‘Award shows ignored him, not the audience’: Priyadarshan on Akshaye Khanna’s comeback

Akshaye Khanna’s return to mainstream conversation has been steady this year, thanks to his roles in Chhaava and Dhurandhar. Both performances drew strong attention from viewers, even as award juries looked elsewhere. Bobby Deol also found himself back in the spotlight with The Ba***ds of Bollywood, adding to the ongoing chatter about comeback stories in the industry.

Priyadarshan, who has worked closely with Akshaye in the past, spoke to Hindustan Times about why the actor’s current phase feels earned. He said, look at Akshaye’s performance even in Drishyam 2. It’s not just about Gen Z; people have always loved him. For him, the renewed appreciation isn’t sudden but a sign that the audience never really moved on.

He explained that the industry has changed, and so has the way stars are shaped. Earlier, PR and the media made an actor, but today people have their own opinions. You cannot close your eyes to that. People talking about him today means he was always a genuinely favourite artiste. Award shows and all ignored him, but I count him as one of the top five actors in the last 20 years.

Filmmaker Laxman Utekar, who directed Akshaye in Chhaava, echoed the sentiment. He said he had only Akshaye in mind for the role of Aurangzeb. The kind of performer he is, his physique… when we did his look test, it was magical. For Utekar, the praise Akshaye is receiving after Dhurandhar feels overdue. He added that the actor deserves more success than what he has seen with Chhaava and Dhurandhar.

Trade analyst Komal Nahta viewed both Akshaye and Bobby’s renewed attention through a different lens. For him, timing and roles matter the most. It’s all about getting that right role. Bobby had a small role in Animal, but it created a tremendous impact. Akshaye should keep signing more films and not retreat after Chhaava and now Dhurandhar.

What this really means is that the audience, not award stages, is shaping the current wave of comebacks. And Akshaye Khanna seems to be right at the centre of it.