In a recent interview, Suneel Darshan shared some unheard details about Akshay Kumar and Shilpa Shetty's relationship.
Akshay Kumar, the beloved actor of Bollywood widely known as 'Khiladi Kumar', has won hearts with his stellar acting skills. Currently, he is happily married to Indian author and columnist, Twinkle Khanna. The couple is parents to two children, Aarav Kumar and Nitara Kumar. But do you know that 'Khiladi Kumar' once had marriage plans with Bollywood actress, Shilpa Shetty? Yes, you read it right. Now, director, Suneel Darshan opened up about Akshay and Shilpa’s relationship.
In a recent interview with Bollywood Thikana, Suneel Darshan opened up about the most talked-about relationship of the '90s involving Bollywood actors, Akshay Kumar and Shilpa Shetty. He shared that the duo had planned a marriage as well, but destiny had other plans. It was Shilpa’s parents who had put up some conditions before agreeing to their relationship. When those conditions were not fulfilled, their relationship started to fall apart and eventually led to a break-up. Suneel called the duo, a 'good-looking couple'.
The filmmaker recalled that years ago, an astrologer predicted that one day Akshay Kumar would get married to Twinkle Khanna. The astrologer was close to Twinkle’s dad and veteran actor, Rajesh Khanna. However, he didn’t pay any heed to that prediction at that time, as he knew that Akshay and Shilpa had a stable relationship. But now, years later, he found the coincidence. When asked about the conditions that Shilpa’s parents had put up, Suneel explained the things without giving any direct answer. He was quoted as saying:
"Look at the coincidence, had Shilpa’s parents not placed those conditions, life would have taken a different turn. As parents, whatever the parents need for the security of their daughter, that’s not wrong."
After Suneel mentioned Shilpa Shetty’s parents' condition, the host asked the filmmaker whether they wanted financial security from 'Khiladi Kumar'. In response, Suneel shared that they wanted all kinds of securities. It is worth noting that Suneel and Akshay collaborated on many projects over the years. Suneel called Shilpa’s parents' demands inappropriate. He was quoted as saying:
"Security of all kinds—all parents want that. I felt it was wrong of them. It simply wasn’t meant to happen. Let’s leave it at that."
In the same interview, Suneel shared that Akshay became busier after his breakup with Shilpa. Their breakup occurred shortly before the filming of Ek Rishta. When Suneel was asked about Akshay's mental condition at that time, he mentioned that he was not heartbroken and was doing well. He was preoccupied with his work and managed multiple films, Dhadkan, Hera Pheri, and Ek Rishta. He was quoted as saying:
"His heart was not broken. I thought he was doing well. He was coming back."
Over the years, both Akshay Kumar and Shilpa Shetty have moved on with their lives. While Akshay Kumar is happily married to legendary actor, Rajesh Khanna’s daughter, Twinkle Khanna, Shilpa is married to businessman, Raj Kundra. The couple share two children, Viaan Raj Kundra and Samisha Shetty Kundra.
Coming to the professional front, Akshay is a versatile star who has beautifully portrayed every role, including comedy, action and romance. He was last seen in Jolly LLB 3. This year, in 2025, he has grabbed a lot of attention for his films, Sky Force, Kesari Chapter 2 and Housefull 5. According to the latest reports, Shilpa Shetty will be next seen in the film, KD: The Devil, co-starring Sanjay Dutt.
What are your thoughts on Suneel Darshan's revelation? Let us know.
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