“He was one of the most difficult, complex and honest characters in my films,” he told us.I wanted to make a film with an all-star cast and all the stars were in favor of working with me because Pardes and Khalnayak did very well at the Box Office. Even though the stars wanted to work with me, I didn’t want to work with those star images. I was stuck with the character I wrote. I didn’t know who to choose. It was easy for me to act Anil Kapoor Because I worked with him.”
Then the turning point came Vinod Khanna He introduced Ghai to his son Akshaye Khanna. Ghai was immediately impressed by the young actor’s intensity and honesty. “I found great intensity in that young boy. I could feel from his face that he was a character who spoke the truth, thought the right, did the right. I am happy that I chose him. If that character had been artificial, it would not have worked on screen despite good music,” Ghai recalled.
Talking about Akshaye’s career, Ghai praised his unconventional approach and commitment to originality. He noted that unlike many actors who rely on agents and branding, Akshaye is selective about his roles and maintains a direct relationship with directors.
“All the distributors and music labels were with me even after casting a new boy. Till date, that young boy named Akshaye Khanna has not changed. He does not belong to the category of ‘baazaaru’ stars. When it comes to Baazaaru, it depends on their agency, their brand and how they need to look,” he shared Ghai.
‘Adipurush’ director Om Raut and Subhash Ghai head to Ayodhya to attend Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony
He further added, “Akshaye is an actor who surrenders to you when he likes you and the subject of the film. Then he doesn’t act funny. I have never met Akshaye Khanna’s manager. He comes directly to me. We have mutual respect and love for each other. There are very few films of his choice.” “He’s a very extraordinary star.”
Ghai compared Akshaye’s attitude to that of his father Vinod Khanna and described the elder Khanna as a good man and a good friend, but he was a typical star with insecurities and mood swings. In contrast, Akshaye is outspoken and sincere.
The filmmaker narrated a moment when he asked Akshaye why he was not promoting his father’s political campaign in Gurdaspur, to which Akshaye replied: “What do I have to do to promote my father? I am neither a politician nor a social person. I do not serve society. Why would I go there and lie to people?”
Ultimately, Ghai credited Taal’s success to the combined efforts of Akshaye Khanna, AR Rahman, Anand Bakshi and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. “Akshaye Khanna has made Taal a film full of integrity. It is a commercial film but it has become a film full of integrity because of Akshaye Khanna’s portrayal of the character. I will give full credit to AR Rahman, Anand Bakshi, Akshaye Khanna and Akshaye Khanna.” Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. These are the people who made Taal a great film. “We were of the same opinion and they all respected the director as the captain of the ship,” he concluded.
