Akshaye moves on

It’s not often that we hear a Bollywood actor taking a hurried and discreet trip to a rehab centre overseas. But Akshaye Khanna did just that. He reportedly took permission from the producers of Mere Baap Pehle Aap, his latest movie, to take time off and fly to Philippines to seek therapy for alcohol addiction. Now that he is back, he knows best how to deal with it – by moving on.

Last month, photographs of a visibly drunk Akshaye at a city pub had been splashed in many newspapers. They showed Akshaye holding on to his drink even as he was being helped into his waiting vehicle. On his return he has this to say: “We live in a world that is changing. And so is the media. One must be open enough to accept what’s on hand and move on.” Was he angry with the media to find that he had made headlines for the wrong reason? He says, “It was what it was!”

Meanwhile, he seems to have found the perfect way to put everything negative behind him. Gardening is his new-found passion. He says, “It is a great form of meditation. It is hugely satisfying to be able to eat your own onions and bhindis. I want to learn more about gardening. Fifteen minutes of gardening are enough to make me perfectly calm.”

Recalling his younger days he says, “My family has a house outside Mumbai. My earliest memories are those of me standing over the plants and watering them. Perhaps this passion has stemmed from that.”
Talking about his latest movie awaiting release on June 13, Akshaye rates it high on the list of comedies he has done till date. When asked if Mere Baap Pehle Aap will be one of those slapstick comedies by director Priyadarshan, Akshaye says, “Comedy is a genre that generally fails to touch your heart. But Priyadarshan has transformed Mere Baap Pehle Aap into something beyond a father-son relationship.”

Priyadarshan seems to be his favourite director. He says, “Working with Priyadarshan is absolutely different from working with others. On his sets, there is no bitching or gossiping. I feel liberated.” So much so that, he says he and co-star Paresh Rawal even considered asking the director if he could extend the shoot for few more days.

Though Gandhi My Father, in which he played a serious role, turned out to be a flop at the box office, Akshaye remains undaunted and says he would not want to be typecast as a comedy hero. And if there is one genre of movie that Akshaye wants to stay off, that’s science thrillers. “I am not a Star Wars fan at all. And since it is not a genre found in Bollywood, I don’t need to act in those,” says Akshaye.