Akshaye Khanna has been receiving widespread appreciation for his powerful performance in Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, where he plays Rehman Dakait. As the film continues to earn rave reviews, several older clips of the actor have resurfaced online, reminding fans of his long-standing talent and understated charm. One such clip gaining renewed attention is from the time Ranveer Singh met Akshaye for the first time and openly praised his iconic Dil Chahta Hai performance.

As Dhurandhar shines, Akshaye Khanna’s unseen charm and classic roundtable moment with Ranveer Singh go viral again

Ranveer Singh’s first fanboy moment with Akshaye Khanna

The moment took place at Rajeev Masand’s 2019 Actors Roundtable, which featured Akshaye Khanna, Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor, Ayushmann Khurrana and Vijay Varma. The conversation began with Masand reflecting on Akshaye’s early years in the industry and how he entered Hindi cinema during a period of significant creative change.

Masand said, “Akshaye, you’re probably the most experienced of the group. You started just as Hindi cinema was going through an exciting shift, and Dil Chahta Hai became a marker of that change.” Hearing this, Ranveer Singh immediately began singing ‘Kaisi Hai Yeh Rut’, one of the film’s popular songs, expressing his admiration.

Ranveer added that Dil Chahta Hai “changed the landscape of Hindi films” and set a new tone for storytelling.

On Dil Chahta Hai being groundbreaking

When asked about realising the film’s potential, Akshaye said that one “gets an idea” while working on something special. He credited Farhan Akhtar entirely for the film’s freshness and strong writing, adding, “Farhan was amazing. I think the credit for Dil Chahta Hai goes to him totally.”

Ranveer followed by noting how unique the film’s cinematic language was at the time, calling it unlike anything made before.

Akshaye also shared that he initially wanted to play Aamir Khan’s character, Aakash, but ultimately accepted Farhan Akhtar’s casting decision.

Akshaye Khanna in Dhurandhar

Released on December 5, Dhurandhar features a star-studded cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Arjun Rampal and Sanjay Dutt. The film has received strong reviews from audiences and critics, with Akshaye’s performance emerging as one of the highlights.

His portrayal of Rehman Dakait has been praised for its intensity and depth, and social media has been filled with posts celebrating his work. Many viewers have called his performance one of the standout elements of the film.

Also Read: “Akshaye Khanna has BLOWN the NATION” with his performances this year”: Ameesha Patel pens note for Humraaz co-star amid Dhurandhar buzz