Akshaye at BigFM event-- IV

The BigFM event

The wedding bells are ringing on-air for BIG 92.7 FM's RJ Rohit, the host for Mumbai's popular evening drive time show 'Mumbai Much Much', and BIG 92.7 FM, marked the celebrations today with none other than Bollywood's most eligible bachelor Akshaye Khanna. BIG 92.7 FM's star RJ and heartthrob of many finally decided to take the plunge on-air with a grand swayamvar amid baraatis, band-bajaa & shehenaai at the colourful mandap…all making for a picture perfect wedding.

RJ Rohit - all of 6 feet with his well chiselled features and great sense of humour has a huge female fan following across the city and was looking for an opportunity to meet with his fans. It was on one of the shows that he came up with the idea which gave all his women listeners' an opportunity to come up with their most interesting & innovative on-air proposals for him. He proclaimed that he would select his on air bride from amongst the listeners who sent in the most unique on air proposals and helping him end his search for the most suitable on-air bride and playing match-maker was Bollywood's most sought after actor Akshaye Khanna, who after scanning through all the on-air proposals finally declared the funniest & wittiest proposal as the winner! The winner for the on-air contest was short listed from RJ Rohit's huge female fan following across the city, who participated with full enthusiasm, sending messages by the dozen to woo him!



The mandap was set, baraatis dancing to the band-bajaa & shehenaai, it was all in all a fun-filled event with RJ Rohit having a gala time enjoying all the attention from his female fans who came to shower him with their blessings.

Elated with the response, BIG 92.7 FM RJ Rohit said, "I am very excited with the kind of response that the contest has garnered, and you can look forward many more interesting offering from BIG 92.7 FM. It was quite a task to finalise on the winner but we zeroed down on one listener and shouldering this responsibility was none other than heartthrob of Bollywood, Akshaye Khanna. This is an initiative towards providing listeners a wholesome mix of entertainment and I enjoyed every bit of this evening."

"RJ Rohit is very popular with women and has a huge fan-following, women flocking the BIG 92.7 FM studios just to get a glimpse of him is a regular sight that one gets to witness. This initative was conceptualised to meet the wishes of listeners to meet their favourite jock and woo him. This is part of our ongoing initative to connect with listeners and ensure high levels of interactivity. The evening was well received with women from across the city thronging the studios to meet with their favourite jock and the presence of Bollywood's most eligible bachelor, Akshaye Khanna only added to the excitement of the evening." Added Mr. Sudarshan Saha, Station Head-Mumbai, BIG 92.7 FM

(RadioandMusic.com)

Akshaye at BigFM event-- III

Akshaye at BigFM event-- II

Akshaye at BigFM event-- I

A note

I have noticed that new commenters are continually leaving their comments on my blog. I appreciate each and every one of your comments. Lack of time doesn't allow me to respond to them as I would like to. I can barely keep up with posting as it is. Thanks for visiting my blog and caring enough to leave your comments. I will try to catch up with you all.

Akshaye gets candid

Akshaye Khanna may be shy and reserved, but when it’s ‘lights, camera, and action’ time — he switches gears to deliver some power-packed performances.


The talented actor, who’s now gearing up for his next film, minces no words as he speaks to BT about matters close to his heart...

Are you anxious about your new film?

A little bit on the edge. It’s all part of the business. Everyone feels anxious and a bit impatient to see how a film is accepted by the audiences. A genuinely feel-good film is releasing after quite some time. The last one I think was Taare Zameen Par.

If a film of yours does not do well... how do you cope?

How do I deal with a film flopping? I really don’t have an answer. But then, I don’t know how to deal with a successful film either. Actually, success is more difficult to deal with than failure. And how one deals with success says a lot about the person. Bigger the success, more difficult it is to handle. It can corrupt you. Your upbringing, maturity as a person, has a lot to do with how you deal with success.

You play Paresh Rawal’s son in this Priyadarshan movie Mere Baap Pehle Aap...

We have great chemistry on screen and that’s also because we genuinely like each other and get along very well. We’ve done a good five to six films together.

In real life what’s your relationship with your dad like?

My father has never imposed anything on his children. He is like that with everybody. He is very much a ‘live and let live’ kind of a guy. We are more like friends.

If not an actor what would you be?

Hard to say, but I’ve always been fascinated by flying, something I still want to pursue. When I was a kid I wanted to be a fighter pilot. I even went to the Air Force office and got a form for myself.

What about criticism? How do you react to it?

All my friends are people who are totally honest. Sometimes I get upset by their honesty! Of course, I appreciate it and wouldn’t like it any other way! Talking about critics, the press has been quite kind. However, I would question a couple of critics who I feel have no credentials. Everyone has freedom of expression except the film industry! Actually, this problem of censorship applies to all creative fields. It’s a national shame that somebody like M F Husain, who probably knows more about Hinduism than some Hindus themselves, has to live abroad. Why should a couple of hundred people dictate what society should be like?

Like your dad, would you get into politics at some point?

Politics is part of everyday life. Everybody is a politician. We are a politically active country. But, I don’t think a career in politics interests me. You can never say never, though, but at the moment — it’s no.

On the personal front, are you still single?

Yes, and I intend to keep it that way as long as I can!

You are quite shy and reserved as a person...

I am a very shy person, but I’m not a loner. I love being around people, but I’m still very reserved. It’s a strange combination!

(TOI)

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.

MBPA is the funniest film I've done-- Akshaye

How has the journey with Priyadarshan been?
This is my fourth film with him. In Bollywood, he has been branded as a director, who makes only comedies. But he is a very versatile director, who makes films in different genres. He has done all kinds of films down South.

Personally and professionally, we work very well together.

What about Genelia D'Souza?

She is a wonderful artiste. I wouldn't call her a newcomer as she has done a substantial amount of work in the South. She has a very young screen age, which makes people think that she is a newcomer.

What I particularly like about Genelia is that there is a certain amount of originality in her. She does not have a history. She does not try to copy someone or be someone else. And this is very refreshing.

I would say Ranbir [Kapoor] and Sonam [Kapoor] also fall in this category. Though they come from a filmi background, they are original. I do not see Anil Kapoor in Sonam or Raj Kapoor or Rishi Kapoor in Ranbir.

Why is it that you do not make many public appearances?
That is just the way I am. I am a very low profile kind of guy.

This is the first time you have worked with Om Puri. How was the experience?

I have lots of respect for him. Before this film, I had never met him. He is a gentleman and very soft-spoken, humble and easy going. It is incredible that such great talent does not affect the person's ego. I really liked him and enjoyed working with him.

What is his role?

He is this eccentric friend of my father's [Paresh Rawal], who I hate because he always gets my father into trouble. He is this old guy, who believes that today's young women fall for men of his age

The film has a very unusual concept. How was the idea conceived?
This film is the remake of a Malayalam film [called Istham].

Tell us about your role.

I am a son, who sometimes behaves like my father's father. My life unfolds through the script. It is an extremely unconventional film and the funniest I have ever done.

Now, with the music out and promos doing the rounds, what kind of response have you got so far?

All I can say is that the response has been positive.

What are your favourite scenes in the film?
All the scenes with Paresh, which form the crux of the film. Those are very novel scenes. I don't think I will ever play such roles again in my career.

Who are your favourite directors?

From among the directors I have worked with, I like Priyadarshan (Doli Sajake Rakna, Hulchul, Hungama) Abbas-Mastan (Race), J P Dutta (Border, LOC: Kargil), Farhan Akhtar (Dil Chata Hai), Rishi Kapoor (Aa Ab Laut Chalen), Firoz Abbas Khan (Gandhi My Father) and Subhash Ghai (Taal).

You have done different roles in different films. Do you think comedy is your forte?

I do not think I am the best at anything. I just enjoy what I do.


Come on Akshaye, you are absolutely the bestest in the world, ever, no doubt about it. and don't be shy to admit it.

Advice to future designers, just put Akshoo in a normal tee-shirt, you don't have to do anything else.

I can't embed the video interview but go here to watch it.

Akshaye on MBPA

Is it just me or are there more interviews and more media coverage than for a normal Akshaye movie? Signs of things changing?

More MBPA stills

Akshaye dancing and romancing

Just forward it to 2.53 to 2.55. he's still heartstoppingly beautiful.

Akshaye's new passion

He loves playing tennis and squash, but Akshaye Khanna has never been to see a cricket match in a stadium. As they say its never too late, Akshu went to the Wankhade Stadium to see the Delhi Daredevils take on Rajasthan Royals in the first semi- finals of the IPL championship.

Dressed in the delhi colours of black and red, Akshu confessed, “I am a die hard fan of Virendra Sehwag and I have been really hooked to the 20-20 form of cricket. And since the match was being played in my home town, I decided to come over. But let me tell you my favourite team is Mumbai Indians.”

On that note, Akshaye Khanna departed to see the match. But seeing the way the daredevils performed, perhaps the sheen of his new passion must have dulled a bit.

(Indiatimes)