Filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan recently opened up about her early professional experiences with actor Akshaye Khanna, revealing that working with him in the 1990s wasn’t always easy. Interestingly, she also shared how her perception of the actor eventually changed over time.
Akshaye Khanna has recently been back in the spotlight following the release of Dhurandhar, where his performance and on-screen swagger impressed audiences and sparked renewed interest in his earlier work. The buzz around his role has even led many viewers online to revisit memorable scenes from films like Tees Maar Khan, directed by Farah Khan, where Akshaye played a humorous character obsessed with winning an Oscar.
During an appearance on Ranveer Allahbadia’s podcast, Farah Khan spoke candidly about her early collaborations with the actor. She revealed that their working relationship in the 1990s was challenging and left a strong impression on her.
According to Farah, Akshaye was quite introverted at the time and often appeared irritated on set. She recalled that during those years, she found it difficult to work with him and would sometimes avoid projects that involved the actor. She also mentioned that Akshaye was going through a personal phase during that period, including dealing with concerns about hair loss, which seemed to affect his mood.
Farah further shared that Akshaye would sometimes react strongly to dialogue or scenes, occasionally expressing frustration during shoots.
However, her opinion of the actor shifted significantly when she later worked on Dil Chahta Hai, directed by Farhan Akhtar. By that time, Farah noticed a clear change in his attitude and approach.
She recalled that Akshaye had become far more relaxed and comfortable, even joking that he had “reconciled with his hair.” According to her, he appeared much calmer and more easygoing during the making of the film.
Farah also praised Akshaye’s dancing ability, pointing out his energetic performance in the popular song Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe, where he shared the screen with Aamir Khan and Saif Ali Khan.
Reflecting on the present, Farah revealed that she recently called Akshaye to congratulate him after watching his performance in Dhurandhar. The gesture suggests that the two now share a warm and friendly rapport, marking a positive turn in a professional relationship that once began on a difficult note.