When Dhurandhar Star Akshay Khanna Said 'Night Shoots Bardasht Nahi Hota': 'The Worst Part'

Long before Dhurandhar made Akshaye Khanna one of the most talked-about performers of 2025, the actor had already given fans a rare peek into how he approaches his craft — and what he really does (and doesn’t) enjoy about being on a film set.

Akshaye once explained that the best part of the job, for him, has always been the actual work itself — the part where you show up at the location and get into the performance. He admitted, in a chat with Wild Films India, “I think the best part is jo actual kaam hai, jo set pe jaake, location pe jaake, jo actual kaam hai, that for me is the best part.”

But no job is without its downsides. When he was asked about what he dislikes, Akshaye didn’t sugarcoat it. Night shoots — especially ones that stretch well

into the early morning — are something he has never had much patience for. “Worst part… shayad sometimes we have to shoot at night, kabhi kabhi 5 baje subah tak, 6 baje subah tak, woh mujhe bilkul pasand nahi hai. Woh mujhe bilkul bardasht nahi hota hai, toh maybe that’s the worst part.”

Akshaye has also been honest about how acting wasn’t something he chose from a list of options — it was the only thing that ever made sense to him. “Mere liye aur koi option nahi tha. Main actor isliye nahi bana kyunki mujhe actor banna chahta tha, haan woh banna chahta tha main, par uske alawa, from a very young age, mujhe aisa laga ki main kuch aur kar hi nahi sakta hoon, aur kuch aur karne se mujhe na toh khushi milegi, na toh satisfaction milega, acting ke alawa (For me, there was no other option. I didn’t become an actor because I wanted to be one, though yes, I did want that. But from a very young age, I felt I couldn’t do anything else, and nothing else would give me happiness or satisfaction except acting).”

That clarity of purpose has shown up in his performances — and nowhere more than in Dhurandhar, where his portrayal of Rehman Dakait has become a standout moment in a film that has already crossed the Rs 500 crore mark at the Indian box office. One specific sequence has taken social media by storm: Akshaye’s entry scene in the film, set to the rap track “FA9LA.” The clip shows him stepping out of a car in a sharp suit, greeting the crowd, and then breaking into a few spontaneous dance steps before taking his seat — a moment that quickly went viral online. What makes it even more memorable is that the dance was not scripted; Akshaye asked director Aditya Dhar, “can I dance?” and improvised the moves on the spot, leaving co-stars and audiences alike stunned by the charisma and effortless style he brought to the scene.