Finally an interview

Although Akshaye Khanna bonds big-time with his dad he has sworn never to share screen space with him.

"I worked with my dad in my first film Himalayputra. It was an absolutely terrifying experience. There're certain people whom you shouldn't work with. My dad is one of them.

Mr Bachchan is another. To stand in the same frame as them confidently is impossible. They've such an overpowering screen presence. It's very difficult to match my father on screen. It's that quality.

Either you have it or you don't have it. I very frankly don't have it. I just don't have that kind of presence. There're some actors who just wash you away on screen. My dad is one of them."

Akshaye doesn't feel the same way about any of his contemporaries. "But yes, Govinda is another actor I feel the same way about. He's a very EFFECTIVE actor.

Govinda is a very scary actor. Even Sanjay Dutt has such an overpowering screen presence."

Interestingly and ironically Akshaye Khanna has done two very different and dimaterically opposite father-son films in two successive years

While Feroz Gandhi's Gandhi My Father featured Akshaye Khanna as Mahatma Gandhi's estranged son, in the new Priyadarshan comedy Mere Baap Pehle Aap he plays Paresh Rawal's son adamant to get dad married.

"Can you imagine two more contrasting father-son films?" Akshaye Laughs. "Mere Baap…is a genuine feel-good film. I like doing such films.

Every father and son would want to share the easygoing rapport between me and Paresh. My character puts his father's happiness ahead of his own. The son is more like a father, and vice versa.

Paresh's character is so childlike. My character is constantly shouting at and disciplining his dad. It's a very heartwarming kind of relationship. Paresh and I have always gotten along. We spend a lot of time together when we're working."

Is Akshaye happy with the quality of cinema he's doing? "I do the films I get. And I'd rather be in a successful film than a good film. Having said that I must say Gandhi My Father is the single-most important film of my career. Probably my best work. I'm immensely attached to it.

Interestingly 2008 is Akshaye's year of comedy. "Agreed my next release Short Cut after Mere Baap Pehle Aap is also an out-and-out comedy. But Race was not a comedy."

If you say so, Akshaye.

(santa banta)
God, we missed you so much, Akshaye!