Akshay Kumar and Shilpa Shetty's relationship was one of the most talked about Bollywood stories in the 90s. They have acted together in films such as Dhadkan, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Jaanwar and Insaaf. Suneel Darshan, who directed the 1999 hit Jaanwar, recently recalled that Akshay and Shilpa were very close during the making of the film and were even considering marriage.
In an interview with Minutes of Masala, the filmmaker said, “Akshay Kumar and Shilpa Shetty had a very strong relationship. I thought they were almost getting married. But destiny, you know, there were some misunderstandings and they broke up.”
Suneel Darshan also spoke about the challenges Akshay Kumar faced before Jaanwar. According to him, several producers stepped back from collaborating with Akshay due to a string of unsuccessful films.
The success of the 1999 hit changed things and gave Akshay's career a fresh push. Suneel Darshan said, “Jaanwar was released and became a hit. Akshay Kumar's stardom took its first major jump. As soon as it jumped, many films that were on hold, like Hera Pheri, Dhadkan, and so on, were put into fast gear.”
Interestingly, Suneel Darshan revealed that Shilpa's casting in the film also came unexpectedly. He recalled that Shilpa was not his first choice for the role in Jaanwar. Her casting happened after his mother suggested her name and asked him to take her in the film.
The director felt that Shilpa did not naturally match the role at first. At that time, she was mostly known for glamorous roles, while his film needed her to play a traditional woman who appeared in sarees.
Despite this difference, Suneel Darshan decided to give her the role. He later felt that bringing Shilpa into the film worked very well because she performed the part successfully.
