Akshaye Khanna: Dark horse of the ‘Race’?

Abhishek

Born on March 28, 1975 Akshaye Khanna inherited the acting skills of his father, Vinod Khanna. He made his debut alongside him in Himalaya Putra (1997), in which his real father played his reel dad too. Akshaye may not be the current reigning star of tinsel town, but he certainly has a carved a niche for himself. Coming from a filmy background may have helped him get an entry into Bollywood but this actor has always dared to be different. Where majority of actors go on a signing spree after just one hit, Akshaye has always believed in going slow and steady. Unlike other actors Akshaye does not make efforts to remain in headlines. He is known to be a very private person. His interviews are well spaced and he does not allow himself to be over-exposed. He is known for his reserved nature and does not open up easily. Also, where other actors shout from the rooftops about their love affairs, Akshaye has never discussed his relationships. He has never even talked about his affair with Tara Sharma. Just said that she is the only person he ever had a serious relationship with. As an actor, from the lover boy of Himalaya Putra to the debouch of Race, Akshaye has come a long way. At the start of his career he may have been in awe of his father but later he established himself on his own. Starting his career at the young age of 22, Akshaye soon got noticed for his acting skills. But the movie that really got him recognition was Border, which also got him a Filmfare award. Border was followed by some forgettable movies, which bombed at the Box Office. Akshaye was criticised for both his acting and his choice of movies. A big movie that came his way was Subhash Ghai’s Taal in 1999. The movie became a runaway hit and Akshaye got rave reviews for his portrayal of a silent lover. The role suited his persona and Subhash Ghai exploited his vulnerable looks. But even after that Akshaye was never considered a bankable actor at the ticket window. Akshaye’s career took a turn for the better in year 2001 when Javed Akhtar’s son Farhan Akhtar, who was also his childhood friend, directed him in Dil Chahta Hai (DCH). Like Taal, in Dil Chahta Hai too he played the role of a sensitive lover. He portrays a young man who falls in love with an older woman. Not only did Akshaye get critical acclaim for his role, he also bagged the Filmfare award for Best Supporting Actor that year. DCH was followed by another hit and yet another power packed performance by Akshaye in Humraaz which released in 2002. This Abbas-Mastaan flick saw Akshaye essaying a negative role for the first time. Akshaye showed his real mettle in this movie and outshone his fellow actor Bobby Deol completely. Akshaye then teamed up with his favourite director Priyadarshan- with whom he had also worked in Doli Saja ke Rakhna– in Hungama and Hulchul. Both laugh riots not only proved to be good entertainers but also big hits at the box office. But his best performance came in a recent flick Gandhi My Father in which he played Mahatma Gandhi’s son Harilal. Directed by Feroz Abbas Khan, this movie won him not only accolades but also Best Performance Award at the Australian Indian Film Festival. The future looks bright for him with some interesting projects in his kitty. Akshaye might just be the “dark horse” of year 2008. Vital stats Name: Akshaye Khanna Height: 5`9" Hair: Black Eyes: Black Hobbies: Acting Family: Father is Vinod Khanna, mother is Geetanjali (1st wife of Vinod) Step-mother Kavita, step-sister Sakshi Brother Rahul Khanna (VJ, Actor) Memorable Roles: Rajiv Singh in Race Harilal Gandhi in Gandhi My Father Akshaye Khanna in Bollywood Hollywood Raj Goyal in Deewangee Karan Malhotra in Humraaz Siddharth Sinha in Dil Chahta Hai Manav Mehta in Taal Dharamvir in Border Abhay in Himalaya Putra