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Akshay Kumar's Humble Beginnings and Industry Humiliations
4 Aug
Summary
- Akshay Kumar faced 13-14 back-to-back flops before Suneel Darshan cast him in Jaanwar
- Darshan recalls Akshay being "vulnerable" and not "saleable" at the time
- Akshay endured humiliation and ridicule from industry insiders during his struggling phase
In 2025, as filmmaker Suneel Darshan promotes his upcoming film Andaaz 2, he has opened up about his long-standing collaboration with Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar. The two worked together on seven films, including hits like Jaanwar, Ek Rishtaa, and Dosti: Friends Forever, but their last project was in 2005.
Darshan remembers the time he first signed Akshay for Jaanwar, when the actor was at his lowest, coming off 13-14 back-to-back flops. "He had stopped getting movies. Even the good ones weren't coming to him, and the bad ones were drying up too," the director recalls. Darshan says Akshay was a "gorgeous, humble Punjabi boy" with the right "discipline" and "looks," but the industry did not trust him, making it a "huge risk" to cast him in a big-budget film.
However, the risk paid off, as Jaanwar became a turning point in Akshay's career. But before that success, Darshan says Akshay endured an "ugly phase" in the industry, where people would "misbehave" and "ridicule" him, even on the streets. "When actors fall, it can be traumatic. People who once praised you start laughing at you," the director explains, adding that Akshay told him about being called "kachra" (trash) behind his back by some of the "biggest filmmakers."
Darshan stood by Akshay when most others didn't, and eventually watched him rise again, even working with those same people "on his terms." The director says the bond they shared was special, with Akshay operating from his office for seven years, reflecting the "Dosti" (friendship) they shared.
