Akshay is all set to displace Shah Rukh and Salman Khan

Akshay Kumar is surely is fast emerging as a strong contender to Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan for the ‘overseas heartthrobs’ tag.

After the strong showing in the overseas circuit of Garam Masala , Deewane Hue Pagal and Dosti - Friends Forever , all of which starred Akshay, his ‘intense lover’ act in his latest film Humko Deewana Kar Gaye has also stormed the box office in the United Kingdom, thus underlining the versatile actor's emergence as the "new star on the overseas circuit".
The film, which released all over the world on April 14, opened to record theatre collections. In fact, the opening day collections of the film, which stars Katrina Kaif in the female lead and the sultry Bipasha Basu in a supporting role, in the United Kingdom were a staggering 50,000 UK Pounds (Rs 35 Lakh) from just 38 cinema screens.

Besides the stupendous opening day collections, the film also earned 16,000 UK Pounds (Rs 11 lakh) from paid preview shows held a day prior to its theatrical release.

The total collections earned by Humko Deewana Kar Gaye from its previews and theatre earnings during the 4-day Easter weekend were 219,981 UK Pounds (Rs 1.7 crore) from 38 cinema screens, placing it at the tenth position in the UK top Ten, alongside Hollywood films like 'Ice Age: The Meltdown', 'Scary Movie
4', 'Inside Man' and 'The Shaggy Dog'.

What is more, the film had the third highest per-screen average of 4,603 UK Pounds among the films figuring in the UK Top ten, behind only 'Ice Age: The Meltdown' and 'Scary Movie 4'.

In terms of its earnings during the opening weekend, the film ranks above Hollywood films like 'Hostel', 'The Pink Panther', 'Yours, Mine and Ours', The Squid And The Whale' and 'The Dark Momentum'. Trade sources say the opening taken by Humko Deewana Kar Gaye is the highest ever for a solo Akshay -starrer in the UK. In fact, the opening of the film was even bigger than that of Andaaz , Akshay's previous film with director Raj Kanwar .

Recent years have seen Akshay emerge as the new star on the overseas circuit. Films starring the actor like 'Garam Masala', 'Deewane Hue Pagal' and, more recently, 'Dosti' have proved to be hits in the United Kingdom.

Of the above, the success of 'Dosti' is especially remarkable considering that the film opened to a lukewarm response from Indian audiences. Which only goes to prove what a big draw Akshay is emerging at the box office.