Seven Deadly Arts with Akshay Kumar is a seven-part television mini-series that aired on the National Geographic Channel in 2004. It was hosted by Akshay Kumar.[1][2][3] Kumar donated his time and talents to the show.[4]
Description
The series showcases the seven martial arts of
kalaripayattu, Shaolin Kung Fu, karate, taekwondo, aikido, Muay Thai, capoeira and .[5][6] Kumar, who began learning martial arts at age 9,[4] played the master for taekwondo, karate, and Muay Thai, and played the student of the other forms of martial arts from different trainers.[7] The series' tagline was "The first thing you learn to kill is your ego".[8][9] Kumar shared his personal beliefs about martial arts and talked about the benefits it brought to him.[10]
Broadcast
National Geographic Channel announced the series' launch on 27 April 2004.[11] The first part was aired on Sunday, 9 May 2004 at 8:00 p.m. The rest of the parts were aired on the following Sundays.[12] Before the series was launched, National Geographic Channel had planned to broadcast the series' second part in October–November 2004.[13]
Kumar and his personal trainer, Mehul Vora, wrote the script.[14] Vora also choreographed the mini-series.[15] The series was shot in Manali, Himachal Pradesh and Mumbai in a span of 40 days. The series marked Kumar's television debut.[16][17]
During the series, Kanishka Sharma taught Shaolin Kung fu to Kumar.[18] Sifu Kaniska Sharma is the first Indian to be trained in Shaolin Temple Secular Discipline Union in China.[19] Yogesh Sahu directed the series. Puran Chauhan also trained Kumar. After the series, Chauhan worked as a stunt director in several Hindi films.[20]
