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Bollywood actor Akshay Khanna has turned 49 today. He is the younger son of well-known actor Vinod Khanna. Akshay made his Bollywood debut with the film Himalaya Putra produced by his father Vinod Khanna, but he gained popularity in 1999 with the hit film Taal.
Akshay has worked in great films like Taal, Border, Hustle, Hungama, Gandhi My Father, Race, Dil Chahta Hai. However, even then he did not get the position he deserved in the film industry.
Akshay, who debuted at the age of 22, started struggling with the problem of hair fall at the age of 19. As his career progressed, this problem of Akshay became deeper which started affecting his film career also. Akshay also took a break from films twice for a few years. In his career of 27 years, Akshay sat at home for almost five years.
His previous film was Drishyam 2 which was released in 2022. Akshay is now preparing for his digital debut. He will be seen in the web series 'Legacy' with Raveena Tandon.
Know some interesting facts related to Akshay's life on his birthday…
Akshay with father Vinod Khanna, mother Geetanjali, elder brother Rahul.
Akshay was born on 28 March 1975 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Father's name is Vinod Khanna and mother's name is Geetanjali. Both of Akshay's parents are no longer in this world. Vinod Khanna died in 2017 while mother Gitanjali passed away in 2018. Actor Rahul Khanna is Akshay's elder brother.
Akshay's early education took place at Bombay International School, Babulnath. After this he studied 11th and 12th from Lawrence School, Lovedale, Ooty. Akshay was not particularly interested in studies. He was always more interested in sports than studies. At the age of 17, Akshay did not give the college exam because he was afraid that he might fail. More than this, he was worried about what he would say to his parents if he failed.
After 12th, Akshay did not want to study further at all, but he was hesitant in telling this to his parents. Finally one day Akshay gathered courage and told his father that he did not want to study further. Vinod Khanna got angry after hearing this, but agreed after much persuasion. During this time, Akshay also expressed his desire that he wants to make a career in films.
Akshay with father Vinod Khanna.
Vinod Khanna invested money in debut film
Vinod Khanna did not oppose this dream of his son. He advised Akshay to learn acting first and got him admitted in Kishore Namit Kapoor's acting school. After learning the nuances of acting here, Vinod Khanna invested money for him in a film named Himalaya Putra. The director of this film was Pankaj Parashar.
In 1997, Akshay got his dream launch in Bollywood through Himalaya Putra, but the film was a flop. Despite this, Akshay was appreciated in the film. He received the Screen Award for Best Male Debut for Himalaya Putra.
Akshay received the Screen Award for Best Male Debut for 'Himalaya Putra'.
After this film, Akshay was seen in JP Dutta's war drama film Border with stars like Sunny Deol, Sunil Shetty and Jackie Shroff. Akshay received the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for his role in the film. Border was the second highest-grossing film of 1997.
In 1997 itself, Akshay's third film Mohabbat was released in which his opposite was Madhuri Dixit. The film was a flop. Even after this, Akshay's films came back to back which included films like Doli Saja Ke Rakhna, Kudrat. All of these were flops. Critics said on Akshay's failure that he does not fit into the image of a conventional hero, hence it is not easy for him to make his place among the audience.
Highest success achieved in 1999
The year 1999 proved to be the most successful for Akshay. Earlier this year, he got a chance to work in Rishi Kapoor's first film as a director, Aa Ab Laut Chalen. This film did not do well in India, but it did well overseas.
In 1999, Akshay's second film Laawaris flopped. However, it was this year that Taal brought him real success. Akshay was cast opposite Aishwarya in this romantic drama film of Subhash Ghai.
Taal was the fourth highest-grossing film of 1999. Taal was the film from which Akshay got commercial success for the first time in his career after Border. However, after Taal, most of Akshay's films proved to be flops.
Akshay was seen in his natural bald look in the film 'Dil Chahta Hai'.
Loss of career due to hair fall
Akshay had said in an interview that his hair started falling when he was 19 years old. Akshay started becoming very worried due to this. After entering films, his restlessness increased even more because looks, physique and hair matter the most for a hero.
Gradually, Akshay lost a lot of his hair and due to baldness, he got fewer films, but even then Akshay did not wear a wig or patch. With time he accepted this and now he is seen in his bald look only.
In the year 2000, Akshay took a break of one year due to flop films. In 2001, he was seen in the film Dil Chahta Hai in which he was much liked in the role of Sid. After this, in 2002, Akshay was seen in a negative role for the first time in the film Humraj, in which he was liked. Gradually, Akshay started getting side roles instead of hero, in which he also got appreciation.
Took second break in 2012
Akshay took a break from acting again in 2012. In an interview, he described this period as the worst period of his life. He had said, I do not want to remember the period when I took a break. That time was the worst phase of my life. I am not one to sit at home, I like to work, but sometimes time tests you. If you don't get the work you want to do, you have to sit at home. After all, who wants to sit at home? I've been working since I was 19, I don't want anything else. I love being on set.
Akshay, who was away from the industry from 2012 to 2016, made a comeback with the film Dishoom. After this he got films like Mom, Ittefaq, Section 375.
His last film was Drishyam 2 in which he was seen in the role of a police officer. Akshay has done about 40 films in his career, out of which only eight have proved successful.
Said this when his father retired
In an interview, Akshay had also talked about father Vinod Khanna's retirement. He had said, I was only five years old when father left everything and went to Osho Ashram. At such a young age, I did not have enough understanding to think about his decision. When I turned 15, I understood about his retirement.
Akshay had said that his father's decision to retire would have proved to be a life-changing moment because leaving a good career and family is not easy for anyone.
Akshay and Aishwarya in the film 'Aa Ab Laut Chalen'.
Akshay could not take his eyes off Aishwarya
Akshay had fallen in love with Aishwarya while working in films like Aa Ab Laut Chalen and Taal. He himself mentioned this in an interview and said that whenever he met Aishwarya, he could not take his eyes off her.
Not only this, he also admitted that whenever Aishwarya came in front of him, he could not stop himself from staring at her because she is very beautiful.
By the way, Akshay had dated actress Tara Sharma from the film industry. Both of them kept spending time with each other for a few years, but then they broke up.
Akshay was working with Karishma in 'Deewana Tere Naam Ka', but it was stopped.
Couldn't get married to Karishma Kapoor
Akshaye Khanna is unmarried. There was a time when his father wanted to get him married to Karisma Kapoor, but it could not happen. Actually, Vinod Khanna had asked for the marriage of his friend Randhir Kapoor's daughter Karishma for his son Akshay. Karishma's mother had refused this relationship.
Karisma got married to Sanjay Kapoor, but Akshay never married. Akshay says that he enjoys single life and is not interested in marriage or children.
Akshay with Raveena Tandon and director Vijay Gutte on the sets of 'Legacy'.
Will debut on OTT
Akshay will make his digital debut with a web series named Legacy. Raveena Tandon will also be seen with him in this series. On his OTT debut, Akshay had said that working in a web series is a refreshing change for him.
The director of Legacy is Vijay Gutte, with whom Akshay has worked in the 2019 film 'The Accidental Prime Minister'. The shooting of Legacy has been completed and it is reported to be released in late 2024 or 2025.
