Akshaye Khanna

Set during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the film was about the events of the Battle of Longewala and saw Khanna play the real-life role of Dharamvir Singh Bhan.

Akshaye Khanna (born 28 March 1975) is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi films.

Born to actor Vinod Khanna, Khanna is a recipient of numerous accolades including two Filmfare Awards.

Khanna was born on 28 March 1975 to actor and politician Vinod Khanna and his wife Geetanjali Taleyarkhan.

He made his acting debut in 1997 with the film Himalay Putra.

His next release, J. P. Dutta's war drama Border (1997) emerged as a critical and commercial success, earning him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut.

Khanna made his acting debut with Pankaj Parashar's romantic drama Himalay Putra (1997), co-starring his father Vinod, Hema Malini, Satish Shah, Johny Lever, Danny Denzongpa, and Amrish Puri.

His performance earned him a Screen Award for Best Male Debut, but the film underperformed at the box office despite mostly positive reviews.

Later that year, Khanna starred in J. P. Dutta's war drama Border alongside Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty and Jackie Shroff.

The film generated positive reviews, becoming the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of 1997.

Border won him Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut.

News18 noted, "Akshay Khanna excels in a role that was not only multilayered but also asked him to show the mood transitions with facial gestures only."

Khanna's final release of 1997 was the romance Mohabbat, in which he starred alongside Madhuri Dixit.

The film received negative critical reception and was commercially unsuccessful.

The following year, Khanna starred opposite Jyothika in Priyadarshan's romantic drama Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (1998), in which he portrayed a rich person.

Rediff.com stated, "Akshaye produces a good performance again. He's not a conventional looker but still appears charming."

In the same year, Khanna starred opposite Urmila Matondkar in Raj N. Sippy's drama Kudrat.

Khanna had further commercial successes in the romantic drama Taal (1999), the comedy drama Dil Chahta Hai (2001) which won him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor, the romantic thriller Humraaz (2002), the comedies Hungama (2003) and Hulchul (2004), the murder mystery 36 China Town (2006), the action thriller Race (2008), and the heist comedy Tees Maar Khan (2010).

Khanna's first release of 1999 came opposite Aishwarya Rai in Rishi Kapoor's directorial debut—the musical romance Aa Ab Laut Chalen.

It was a below average in India but performed well at the overseas.

His next film appearance was in Shrikant Sharma's romance Laawaris opposite Manisha Koirala.

The film received positive reviews, but fared poorly at the box office.

Khanna next starred opposite Aishwarya Rai in Subhash Ghai's musical romantic drama Taal, in which he played Manav Mehta.

The film was highly anticipated by critics and proved to be the fourth highest-earning feature film of 1999, becoming his first commercial success since Border.

Rediff.com wrote, "Akshaye is his usual self. Here he is endearing as a young and besotted lover who won't take no for an answer."

Khanna's final film that year was Lateef Binnu's star-crossed romance Dahek in which he featured opposite Sonali Bendre as a Hindu boy who falls in love with a Muslim girl.

The film proved to be a box office disappointment.

In 2000 Khanna took a hiatus from acting, and returned in 2001 in Farhan Akhtar's coming-of-age comedy-drama Dil Chahta Hai (2001) alongside Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Dimple Kapadia.

Khanna featured as one of the three friends named Siddharth Sinha, a quiet and reticent boy.

It generated highly positive reviews, with critical acclaim, and emerged as a major commercial success.

Dil Chahta Hai won seven Filmfare Awards, including a Best Supporting Actor trophy for Khanna.

Bollywood Hungama noted, "Akshaye Khanna conveys a lot through his expressions and that's where he triumphs. An actor par excellence, he essays this complex character with flourish. Rediff.com wrote, "With the character's depth, Akshaye uses his voice and expression to optimum effect.

He drew critical praise for his performances in the psychological thriller Deewangee (2002), the biographical drama Gandhi, My Father (2007) and the action thriller Aakrosh (2010).

He then did his 11th & 12th from Lawrence School, Lovedale, Ooty.

In an interview, he said that he was better at sports than studies.

Following a four-year hiatus in 2012, Khanna took on supporting roles in the action-comedy film Dishoom (2016) and as an investigative cop in two 2017 thrillers, Mom and Ittefaq.

Khanna's father was a renowned actor of Hindi cinema, who died in 2017, while his mother was born into a Parsi family of lawyers and businessmen, she died in 2018.

Actor Rahul Khanna is his elder brother.

Khanna attended Bombay International School, Babulnath.

Khanna received renewed acclaim for portraying a defence lawyer in the legal drama Section 375 (2019) and a cop in the crime thriller Drishyam 2 (2022), which emerged as his highest-grossing release.