Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; December 29, 2019)

Akshaye Khanna is considered to be a reclusive actor, but when he speaks, he doesn’t hold back. Ahead of the release of Sab Kushal Mangal, he spoke to Bombay Times about working with new talent, being a secure actor and why he was drawn to a comedy after all these years. Excerpts:

Your portrayal of a lawyer defending a rape accused in Section 375 was appreciated by the audience as well as the critics. When your name was skipped in the nominations at recent award shows, it created a stir on social media. Does winning an award affect the work you choose to do?
No, it’s always the writing. If people liked my work in Section 375, it’s because I was backed by good writing. As for awards, it’s for the jury, and not me, to decide if I really deserved one. The awards in India are based on popular choice, and they make no bones about it. In a lot of other countries, the box office does not count when judging. In fact, it’s the opposite. Once you win a BAFTA, Golden Globe or an Oscar, your box office takes off. It’s a matter of time before that happens in India. To answer your question, I’ve never been disappointed or felt neglected that I didn’t win an award. And how does one possibly know while signing a film that the role can get them an award?

You said that it’s the writing that attracts you, is that the reason you signed Sab Kushal Mangal, too?
Yes, a film’s writing is the first interaction you have with the subject. Your reaction to that matters and then, you go into other details like what’s in it for me, who’s on board and who’s producing it. It was the sheer sweetness of the story that got me in.

Sweetness does not mean sugar-coated. The world of the film is really sweet. The last Hindi film that I could compare it to is Badhaai Ho (2018), which had an awesome topic. People in India have always been attracted towards cinema that can add that dash of sweetness to their lives. Such films are not necessarily escapist, like Sab Kushal Mangal is not. It has a strong, meaningful story.

Sab Kushal Mangal has two newcomers, Riva Kishan and Priyaank Sharma, making their debut. Do you, as a senior actor in the cast, feel a sense of responsibility to land them well into show business?
Yes, I do feel a little responsible, but not entirely. There is a degree of fondness for someone who is starting out with you. However, they have put their trust into the project, not me. They chose this as their first film. So, a lot depends on them, as well. Priyaank and Riva are kids, and they are sweet, innocent and raw, so you feel protective towards them, but not responsible for their debut.

The scenario when you began your career in the 1990s was hugely different from what it is today, wasn’t it?
Right from my first film, I had the privilege of working with some very senior actors like Hema Malini, Danny saab (Danny Dengzongpa) and my dad (Vinod Khanna). In Border (1997), I worked with Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, Puneet Issar, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rakhee ji. I have even worked with Rajesh Khanna and Sridevi. I don’t think too many people from my generation or the one after me have worked with any or most of these actors. I worked with some incredible artistes, some of who were in the last years of their work life and were working very sparingly. Sridevi worked selectively; it’s rare, and I cherish the work that I did with her. I feel fortunate that so many people, apart from the actors, were so considerate towards me. They were so giving and caring that it is impossible to forget their gestures. Had they not been so, things could have turned out very differently. As a young actor starting out, you’re so vulnerable.

Why do you say that?
When you come into any form of public life, you put yourself out there for love, hate, appreciation and brickbats. It takes guts to allow people to assess you. Sometimes when I speak to aspiring actors, I ask them, ‘When you start in any career with the energy of youth, besides imagining the highs and adventures that you will possibly experience, do you also visualise what will happen if things go the other way?’ I ask this because I know that anything can happen. As a young person, you could almost block it all out and think that everything will turn out fine. When I ask these questions, most kids say that they haven’t thought about the other eventuality, which is interesting.

Sab Kushal Mangal is a comedy and you haven’t worked in one in a fairly long time. How different do you find the current world of a comedy film as compared to your last experience?
I think it’s got nothing to do with a genre, but less time is spent on writing and more time on other things. The audience notices everything. Yes, there will be those comedies that aren’t great, but they are money spinners. However, today, the audience also equally appreciates a film with quality writing. Karan V Kashyap, who wrote and directed this film, is familiar with the industry. He was the dialogue assistant on Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and has worked with Mani Ratnam as well. His sensibility in terms of humour, the world and the characters that he has created are of quality and standard. There is a certain cleanliness in his film.

Your co-actors Richa Chadha (Section 375), Priyaank and Riva, have said that you’re an extremely secure actor, who doesn’t hesitate to say or help another actor cope under pressure on difficult days…
Okay, first and foremost, I would only do that with a co-actor I feel comfortable with. Richa is an experienced actor. If I felt like telling her something that could help her on a tough day, it’s entirely because of who she is, and how I felt about her. A lot of people here are not open to that, they don’t like it, irrespective of whether they are seniors, peers or younger. Had I felt that Richa won’t accept a word from me or won’t be receptive to it, then I wouldn’t have approached her. I wouldn’t have the nerve to go to an actor if I don’t share that level of comfort with them. And I would never hold back on my own performance to make someone else look better, even if they are newcomers. There is not a single time when I felt like going easy to let Riva or Priyaank cope with a certain scene. To their credit, they never requested me to do things differently to help them out. Most newcomers, in their first few films, tend to have the entire unit focussing on what is good for them. These two kids didn’t have anything of that sort. Priyaank and Riva were being equally competitive; that distinction is huge. My respect for them as actors and debutants is even more for this very reason. Not many people would even be remotely bothered to give this any consideration, but it matters to me.

Does any newcomer remind you of a younger version of yourself?
No, and that’s because I was an extremely unprofessional guy. If I look back at my behaviour and attitude in the first five or seven years of my career, I feel it was unacceptable. I don’t see that in any newcomer today. What I did was a disaster. My immaturity and inability didn’t let me grasp my responsibilities; it didn’t strike me for a long time. Thank God, but I don’t see newcomers who are like that today.

MUMBAI MIRROR (December 27, 2019)

Director Karan Vishwanath Kashyap discusses his upcoming film, the fun and feel-good Sab Kushal Mangal, the transformative role being played by Akshaye Khanna in it and the two debutants.

How did Akshaye come into the picture?
Akshaye was the first one to hear the script and come on board. I am extremely grateful to him because had he not believed in the potential of this film on paper, it would have never come to fruition. He was the driving engine to get this film started and he got Prachi Manmohan on board as producer, having worked with her previously and considering his relationship with Nitin Manmohan.

Were Priyaank Sharma (son of Padmini Kolhapure) and Riva (daughter of Ravi Kishan) cast because of their filmi backgrounds?
I get that question a lot. Look, pictures of Priyaank and Riva came through someone, but I was certain that if they didn’t fit the characters, I wouldn’t cast them. I was also lucky in that Prachi and Akshaye 100% backed me on this and they respected my creative vision.

People need to realise that this film wasn’t handed to Priyaank and Riva on a silver platter. After I saw their auditions, I realised that they have potential, but I told them a lot of work needs to be done. They were game for it.

We did workshops with them for months before the cameras rolled. In fact, I had given them an ultimatum that if they don’t become the characters of Pappu Mishra and Mandira (the film’s leads), they would not do the film.

It’s funny to talk about now because everything worked out, but they knew I was serious then.

You also ensured that the actors travelled in trains, auto rickshaws and mingled with people outside their friend circle.
I wanted them to come out of their comfort zone since the film is based in a small town and these characters are small town people. I must say, that both my actors have worked very hard and given it their best. No complaints, no questions, just single-minded determination and work. Seeing them on screen, you wouldn’t realise both of them were born and brought up in Mumbai. For that, I give them full marks.