Akshaye Khanna, who has displayed a wide range as an actor over the years, admits that the thriller genre is among his favourites. From movies like Humraaz (2002) and Naqaab (2007) to Race (2008) and Ittefaq (2017), his filmography is proof that the actor not only enjoys watching thrillers, but also likes to be a part of them.

Akshaye has recently started shooting for his upcoming film, Drishyam 2, helmed by Abhishek Pathak. The movie, a sequel of Drishyam that had released in 2015, will see him locking horns with Ajay Devgn. A remake of the Malayalam film of the same name starring Mohanlal, there are some twists and turns in the Hindi version to add an element of mystery and surprise.

Talking about the franchise and his role, Akshaye says, “I have seen the first one, but not the second. Our film follows the basic premise of Drishyam 2, but the character that I am playing is not there in it. It’s a fresh character, and that makes it more interesting for me. It’s always nicer to do something that is written originally. Yes, it is fun to do a take on somebody else’s role, too, but I prefer it this way. I have played characters in uniform before, but this character is intriguing in the way that he thinks. ”

Akshaye adds, “His modus-operandi is highly intellectual and is a great play-off against Vijay Salgaonkar (Ajay’s character), making them worthy adversaries.”

The film will also see him reuniting with Ajay, with whom he has worked in movies in the past like Deewangee (2002) and Aakrosh (2010). Talking about his equation with Ajay, Akshaye says, “We have a nice, casual, fun relationship. Whenever we have worked together, we have made good films. Deewangee was a commercial success, Aakrosh was not, but still, it was a quality film. It’s something that has stood the test of time. It’s a good history to share.”

Point out his affinity for thrillers in particular, and he shares, “The genres that you watch and enjoy as an audience, it’s very natural to want to do those kinds of films. So, it all stems from being a fan of the thriller genre. These are the films that, over the years, I have enjoyed watching and maybe that subconsciously attract me to them. As a film buff, I practically enjoy everything, but yes, this genre is definitely one of my favourites.”

Besides remaking South Indian films, many filmmakers are now aiming to put together projects that can be viewed as pan-India movies with actors and filmmakers from across the country collaborating on them. Reflecting on it, Akshaye says, “I think it’s long overdue. The imaginary Lakshman rekha between the South and the North was never a negative, but it wasn’t a positive thing either. I don’t see why there should be any kind of divide or segregation between the different film industries in India. After all, we are essentially a part of the same business. As talent, if we are able to pool our resources together, whether it’s in the acting department or any other department, I think it will not only help us enrich each other, but also the content that we provide to the audience. It’s a fantastic thing that has now captured the imagination of the audience as well as the filmmakers.”

Though there was a brief break in Akshaye’s career between 2012 to 2016, post that, the actor has been facing the cameras continuously. Apart from films like Mom (2017), Ittefaq (2017) and Section 375 (2019), he was also seen in the direct-to-OTT film, State Of Siege: Temple Attack (2021).

Is he looking at his career through a new lens or setting new goals? “Not really,” he says, adding, “There are no such goals… you take it one day at a time. The only thing that I do before I close my eyes at night is, pray that I will be able to work till my health and body permit.”