‘If I’m Not Shah Rukh, Does That Mean I’m Not Successful?’: Akshaye Khanna

The era of 90s star Akshay Khanna has returned once again, and all the credit goes to "Dhurandhar." The Arabic songs in the film, along with Akshay Khanna's portrayal of the dacoit Rehman, have left everyone talking. Fans have been impressed by Akshay Khanna's natural acting.

Nonetheless, there had been a point in Akshay Khanna’s career when, despite starring in major films, he never gained the status of a superstar like Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan in the Bollywood industry. Akshay Khanna busted all the speculations arising regarding his stardom with his one answer only.

In an old interview with Anuradha Prasad, Akshay Khanna spoke openly about everything from success to luck. Defining stardom, he said, "As an actor, films make you a superstar. You need films like Gadar, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, and Hum Aapke Hain Koun to become a star. You can only give your best; whether you get good films or not is beyond your control."

In the same interview, Akshay cited the example of businessmen like Dhirubhai Ambani and Ratan Tata, saying, "This business is like that of a businessman with a turnover of 500 crore rupees. If you're not Ratan Tata or Dhirubhai Ambani, does that mean you're not successful? If I haven't become Shah Rukh Khan, does that mean I haven't seen success and I'm not a star?"

When Akshay Khanna was asked if he ever felt disappointed that he didn't achieve the stardom that would have made him a superstar, he replied bluntly, "No...never. God has given me everything." Speaking of Akshay Khanna's Dhurandar, the film is making a massive profit at the box office, breaking records held by other big films. It has become the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of this year.