Birthday Love: Five of Akshaye Khanna’s must-watch films

Since his debut with ‘Himalay Putra’ in 1997, Akshaye Khanna has been consistently appreciated by the audience as well as critics for his convincing performances and extra-strong screen presence. Khanna’s ability to mould himself into the character he portrays on-screen makes him one of the most versatile actors that Bollywood has ever seen. As

BizAsiaLive.com celebrates Khanna’s 46th birthday with a list of his best movies that are a must-watch.

‘Dil Chahta Hai’ (2001)
The story of this movie revolves around three close friends who have just stepped out of college. Things take a different turn when they start falling in love. Their approaches and understanding of love are a world’s apart which ultimately leads to their split. Khanna played the role of Sid, a quiet and discreet character, who falls in love with a divorced alcoholic and struggles with his feelings not being understood by anyone. Throughout the film, Khanna is the very picture of gentle fervour, using his disarming smile and the penchant for raising his eyebrow, to great effect, winning the Filmfare award for Best Supporting Actor.

‘Section 375’ (2019)
This legal drama revolved around a case where a Bollywood actor is blamed by one of his female crew members for having raped her at his residence. ‘Section 375’, though complex and captivating, engaged audiences and opened up the debate on a sensitive and somewhat taboo subject. Khanna was widely praised for his top-notch performance which held the film together.

‘Border’ (1997)
Veteran filmmaker JP Dutta’s war drama is based on the 1971 Battle of Longewala and features Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, and Puneet Issar alongside Khanna, in prominent roles. The film pays tribute to the heroic 120 soldiers of the 23rd Battalion Punjab Regiment led by Major Kuldeep Singh Chandpuri, who defended their post against 2000 infantry enemy soldiers. Still remembered today for the commanding performances by the multi-star cast, its underlying anti-war message and poignant songs, ‘Border’ went on to win three National Awards and four Filmfare awards including Best Supporting Actor for Khanna.

‘Mom’ (2017)
The storyline of this crime-thriller revolves around a revenge that a mother wants to take against people who sexually assaulted her daughter at a party. Filled with anger and rage, the mother resolves to completely ruin the lives of all the perpetrators. Though playing the supporting role of a police officer, Khanna was praised for his stellar performance throughout the film.

‘Gandhi My Father’ (2007)
This historical drama narrated the relationship that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi) shared with his son Harilal. Khanna portrayed the role of the son who found it difficult to adhere to all the principles set by his father, unable to carry forward his legacy and eventually resorting to alcoholism. Khanna delivered the greatest performance of his career in this film and stole the limelight completely, despite sharing the screen with critically acclaimed and distinguished actors.

Khanna is currently shooting for his next film, ‘Aankhen 2’, alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Sidharth Malhotra.