Why Akshay Kumar is Mr. Reliable

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It might have been sheer chance that brought Akshay Kumar into the Indian film industry (Akshay Kumar flying high, Feb 5), but it was his perseverance and will power that kept him there.
Khiladi, his first hit, gave him the image of a macho man doing fight scenes and scary stunts. And then that image became difficult to shake off.
The film industry is first and foremost a business. If an actor is known to work well in a certain type of role, why bother with the risk of making him do something different? Once he is well established, only then can he demand some experimentation - something that can be seen in Akshay's early work.
Through a lot of ups and downs, he has finally reached a place where he can take things to the next level, on his own terms. The most reliable actor of the industry, he is reportedly the first Bollywood star to have earned Rs. 2000 crore from ?his films so far. So, it isn't a surprise that he'd want in on the editing process. After all, editing is said to be the most crucial part of filmmaking.
Although Akshay has done much great work, my personal favourite being Hera Pheri, Airlift is definitely his best work so far. It makes you keenly anticipate his next project. 
» THE FOOD-MOOD CONNECT
What we eat has a bearing on our moods, while our moods play a role in our choice of food (The psychology of eating, Feb 5). The consumption of fats, proteins, salts, carbohydrates etc in excess or in deficit causes undesirable chemical reactions in the body, which in turn affect mood. For example, a spiky, aggressive mood is often found in tandem with a diet high in calories, proteins, fats and spices, whereas a balanced diet is usually found to render a temperate mood.
But this is not a one-way traffic route, for our mood too determines the kind of food we reach out for. In a depressed state of mind, one tends to crave sugary and fried foods that give instant gratification, thereby alleviating stress - albeit temporarily. But this kind of food in turn provokes certain undesirable chemical changes in the body, which bring about mood swings, thereby creating a vicious circle. The only way to break it is by putting our finger on the component that is within our control: food.
The food-mood tie is intrinsic, and optimising it should be a way of life.
Nini Biswas, Abu Dhabi 
» FROM REAL TO REEL LIFE
Airlift was such a wonderful eye opener (Akshay Kumar flying high, Feb 5). Most real life events, when portrayed in a movie format, tend to stick in your memory for much longer. My wife and I watched the movie and started reading up about the war after we got home. The logistics of managing countless people displaced and trying to find a safe haven till they got home is extraordinarily challenging and unimaginable. Watching the movie brought a sense of pride too: our country is great and always will be.
As far as the movie was concerned, the beauty lay in the fact that they did not commercialise it. The director, Raja Menon, solely focused on the story without any over-dramatisation or addition of unnecessary plot twists and songs.
Krishnan V, by email
» GO, DENMARK
I loved reading about Denmark, the city of cycling (Travel, Feb 5). As a cycling enthusiast, I would have loved to be able to enjoy the same facilities here too. Dedicated bike lanes, signals timed in favour of the cyclists, dozens of bicycle bridges - all of it sounds like a dream. To think that almost half the population commutes to work by bike everyday! What a fantastically healthy and environmentally-friendly way of getting around. Of course, the heat in this part of the world makes it a challenge to run so much as a marathon outdoors, let alone commute by bike everyday - but imagine how much goodness could come of turning Dubai into a bike-friendly city too!
Jeremiah G, by email 
» INSPIRED TO BE THAT GUY
The interview with Ross Crist and how he got into sports commentary here in the UAE was an interesting one (The teacher on the airwaves, Feb 5). Kudos to Rohit Nair for writing it up in such an engaging way. I've heard Crist on the radio - and he's great - but it was a lot of fun to read his interview for a change, since I could practically hear his voice in my head.
The tips he offered for budding broadcasters were quite helpful too, I thought. I'm not exactly young - or tech-savvy, for that matter - but I'm actually tempted to start a podcast of my own.
Mathew, Dubai