Akshaye Khanna, who has had a remarkable year career-wise, has also frequently made headlines, with some people calling him “unprofessional” and “toxic”, particularly after reports of his exit from Drishyam 3. Now, filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan has opened up about her own experience working with the actor, revealing that he was once so difficult to work with that she almost stopped choreographing his songs. However, her experience with him on the sets of Dil Chahta Hai (2001) changed her perception of him and eventually led to them collaborating on Tees Maar Khan (2010).

Farah recently appeared on choreographers Bosco and Caesar’s podcast Dance Masti. During the conversation, Caesar asked Farah, “For which actor did you have to work the hardest?” Farah, with a grin, asked him to name someone first. Caesar replied, “Abhishek Bachchan.” Farah responded, “But, he is a very good dancer.” Caesar clarified, “I never said he is a bad dancer.”

Explaining why working with Abhishek could be challenging, Farah said, “He tires me out. He is fun-filled. He wants to keep wandering. He teases people and things around him.”

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Recalling a funny incident involving Abhishek, Caesar said, “I was shooting with him outside Gateway of India when he brought a bucket of cold water in the middle of the night and poured it on me. He is a prankster.”

Caesar then pointed towards Farah and said, “But you didn’t name the bully.” Farah smartly replied, “But I got you to name.”

However, Farah then revealed that the actor she found the hardest to work with was Akshaye Khanna. She said, “At one time, Akshaye Khanna used to be very difficult to work with.”

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Clarifying that this was before Dil Chahta Hai, Farah recalled working with Akshaye on several films. “I have done Doli Saja Ke Rakhna with him, then a couple of other movies, Laawaris and something. He, I think, himself has confessed in interviews that he was very difficult. He was very irritable and wouldn’t want to stand.”

Farah admitted that Akshaye’s behaviour frustrated her to the point that she eventually decided not to work with him. “I said if it is Akshaye Khanna’s song, I don’t want to choreograph it.”

Despite her reluctance, Farah had to work with Akshaye again on Dil Chahta Hai because the film was directed by her cousin Farhan Akhtar.

However, she said the experience changed her perception of the actor. “After Dil Chahta Hai, he had a transformation, I think. In Tees Maar Khan, he was too good. He is actually a very good dancer.” Farah added that she has always been particular about the kind of working environment she wants on set. “But I was very clear that I don’t want to work with artists who are irritating.”

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Akshaye Khanna was all over the news when the makers of Drishyam 3 sent him a legal notice for stepping out of the film reportedly over his looks and fees.