With Kambakkht Ishq hitting the bull's eye at the box office by grossing Rs 100 crore in the first week despite unfavourable reviews, Akshay Kumar is having the last laugh.

"I have faith that my audience will come and prove my work's worth. And this time they surely have and I love them for it," quips Akshay.

He maintains that he doesn’t desire to be the ‘king’ of Bollywood and is happy entertaining the people the way he is. "See, I am a clown and not a king. Once a clown, always a clown! I belong in the ring, not on the podium," Akshay reportedly said. Looks like this Khiladi is content playing a 'clown' for his audiences.

Ever since Akshay’s last three films Jumbo, Chandni Chawk to China and 8x10 Tasveer bombed at the box-office, his contemporaries from the industry are busy pulling him down.

"It is loud and clear that Kambakkht Ishq had succeeded amongst the audiences, I am being asked if I am marching towards the top again. My reply to them is that I am happy living and dying being where I am and that's anywhere but on top," Akshay said.

Eros International, the distributors of Kambakkht Ishq, declared that the film had grossed about Rs 100 crores (1 billion) worldwide in the first week, making it one of the most successful openings in Indian cinema.

The movie has grossed Rs 70 crores (Rs 700 million) in India and Rs 21 crores (Rs 210 million) overseas. And the music and digital rights of the movie have fetched Rs 10 crores (Rs 100 million).