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Can't keep a good act(or) down
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July 20, 2009
 By Debashine Thangevelo
If confession is good for the soul, I might as well declare my guilt; I have been drawn to Akshaye Khanna (or should I say, his sexy smile) ever since I saw him in Dil Chahta Hai.
All he has to do is flash those pearly whites on screen and I simply melt into my seat. Hey, don't judge me - we all have our flights of imagination.
On a more serious note, though, Khanna is an actor who is truly worth his salt in the industry.
While his big break came from dad Vinod, who launched him in their home production, Himalaya Putra (1997), Khanna steadily carved his own path after he walked away with Star Screen Awards' Most Promising Newcomer - Male for his performance.
JP Dutta's gave him his second break in Border a year later. Again, he was acknowledged with Filmfare's Best Debut and Best Supporting Actor awards.
And then came Dil Chahta Hai, after Taal (1999), which propelled him on to that enviable A-list.
When Khanna eventually branched out into comedy, he chose to do so with Priyadarshan's Hungama (2003). Personally, he couldn't have made a more astute decision. Revelling in the genre, he soon found himself giving the nod to Hulchul (2004), Shaadi Se Pehle (2006), Aap Ki Khatir (2006) and Mere Baap Pehle Aap (2008).
Although he tasted defeat when some of these releases under- performed at the box office, he never allowed it to keep him from giving 110% to his next release.
Whether he is delivering a vulnerable performance in Gandhi, My Father or is turning on the charm in Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love and the intrigue in Race, his conviction is unmistakable.
That he maintains a very low-key lifestyle despite his star status also explains his levelheaded approach to his career.
I guess being the son of an actor-producer, he has been schooled on the pitfalls of celebrityhood.
On his latest release, Short Kut: The Con is On, Khanna plays Shekhar, a straight-laced aspiring director who clings on to his dream despite the odds being stacked against him. While the movie fails to cross the "average" barrier, he delivers a full-bodied performance that is praiseworthy.
As for talk on an apparent rift between him and co-star Arshad Warsi, Khanna told Mahiram.com: "That's completely wrong. In fact, we had a great time and there wasn't any problem between us. We are professionals and have worked together in Hulchul, which was a big success. Why should we have problems this time?"
It's no secret that producer Anil Kapoor regards Khanna as something of his production house's lucky mascot. Khanna added: "It is always a pleasure working with him. He is like an elder brother. I am happy that he has so much faith in me."
And he was just as flattering about Neeraj Vora's outing as a director. "I have known him not only as a writer, but also a director.
"I worked with him in Doli Saja Ke Rakhna - he had a small part in the movie. Overall, it was a fantastic experience. He is a very easygoing director; he never pressurises you and he enacts each and every scene with you."
By the way, Khanna is back in town after Abbas-Mustan's film Race. This time he is filming for Anees Bazmee's rom-com No Problem, alongside Sushmita Sen, Kangana Ranaut, Sanjay Dutt and Sunil Shetty.
The shoot is headed to Cape Town at the end of the week.
And, if I am lucky, maybe I will run into him and he will flash me one of those disarming smiles.
Short Kut: The Con is On is currently on circuit.
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