Farah Khan recalls avoiding Akshaye Khanna in the ’90s; says she was ‘traumatised’ working with him - WATCH

Filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan has shared a candid story about her early working experiences with actor Akshaye Khanna, revealing that there was a time when she deliberately avoided collaborating with him. Speaking on a YouTube podcast hosted by Ranveer Allahbadia, Farah reflected on her career in the 1990s and recalled that working with Khanna during that period was not always smooth. According to her, the actor was quite different back then, which made their professional interactions challenging.

However, she also stressed that her perception of him changed completely over time, especially after they reunited on a later project.

Farah Khan recalls, 'In the '90s I was traumatised'

During the conversation, Farah revealed that after working with Akshaye on a couple of films in the 1990s, she became reluctant to sign projects that featured him. Looking back on those experiences, she said, "In the '90s, I did a couple of movies with Akshaye, and after that I was traumatised. Because he used to be a different person. Yes, introverted, but not a nice person on set. Whenever I heard that Akshaye Khanna was in a film, I used to say, 'I don't have the dates'."

She further explained that the actor often seemed frustrated during shoots. According to Farah, he was dealing with personal insecurities at the time, including concerns about hair loss, which affected his mood on set.

"I think at that time he himself had said that he was losing his hair. He was constantly irritable. He used to throw things and say, 'What kind of dialogue is this?' He used to be that kind of person," she added.

How 'Dil Chahta Hai' changed things

Farah said the turning point came when she worked with Khanna again on Dil Chahta Hai, the directorial debut of her cousin Farhan Akhtar. By that time, she noticed a major shift in his personality and attitude on set. The actor, she said, appeared far more relaxed and comfortable in his own skin.

"He had completely changed by then. He had reconciled with his hair. In Dil Chahta Hai, he became very chill," she recalled. Farah also pointed out that Khanna is an underrated dancer. Referring to the popular track "Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe", she said that his performance in the song stood out.

"And he is a brilliant dancer, if you watch Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe, he is dancing better than Aamir and Saif," she said, referring to actors Aamir Khan and Saif Ali Khan, who also starred in the film.

Farah Khan praises Akshaye Khanna's work ethic today

Despite their rocky start, Farah said she now shares a warm equation with the actor. She revealed that she recently called him after watching his latest film and even visited him at his home in Alibaug. "What I like about him is that he is not about the fluff; he is about the work. He enjoys acting," she said.

Akshaye Khanna's role in 'Dhurandhar' wins praise

Akshaye Khanna has recently been receiving widespread praise for his performance as gangster Rehman Dakait in Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar. The spy thriller stars Ranveer Singh as an Indian intelligence officer who infiltrates terror networks operating out of Lyari in Pakistan. The film also features Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal and R. Madhavan in key roles.

Khanna's portrayal of the menacing gangster quickly caught viewers' attention, with many praising the intensity he brought to the role. His dramatic entry in the film, dancing to Flipperachi's track "Fa9la", also went viral on social media. Following the film's massive success at the box office, its sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, is now set to release in theatres on March 19.