Some old Bollywood interviews age beautifully. One such moment comes from Akshaye Khanna, who once spoke with rare honesty about why he prefers not to share the screen with legends like his father Vinod Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan.
Akshaye has recently been in the news for the success of Dhurandhar, which has earned him praise from critics and audiences alike. He has also made headlines for his exit from Drishyam 3. As conversations around his career resurface, one of his earlier interviews offers a glimpse into how he views stardom and screen presence.
Although Akshaye made his acting debut opposite his father in the 1997 film Himalaya Putra, the experience left a strong impression on him. In a 2008 interview with IANS, he admitted that working with Vinod Khanna felt intimidating.
“There are certain people whom you shouldn’t work with. My dad is one of them. Amitabh Bachchan is another,” he said. “To stand in the same frame as them confidently is impossible. They’ve such an overpowering screen presence.”
Akshaye made it clear that his words came from admiration, not comparison. He openly spoke about the rare quality his father possessed on screen.
“It’s very difficult to match my father on screen,” he said. “It’s that quality – either you have it or you don’t have it. Very frankly, I don’t have it. I just don’t have that kind of presence.”
He described the kind of impact only a few actors create. “There are some actors who just wash you away on screen. My dad is one of them,” he added.
Years later, in a 2017 interview, Akshaye was asked if he would ever play Vinod Khanna in a biopic. His answer remained straightforward.
“Playing his father is not an option for me because I do not look like Vinod Khanna. I don’t look anywhere close to my father… Not an option,” he said.
Speaking more broadly about biopics, Akshaye also pointed out the risks involved. “Biopics by nature, I suppose, as accurate as they can be, the better for an actor. It’s very challenging as well as risky,” he said.