The actor bonded with his mother-in-law over Sudoku, YouTube and theme parks, while shooting Patiala House in London.
"While we were shooting she taught me how to play Sudoku and I love the game and we watched so many videos on Youtube together. I took her and my son to a theme park, so that was great fun," Kumar told PTI.
The 43-year-old who has been married to Twinkle, yesteryears stars Rajesh Khanna and Dimple's elder daughter for a decade now, says that he has more in common with his mother-in-law than his wife.
"I get along with my mother-in-law very well and I actually have more in common with her than my wife. So it was a great experience having her play my mother in the film," said Akshay.
Interestingly, the film sees Akshay play the long suffering son of one of Bollywood's most popular on-screen 'jodis', Dimple and her 'Bobby' co-star, Rishi Kapoor.
And Akshay says that he was put to shame by the dedication of the veteran actor.
"Rishi ji is a hard working actor. We were recently at a stage show to promote Patiala House and while I went as myself Akshay Kumar, he painstakingly dressed up as the character, Paji, with a beard and a cane. I was ashamed of myself. That is the kind of dedication that he brings to every project," said Kumar who had earlier worked with Rishi in another NRI film Namastey London in 2007.
The film is set in Patiala House, the fictitious residence of the Kahlon 'parivar', with Rishi playing the family's patriarch and Akshay his long-suffering son who sacrifices his dream of becoming a cricketer to appease his father.
Though the film is set Southall, London, Akshay says that it is a story that all families, be it India or abroad, will identify with.
"'Patiala House' is a story that people will relate to because it often happens in families that parents dream of a future for the child that is unacceptable to the kids. The film is set in a joint family and people will identify with the characters," said Akshay.
The actor who shot with real cricketing stars like Herschelle Gibbs, Andrews Symonds and Matthew Hayden for the film was coached by Balwinder Sandhu, the 1983 World Cup hero, in the gentleman's game for the film.
"I was in my school's cricket team but I did not have the passion for the game and was more into martial arts. For the film I learned how to bowl once again. I learned all the techniques and Balwinder Sandhu, a crickter I love, coached me," said Akshay.
The actor, who has stuck to comedies in the past few years, is making a return to the genre of drama with Patiala House, but he says that he is far from apprehensive.
"I have done dramas in the past and I love doing emotional roles but I feel that the entertainment value of comedy is much higher and if you look at the hits over the past decades, most of them are comedies," said Akshay.
Patiala House starring Akshay, Anushka Sharma, Dimple Kapadia and Rishi Kapoor, releases this Friday.