While Akshaye Khanna’s Dhurandhar is a blockbuster, Farah Khan reveals the time she gave him an ‘asli’ Oscar

Long before his dance sequence in the blockbuster Dhurandhar turned him into a viral sensation, Akshaye Khanna had already carved out a loyal fan base through a string of memorable and unconventional roles. Over the years, his work in films like Tees Maar Khan and Hungama earned him cult admiration, with audiences appreciating his ability to elevate even the most eccentric characters through sharp timing and controlled intensity.

Although Farah Khan’s Tees Maar Khan, which featured Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif in lead roles, failed to create waves at the ticket counters upon its release, Akshaye Khanna’s portrayal of Aatish Kapoor stood out distinctly. He played an overconfident movie star obsessed with validating his talent and chasing global recognition, including dreams of winning an Oscar. Despite the film’s commercial underperformance, his exaggerated yet layered performance gradually won widespread appreciation and continues to be fondly remembered.

Recently, Farah Khan revisited memories associated with both Dhurandhar and Tees Maar Khan during one of her YouTube vlogs. The filmmaker and choreographer returned with a fresh video alongside her cook, Dilip, as the duo paid a visit to comedian Pranit More, who was a finalist on Bigg Boss 19. The meeting took place at Pranit’s Mumbai residence and was filled with humour, candid conversations, and film references.


During the vlog, Farah openly praised Akshaye Khanna’s impactful role in Dhurandhar, acknowledging how his performance contributed to the film’s massive popularity. She humorously remarked that following the success of the Ranveer Singh-led film, Tees Maar Khan has once again found a special place in people’s hearts, suggesting that its appeal has only grown stronger with time.
“Asli Oscar toh waha hi he, aapke film mein (The real Oscar is in fact, in your film)!” Pranit said. To which the director replied, “Oscaarrr!”

In a lighter segment of the video, Pranit attempted to coach Dilip on basic stand-up comedy techniques. After trying his hand at humour, Dilip revealed that Tees Maar Khan remains his all-time favourite film. Pranit playfully added that after Dhurandhar, it feels like Farah’s earlier movie has reclaimed its dominance among viewers. He jokingly told Farah that the true Oscar-worthy moment already existed in her film, prompting her to enthusiastically echo the word Oscar in response.

Released in 2010, Tees Maar Khan struggled commercially but later gained cult popularity, particularly among younger audiences. In contrast, Dhurandhar, featuring an ensemble cast including Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, and Sara Arjun, has gone on to become one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time.