Akshaye alludes to a new movie!

The shy Akshaye Khanna talks at length to BT about the challenging role in his latest film. Akshaye Khanna likes to keep to himself. “Ya, maybe I am a little shy. I am not an introvert or an extrovert. But yes, I like to keep to myself most of the time,” he admits. That’s probably why the reclusive Akshaye has managed to stay away from controversies and link-ups. But Akshaye it seems is in a mood to talk these days. One of the main reasons is the release of his movie Gandhi My Father that has been produced by actor and friend Anil Kapoor. The duo worked together for the first time in Subhash Ghai’s Taal, but it was during the making of this film, that they got to know each other better. Speaking about Anil, he says, “Anyone can produce a film. But this film wouldn’t be what it is if it was in some other person’s hand. Anil doesn’t have only 30 years of experience, but he also has the maturity and depth as a person. And he brings that into all parts of his life not just fimmaking. He’s very passionate about life.” Anil in a recent interview had said that Akshaye underrates himself as an actor, so what does Akshaye have to say? “I don’t rate myself. Ratings are upto the media. Over-rating or under-rating myself is not my job. It’s for others to do. My job is to act, you people can rate me. Yes, awards are important because they are like a pat on your back. It feels good to be appreciated by people of your own community!” he says. But at the moment Gandhi My Father is the only thing that Akshaye is thinking about. “My director (Feroz Abbas Khan) calls it a love story between a father and son. It’s about two people who adored each other. Two strong individuals who refused to compromise on their stand,” he reveals. Mak-ing a film on Mahatma Gandhi can be a tough job, considering the fact that people are emotionally attached to the father of the nation. “According to me this is the least controversial film in a long time. Of course, we live in a free country, tomorrow any idiot can say anything. But all his relatives have loved the film. But if anyone wants to say anything, they are welcome,” he says. “Besides, I feel who are we to pass a judgement on Mahatma Gandhi as a father.”And what did dad Vinod Khanna have to say about the film. “I wasn’t around when my father saw the film. But Anil told me that my father kept hugging him and wouldn’t let go. He was very emotional,” he smiles. Akshaye who’s played negative as well as positive characters in his earlier films, feels that playing a real life character is different from portraying a fictional one. “The responsibility is greater. It has been easier for me because people don’t know much about Harilal Gandhi,” he smiles. Akshaye it seems is not too fond of the term ‘commercial cinema.’ “Somehow the term commercial makes it sound very cheap. We can call it mainstream instead. One doesn’t want to make art films. Cinema should be such that it should appeal to a larger audience. I believe as long as films are based on emotions, people will relate to it. Emotions don’t get obsolete. It’s never like woh purana ho gaya,” he says. After Gandhi My Father , Akshaye will be seen in Race and with Madhuri Dixit in Aaja Nachle . Akshaye and Madhuri were seen together in Mohabbat in 1997. So how does it feel to work with her again after almost a decade? “I always say it’s like how you give a chocolate to a kid, you give Madhuri to an actor. It’s like a treat. She’s such a wonderful person, a great actor and she’s looking fantastic. What can one say about Madhuri?. So is he taking on any more projects? “I will be signing a film next month, but we’ll talk about it later,” he says. Well that obviously is a subtle hint to end the barrage of questions. “But I spoke quiet a lot today, didn’t I?” he laughs.

Exciting stuff! Hope it's a good project. I have started worry about his lack of movies except for Shortcut which is yet to go on floors.