Lara Dutta Says Akshay Kumar ‘Never Took Advantage’ Of Her, Priyanka Chopra In Early Days: 'He Saw Two Girls...'

Priyanka Chopra and Lara Dutta entered Bollywood at a time when both were still figuring out the workings of the industry. Fresh off their international beauty pageant wins in 2000, the two made their Hindi film debut in Andaaz alongside Akshay Kumar, and soon found themselves being seen as rising faces of Hindi cinema.

Now, Lara has looked back at that phase and opened up about how Akshay Kumar looked out for both of them when they were just starting out, with little guidance and no real roadmap.

Lara Dutta Recalls Feeling ‘Protected’ On Andaaz Sets

In a conversation shared on the YouTube channel of atncanada, Lara said she considers herself “extremely lucky” to have begun her Bollywood journey with Andaaz. Speaking about Akshay’s presence during

that time, she described him as a steady source of support.

She said, “Just to have that environment around you where you felt protected, you did not feel exploited in any which way and people, who kind of looked out for you.”

Lara also called Akshay her “friend, philosopher and guide,” suggesting that his role in those early days went far beyond that of a co-star.

‘He Never Took Advantage Of That’

Reflecting on how vulnerable both she and Priyanka Chopra were as newcomers, Lara said Akshay recognised that they were entering the industry with ambition but very little direction.

Talking about how he guided both of them, Lara shared, “Both Priyanka and I were coming in right at the same time. He saw two young girls coming in with stars in their eyes and zero guidance and direction. And he never took advantage of that.”

She went on to praise his understanding of the industry, adding, “Today, I think he is such an incredibly street-smart person. He knows the business like the back of his hand, he knows what works. So, in that sense, I had a really strong springboard to take off from.”

Old Speculation Around Akshay And Priyanka Resurfaces

Lara’s remarks also bring back memories of the time when Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra’s frequent collaborations had become the subject of intense speculation. Producer Suneel Darshan had earlier claimed that he had to drop Akshay from Barsaat after a song had already been shot, allegedly because Twinkle Khanna objected to his continued pairing with Priyanka.

Speaking to Bollywood Hungama in an earlier interview, Darshan had said, “I had also got to know of the other issues that had come up between him and his wife. She had issues with Priyanka, I was told…”

He further added, “I feel the profession has its own hazards. Sometimes, the proximity, sometimes the individual’s own lifestyles, all these things come in the way and the media blows it out of proportion, without realising how much loss a filmmaker could suffer because of…”

Where They Are Now

Over the years, all three actors moved ahead in their lives and careers. Priyanka Chopra is now married to Nick Jonas, and the two are parents to daughter Malti Marie Chopra. Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna, meanwhile, have been married for 25 years.

Akshay and Priyanka went on to share screen space in films like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Aitraaz, Waqt and a few others, becoming one of the most talked-about on-screen pairings of the early 2000s.