Personal issues kept me away from work, says Akshaye Khanna

Akshaye Khanna was once the heartthrob of Bollywood, but soon, he vanished. For a past few years, he was not to be seen anywhere in the glamorous world. But now slowly, he is creating his space again in the industry. He was last seen in John Abraham and Varun Dhawan’s ‘Dishoom’ and next he would be seen Sridevi’s ‘MOM’. In his recent interview with The Indian Express, Akshaye Khanna reveals about the time when he couldn’t work due to personal reasons.

He was quoted saying, “I had some personal issues in the the past two-three years which didn’t allow me to work. But apart from acting, there’s nothing else I’ve done since I was 19. I’ve been working all my life. It was torture, to not be able to work, and there was no getting away from the depression it brings. Then, one understands the value the opportunity one has been given to be an actor. The audience decides who they will watch, and you’ll only get one, maximum two new faces each year.”

He also spoke about how it was working with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sridevi in ‘MOM’. He stated, “Nawaz is a nice guy, I enjoyed working with him. But Sridevi, oh man. I’m a quiet and private person on set, so is she. But she takes it to another level. I loved that about her! It’s beautiful, you know — the space you are working in is so well defined; the borders are so thickly marked; everything is clear and it’s so liberating to have that. She brings a certain dignity and grace to the space she occupies. It’s very rare to come across an artiste like that. She’s probably done about two films in the last decade, but look at her — she is a national treasure.”

‘MOM’ is slated to release on July 7. (Also Read: For Akshaye Khanna, substantial roles matter more than big roles)

Nikita Thakkar

A strongly opinionated, free-spirited, budding Bollywood journalist, she likes to write anything in her own quirky style. When not running around to get assigned tasks completed, you will find her either painting, indulging in photography or dreaming in the la la land.