When Akshaye Khanna spoke about his time away from movies, ‘It was torture to not be able to work’

'Dhurandhar' has emerged as a strong performer at the box office. The 2025 spy action thriller has earned praise for its gripping narrative and solid performances. Among the cast, the most talked-about role is Rehman Daikat, played by Akshaye Khanna. Once a Bollywood heartthrob, Akshaye had largely disappeared from the spotlight before making a comeback in films like 'Dishoom' and 'Mom'.

Why Akshaye Khanna vanished from the industry

Akshaye Khanna has spoken openly about the period when he stepped away from films. In a 2017 interview with The Indian Express, he said, “I had some personal issues in the past two-three years which didn’t allow me to work. But apart from acting, there’s nothing else I’ve done since I was 19.”The actor shared that not being able to work affected him emotionally. “I’ve been working all my life. It was torture to not be able to work, and there was no getting away from the depression it brings.

Then, one understands the value of the opportunity one has been given to be an actor. The audience decides who they will watch, and you’ll only get one, maximum two new faces each year,” he added.

Roles that rebuilt his credibility

After his return, Akshaye took on roles that helped him rebuild his credibility in Indian cinema. He made his comeback with 'Dishoom' and 'Mom', the latter starring the late Sridevi. In 2019, he played a key role in 'The Accidental Prime Minister' and followed it up with 'Section 375', which earned him a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor nomination.

He later portrayed a police officer in 'Drishyam 2', which went on to become a major commercial success.After another brief hiatus of two years, Akshaye portrayed Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 'Chhaava', opposite Vicky Kaushal, who played Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in the film.

'Dhurandhar': cast, director, and box office run

Directed by Aditya Dhar, 'Dhurandhar' features an ensemble cast led by Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and Sara Arjun, among others. According to Sacnilk, the film has earned Rs 588 crore globally and is expected to soon enter the Rs 600 crore club.