I'm a happy being a bachelor boy, says Vinod Khanna's putra
Park your egos outside. That's the invisible message outside his van. And Akshaye Khanna pulls the comfortable rug from under my feet. He just says nonchalantly,`` I have nothing to say actually.''
He doesn't want to talk about his debut film Himalayputra. It was said that the long-in-the-coming film had resulted in cold vibes between Vinod Khanna and Pankuj Parasher. Khanna went on record to say that Parasher got involved with Rajkumar and gave his film short shrift.
To all that Akshaye says, `` Acting is fun, stressful. You have to give your optimum- emotionally and physically. Himalayputra was a good experience. I think we'll have more to talk once the film is released. Maybe I'll have more to say two months later.''
And was it true that he refused to do a risqué dance movement that choreographer Saroj Khan had planned. The swift reply is,`` Naa, that was nothing. I eventually did the step.''
After schooling in Bombay International and Lovedale in Ooty. Akshaye decided that acting was what he wanted to do.`` Studies weren't on my list of priorities, For a while I was dilly-dallying, I even wanted to go to acting school abroad. Finally I told my father that acting was what I wanted to do. And now when I think about it, it's the best decision I made. All I ever want to do is to act. A lot of people spend an entire lifetime in professions they don't really want to be in. At least I don't have such grief.''
The first word that springs to mind when I think of the second generation in tinsel town is 'attitude'. Akshaye counters: `` I'm not going to be apologetic about my pedigree. There are advantages to being Vinod Khanna's son and that's that. I started working at the age of 18 and would like to believe that I work extremely hard. I don't think star kids are any different from the children of a diamond merchant or a management professional. We even put back what has been earned over the years by ways of acting, producing etc.''
I wonder if Akshaye seeks his father's advice on professional matters. More importantly, did he smoke in front of his papa? He parries,`` I do everything in front of my father. I have as many agreements and disagreements with him as the boy-next-door. And just in case you forgot, I have an independent life of my own, I earn my own money.''
AK isn't slack-jawed when he mentions the silver screen icons he's worked with. All he'll say is that, ``They're huge stars. I worked with Madhuri Dixit and, for a star of her stature, she's incredibly down-to-earth and modest. Working with artistes like Hema Malini, Dimple Kapadia, Danny Denzongpa... who have worked with my father, too, is a warm feeling. ''
I ask him if he and Karisma were a cosy twosome. He says tersely, ``No. Some people feel the need to constantly be in a relationship. I don't. Who knows, I might feel differently six months later. Right now there's no special relationship in my life and I don't feel any urgency to have one.''
He is reticent about the traits he inherited from his father: `` I think we're very different from each other. Well, maybe we resemble each other after all!''
When I ask him what his most frustrating characteristic is, he replies candidly ,`` I think I'm very crotchety. (Laughs) I'm always snapping at people.''
Akshaye also confesses to not having seen too many Hindi films. He says,`` I like playing aggressive characters, angry characters.''
Is there any simmering resentment within? ``I don't think so,'' he answers.