Akshaye Khanna is back in the spotlight after his performance as crime kingpin Rehman Daikat in ‘Dhurandhar’, but actor Amit Behl says the actor’s off-screen conduct has long shown another side of him. Behl recalled an incident from a film set where Akshaye lost his temper after a character actor was stopped from eating lunch at a hotel buffet. The actor, known for speaking very little, stepped in and strongly defended the dignity of a fellow artist.
Akshaye Khanna defended an actor on set
As reported by SCREEN, Amit Behl recalled the incident during a conversation with Siddharth Kannan. He said it happened on the set of a film he was working on with Akshaye Khanna. A character actor, who was staying at another hotel, came to the hotel where the main cast and crew were having lunch.
“The moment this actor had his first bite at the hotel’s lunch buffet, the producer’s wife or some relative noticed that he didn’t belong there and said he shouldn’t be eating that food. Just as he had begun, someone from production came over and said, ‘Sir, you can’t eat this.’ He was hurt and quietly kept the plate aside and sat by himself,” Behl said.
Akshaye Khanna lost his cool over lunch row
Behl said Akshaye saw the incident from a distance and immediately reacted. “Akshaye, who usually speaks very little, gave a speech about what hunger truly means and what respect truly means. That day, I realised how intense and thoughtful he is towards his fellow artists.”According to Behl, Akshaye scolded the producer and the crew members involved. He said Akshaye told them, “A film doesn’t get made by the number of plates or how much food you have; it is made by the blessings of people.”Behl added, “It really looked like a man who hardly speaks had finally unleashed the volcano within him.”Akshaye is currently receiving praise for ‘Dhurandhar’. In an exclusive chat with SCREEN, casting director Mukesh Chhabra said the team considered many names before finalising him for the role. “We had jotted down many names for his role and then shortlisted them, eventually zeroing in on Akshaye. He came for the narration alone, which was the beautiful part. After it ended, he looked at me and said, ‘Loved it, I really enjoyed it, man.’”Chhabra added, “I’ll read it tonight and get back to you.” He said Akshaye is “a man of his word” and takes every decision himself.
