'Ikka' director Siddharth P Malhotra says Akshaye Khanna stayed unaffected by 'Dhurandhar' success; ' He doesn’t take success to his head'

Director Siddharth P Malhotra has opened up about working with Akshaye Khanna on Ikka and whether the success of Dhurandhar influenced the atmosphere on the film's sets. Speaking to SCREEN, the filmmaker revealed that both projects overlapped, with Dhurandhar releasing while Ikka was still being filmed.

Despite the growing attention around Akshaye, Siddharth said the actor remained focused and never allowed the success to change his approach.

Siddharth P Malhotra recalls the timing of Dhurandhar and Ikka

Explaining how both films progressed simultaneously, Siddharth said 'Dhurandhar' was nearing release just as Ikka entered production. As a result, the actor's growing popularity coincided with the filming schedule. Recalling that period, Siddharth said, “Dhurandhar was being shot when we were preparing.

It was on the verge of releasing when we started shooting, and it released while we were still filming. So I think all of that happened simultaneously.

" Even though 'Dhurandhar' generated significant buzz, Siddharth said it had no negative impact on the working environment of Ikka.

Akshaye Khanna never lets success affect him

The filmmaker praised Akshaye Khanna for staying level-headed despite the appreciation coming his way. According to Siddharth, the actor has always maintained a balanced outlook towards both success and failure.

Sharing his thoughts, he said, “Akshaye is the kind of person who doesn’t take success to his head or failure to his heart. Just because he doesn’t give interviews or talk much doesn’t mean otherwise. He’s a very grounded person.

I know him as a friend now, and he’s very clear about what he wants." Siddharth added that Akshaye's calm nature and clarity make him someone directors enjoy collaborating with.

Director calls Akshaye Khanna one of the easiest actors to work with

Siddharth also described the actor as someone who communicates honestly and keeps the filmmaking process simple.

Speaking about their collaboration, he shared, “He’s actually one of the easiest actors for a director or filmmaker to work with because what he tells you is exactly what he means. There’s no complication in his life. He also knew that this was a one-off. He said, ‘I’ve done my job as an actor. This fandom has come in a certain way, and this too shall pass.

'" According to the director, Akshaye never allowed the attention surrounding him to distract from the work at hand.

Akshaye Khanna advised Siddharth not to take pressure

Siddharth further revealed that the actor encouraged him to ignore outside expectations and concentrate only on making a good film. Recalling their conversation, he said, “Akshaye isn’t deluded by success. He told me, ‘Don’t take the pressure. You just make your film. Make sure it’s a good one.’ So I didn’t take any pressure because of that. Also, Aditya (Dhar, Dhurandhar director) is a dear friend." The director added that Akshaye's words helped him remain confident throughout the shoot.

Apart from speaking about Akshaye, Siddharth also shared his admiration for Dhurandhar director Aditya Dhar. He revealed that the two have known each other since the early stages of their careers and continue to share a close bond. He said, “I’ve known Aditya since the time he came in as a writer. He was at Dharma trying to get a film made. I have a bias towards him because I genuinely think he’s a lovely guy. So whatever Aditya does, I simply want his film to do well, beyond anything else."Meanwhile, 'Ikka', starring

Sunny Deol

and Akshaye Khanna, is set to stream on Netflix on July 10.