Farah Khan Calls Akshaye Khanna Difficult To Work With Amid 'Drishyam 3' Exit Buzz, 'He's Irritable'
'Drishyam 3' trailer has been making headlines since it was released on September 9, 2026. It has also brought the limelight back to Akshaye Khanna's exit from the film.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleAkshaye Khanna is a remarkable actor, and he has proved the same with his work in the entertainment industry over the years. However, while his contribution is undeniable, his off-camera behaviour has often been labelled "unprofessional" and "toxic". And now, with the release of Drishyam 3's trailer, his exit from the film is once again in focus. Amid that, Farah Khan has also reflected on her experience working with the actor.
Farah Khan recalls working with Akshaye Khanna as "very difficult"
Akshaye Khanna has been shining in the industry, with his films breaking records at the box office. However, while fans are appreciating his skills, some people are calling him "unprofessional" and "toxic". Reports about Akshaye's behaviour started making the rounds after the buzz around his exit from Drishyam 3 surfaced online. And now, in a conversation with Bosco and Caesar on their podcast Dance Masti, filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan opened up about her own experience working with the actor.
In a candid conversation with Bosco and Caesar, Farah Khan revealed that Akshaye Khanna is one of the most difficult actors to work with. She recalled that things got so bad that she almost stopped choreographing his songs. However, her experience with him on the sets of Dil Chahta Hai (2001) changed her perception of the actor and eventually led to them collaborating on Tees Maar Khan (2010).
The conversation began with Ceaser asking the filmmaker, "For which actor did you have to work the hardest?" However, instead of answering the question, Farah Khan asked him to name someone first, to which Caesar named, "Abhishek Bachchan." Farah responded, "But he is a very good dancer." This led him to clarify, "I never said he is a bad dancer." Explaining why working with Abhishek could be challenging, Farah said:
"He tires me out. He is fun-filled. He wants to keep wandering. He teases people and things around him."
Recalling a funny incident involving Abhishek Bachchan, Caesar recalled shooting with the actor at the Gateway of India when Abhishek brought a bucket of cold water in the middle of the night and poured it on him. After some back-and-forth, Faran eventually revealed that the actor she found the hardest to work with was Akshaye Khanna. She said:
"At one time, Akshaye Khanna used to be very difficult to work with. I have done Doli Saja Ke Rakhna with him, then a couple of other movies, Laawaris and something. He, I think, himself has confessed in interviews that he was very difficult. He was very irritable and wouldn't want to stand."
Farah Khan once refused to work with Akshaye Khanna
Farah Khan admitted that there was a time when she was so frustrated with Akshaye Khanna's behaviour that she eventually decided not to work with him. She recalled, "I said if it is Akshaye Khanna's song, I don't want to choreograph it." Despite her reluctance, Farah had to work with Akshaye again on Dil Chahta Hai because her cousin Farhan Akhtar directed the film. However, the experience changed how she saw the actor, and they eventually worked together again on Tees Maar Khan. She was quoted as saying:
"After Dil Chahta Hai, he had a transformation, I think. In Tees Maar Khan, he was too good. He is actually a very good dancer. But I was very clear that I don't want to work with artists who are irritating."
For the unversed, conversation around Akshaye Khanna's behaviour gained attention after Drishyam 3's trailer was released. It reignited a conversation about why the actor left the film, further leading other industry members to reflect on their experience working with Akshaye.
What are your thoughts on Farah Khan's revelation about Akshaye Khanna? Let us know.
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