When Akshaye Khanna Opened Up About Rishi Kapoor's 'Attitude Problem'

Akshaye Khanna made his film debut in 1997 with the film Himalay Putra, yet intially struggled to make his presence felt in the Hindi film industry. However, it was his role in JP Dutta’s iconic Bollywood film Border that shot him into the spotlight, positioning him as a rising star. Despite this early success, it wasn’t until Farhan Akhtar’s 2001 masterpiece Dil Chahta Hai that Khanna truly carved a niche for himself in Bollywood.

When Akshaye worked in Rishi’s film

Among his varied roles, Khanna took on the challenge of working in Rishi Kapoor's directorial debut, Aa Ab Laut Chalein, produced by RK Studios. Despite boasting a star-studded cast including Rajesh Khanna and Aishwarya Rai, the film failed to make a mark at the box office. During this period, Khanna faced questions about the pressures of the film industry, particularly at a young age, during an appearance on the talk show Rendezvous with Simi Garewal.

Akshaye confronted Rishi’s attitude problem

Reflecting on his experience, Khanna candidly acknowledged the challenges, including clashes with Kapoor. Recounting an incident, Garewal revealed Kapoor's comment about Khanna's attitude problem, to which Khanna quipped back about Kapoor's own demeanour. 

Simi was heard saying, “This was the time I remember Rishi Kapoor had said that Akshaye is such a gifted actor but he has a serious attitude problem.” Akshaye was quick to react and say, “So does he (laugh).” He added, “Oh yeah, he has a major attitude problem. But he is such a great guy and I loved working with him, the whole family, they are such wonderful people.”

Over time, Khanna and Kapoor resolved their disparities, with Khanna later appreciating Kapoor's performances in films like Kapoor & Sons and Agneepath. Kapoor's passing in 2020 marked the end of an era, with Aa Ab Laut Chalen standing as the final film produced under the esteemed banner of RK Films, founded by Raj Kapoor in 1948.