In the late ’90s, Akshay Khanna’s debut in Himalaya Putra was a highly anticipated event, with star kid debuts being a major deal at the time. At just 19, Akshaye’s father, Vinod Khannaensured his son’s success by bringing in top talent, including director Pankaj Parasharto launch him.
In an interview with Siddharth Kanan, Pankaj shared insights into Akshaye’s debut journey, mentioning that while Akshaye was a natural actor, his Hindi skills posed a challenge. He recalled that Akshaye, who primarily thought in English, initially struggled with the language. However, when he performed a dialogue on the first day, Pankaj was relieved and impressed by his acting talent, especially considering he was just 19.
The filmmaker recalled that Vinod Khanna contacted him while searching for a director to launch his son, Akshaye. Vinod had a few conditions for the film, including that Anu Malik would compose the music and Honey Irani would write the script. Pankaj agreed, but before leaving, he asked if he could meet Akshaye, as he hadn’t seen him yet.
Pankaj also revealed that Akshaye worked with a diction coach to improve his language skills, as he initially struggled with it. Pankaj encouraged him to learn, and Akshaye quickly adapted. When asked about Vinod Khanna’s involvement, Pankaj explained that while Vinod offered suggestions during the filmmaking process, he never imposed them. He would accept their decisions if they disagreed, but was always present for music sittings and other aspects of the film.
Akshaye Khanna made his Bollywood debut in 1997 with the film Himalay Putra. Directed by Pankaj Parashar, the movie was produced by his father, Vinod Khanna.
