Akshaye Khanna has mostly stayed away from the limelight despite going viral after the stellar run he enjoyed last year. With blockbusters like Chhaava and Dhurandhar, he was the talk of social media, yet remained elusive. That was until recently, when he was spotted outside a Mumbai restaurant yesterday with producer Rajat Rawail. Needless to say, as he posed for the paparazzi, the videos and pictures quickly went viral online.
Rajat Rawail took to Instagram to share a picture with Akshaye Khanna, captioning it, “Super luncheon with my best best buddy, the super‑talented acting juggernaut Akshaye Khanna & Rajat Rawail @ Mizu Bandra @ Wed 9/9/36 @ friends for ever n ever.”
Akshaye Khanna's Next Project
Akshaye Khanna's next is his Telugu debut Mahakali.
The film marks Akshaye Khanna's first mythological superhero action movie.
Khanna, who plays Asura guru Shukracharya, is at odds with the protagonist essayed by Bhoomi Shetty. He exited from Drishyam 3, allegedly over disagreements concerning his remuneration and look in that film. He reportedly demanded Rs 21 crore following the twin successes of Dhurandhar and Chhaava.
But why Akshaye Khanna went ahead with a mythological character in an uncharted domain keeps intriguing the Internet.
"Choosy as ever, Akshaye agreed to play Asura guru Shukracharya as he was intrigued by the role. In Hindu mythology, he was the revered teacher of the Asuras and advised them in their battles against the gods. His primary role was to revive the dead demons, while Maa Kali's role was to destroy the demon army. That put them on opposite sides of the conflict.
"Shukracharya is considered a knowledgeable sage rather than inherently evil. He is a misunderstood character in Indian scriptures, and Akshaye loved that complexity," a source close to the film told Mid-Day back in May.
The unit shot an extensive schedule from February to April this year. They also shot a few scenes in Kolkata.
Dhurandhar frenzy
Akshaye Khanna played Rehman Dakait, based on the real-life character of Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch, a Pakistani gangster from Karachi's Lyari neighbourhood in the franchise.
In the first instalment of Dhurandhar, Akshaye Khanna dominated the screen more than Ranveer Singh. Though he was not much in the second instalment, his presence was very much missed.
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