D'Souza too said that the international pop star was a fan of Hindi films and, of course, Akshay.

"Kylie is a big Bollywood buff. She has done her homework and has seen lots of our movies. And she's a huge Akshay fan. She's seen lots of his films. I think she was at the premiere of 'Chandni Chowk To China' in London. The comfort level between them comes from the fact that Kylie knows Akshay's work," the director said.

She's also able to match steps with her Bollywood co-stars.

"She gets the nuances perfectly correct. And she's very intelligent. I've shot with her for a week and I'm bowled over by her professionalism. She's a fantastic performer," said D'Souza.

Apart from Akshay and Kylie, "Blue" also stars Katrina Kaif and Lara Dutta.