Aamir Khan and Saif Ali Khan came together in Mumbai on Friday, August 28, to mark 25 years of Dil Chahta Hai, revisiting memories of the beloved cult classic. However, fans were quick to notice that Akshaye Khanna, who played the memorable Sid in the film, was absent from the reunion.
The reunion brought together director Farhan Akhtar, co-producer Ritesh Sidhwani, and cast members Dimple Kapadia and Sonali Kulkarni, among others. Although Akshaye Khanna was included in the promotional poster for the special gathering, fans were quick to point out that he was missing from the event itself. Fans flooded the host of the event, Nikhil Taneja’s Instagram post to know the reason behind Khanna’s absence.
He replied to a fan, saying that Akshaye Khanna was sick; hence, he couldn’t attend. The comment read, “That’s because we were still hoping he gets better and were still trying to check if there’s any way he could make it. Saif also hurt his back, was at the doctor, and almost didn’t end up coming. He missed another event but fortunately came for this one. It’s pure luck or destiny whatever you call it.”
When asked about Preity G Zinta, Nikhil replied, “Unfortunately was unavailable after several permutations and combinations.”
Released in 2001, Dil Chahta Hai marked Farhan Akhtar’s debut as a director. The film followed three close friends, Aamir Khan’s Akash Malhotra, Saif Ali Khan’s Sameer Mulchandani and Akshaye Khanna’s Siddharth “Sid” Sinha, as they navigated adulthood, love and the evolving nature of their friendship. Their Goa trip became a pivotal chapter in the story, as the three began to find themselves on different paths.
Meanwhile, Akshaye Khanna has largely kept a low profile following the success of Dhurandhar, where his performance earned widespread praise. The actor is now set to be seen in Mahakali, which has already generated considerable anticipation among his fans.
