Akshaye Khanna’s career has never followed the template expected of a Bollywood star kid. Born on 28 March 1975, the second son of the late Vinod Khanna, Akshaye grew up watching fame, spirituality, absence and cinema shape his early years. At just five, his father—then at the peak of his stardom—left films and family to follow spiritual leader Osho Rajneesh. Those formative disruptions would later reflect in Akshaye’s introspective screen presence.
Often accompanying his father to film sets, he found himself drawn to acting. But he was not the conventional student—after failing Class 11, he was sent to a boarding school in Ooty, where sports interested him more than academics.
At 21, Vinod Khanna launched him in Himalay Putra. Though he won a few debut awards, the film flopped. But in the same year, Border brought him his first major acclaim. Over the next few years, he delivered nuanced performances in films like Taal, Humraaz, and Race, even as several projects underperformed commercially.
His defining moment came with Dil Chahta Hai. Initially wanting Aamir Khan’s role, Akshaye was convinced to play Siddharth—a character that became one of Hindi cinema’s most quietly enduring portrayals of sensitivity and restraint.
Personal challenges, including early hair loss and a later sabbatical at 37, pushed him away from the industry. He called that period “hated,” but returned stronger with films like Dishoom and a series of roles that showcased his signature blend of stillness, intensity and controlled emotion.
Akshaye Khanna remains an actor who doesn’t chase trends—he shapes them.
