Biography

AKSHAYE Khanna is the new kid on the block. The most promising of all star-kid newcomers, with looks, style, flawless diction and acting ability to boot. Apart from which, he has worked and is working with some of the best banners in the film industry.

Apart from his father?s fabulous looks, part of Akshaye?s inheritance was also the recognition that came with being Vinod Khanna?s son. The legacy, he says, has helped him. ?It?s always better if people know about you, as compared to being a completely unknown person, I suppose,? he says.

With so many factors in his favour, why, then, is he sitting around waiting for a hit to make his life?

It?s a question that may have haunted him, but Akshaye Khanna isn?t about to let it show. Cagier than a clam in the sunshine, he makes a successful attempt at nonchalance, as he shrugs his shoulders and says, ?I?m just six films old. I have so much to learn and grow. So far, I?ve gone with what I felt was the right subject and set-up. After that, it?s the audience who decides what is to happen,? he says.

The commercial success of a film can make or break the best of them. And of five releases starring Akshaye, apart from Border which did well, none of the others have made even a minimal impact. Two, Doli Sajake Rakhna and Kudrat were complete wash-outs. Aa Ab Laut Chalen also failed to spin magic for him, though it did decently for him otherwise. Khanna agrees, but he stresses that while there is no formula to determine the success factor, he stands by all his choices. ?It is important to me to choose the right people to work with and, most importantly my role. All the films I?ve done so far, I?ve chosen on the basis of all these factors put together.?

Priyadarshan, for instance, is a fantastic person with whom my equation is fabulous. Besides, he?s a brilliant director. I don?t think there?s anyone in the industry who?s as clued in to the technical side of filmmaking as he is. As far as Doli... is concerned, I personally loved the film. It was a fresh subject, and everything about the film seemed to be great. But then, once the film releases, everyone?s a critic...,? he tails off.

Currently immersed with Taal, Subhash Ghai?s new venture, Khanna has paeans to sing about the director as well as the film, which he believes is Ghai?s best one so far. ?His style is the most remarkable thing about him. I play an industrialist?s son there.?

Among his future ventures are Love You Hamesha, ad-film whiz Kailash Surendranath?s first attempt at commercial cinema. Here he plays a small-town boy who comes to Mumbai and becomes a star. Industry rumour has it that the film is stuck, but Khanna clarifies that it is due for a May ?99 release.

Furthermore, there?s Laawaris where he plays a streetside thug. He is, however, reluctant to talk about the films at length. ?I guess you?ll have to see them and then we can talk about them,? he says. And that is that.

With both him and his brother Rahul being in showbiz, comparisons would be inevitable. But that isn?t really the case, explains Akshaye. ?At what level? We?ve been doing completely different things,? he says.

And from the looks of it, with Rahul opting to do only ?parallel? or ?serious? cinema, leaving the whole commercial side to Akshaye, there shouldn?t be either. ?Rahul? Restricting himself? No, I don?t think so. I don?t think he has set any such boundaries for himself. I think that like any other actor, he?ll only be influenced by the script and his role,? he says.

Was that the reason behind Akshaye opting out of Deepa Mehta?s Earth, which his brother is now doing? ?No,? says Akshaye shortly. ?I didn?t have dates for it."

 

Source: Pyara.com

 

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