It’s nice to be Akshaye Khanna these days. After the critical Appreciation for Gandhi My Father and the commercial success of Race, he is uncharacteristically relaxed waiting for Mere Baap Pehle Aap to release and chatting about movies and marriage...

You have a reputation for being moody.

Everybody has moods. Yes, I am very reserved and shy. I won’t deny that.

But being an actor is all about not being shy...

I am not the least bit shy when I am in front of the camera. I think most of the actors are very shy. There are very few who are really out there. I really envy people who are like that because being as shy as I am is not really a good trait.

But you did just fine with comedies like Hungama and Hulchul. And now you are coming up with one more — Mere Baap Pehle Aap. How is it different from your other Priyadarshan comedies?

The story is different; therefore everything else is different too. Priyan’s style will be the same because people love his style of comedies. The film’s father-son angle is unique because here the son is like a father and the father is like a son. The father is always making mistakes and being reprimanded by the son.

How similar or dissimilar is this to your relationship with your dad?

My dad is more like a friend to me. My father never imposes himself on others, be it his children, wife, friends or anybody. He is a very chilled-out guy in a very deep way. He is very non-interfering and accepting of people. He takes people for what they are. Honestly, I have never met a man with more friends than my father in my entire life. He is a very sociable person. He loves people.

What is the funniest thing that you have done in Mere Baap Pehle Aap?

The funniest thing I did was shout at Paresh. It was fun. I can never shout at my own father. MBPA is an entertainer. After a long time, a genuine ‘feel-good film’ is coming.

Which was the last ‘feel-good film you have seen?

Jab We Met.

Yeah, Jab We Met was a lovely film but it was not a comedy. It was a love story. But after a long time, we have made an out-and-out comedy.

You have worked quite often with Paresh Rawal. But it’s your first with Om Puri …

I love his work. I really respect him as an actor. Both Paresh and Om are very spontaneous.

Both of them are known to be scene stealers. How do you make sure that doesn’t happen to you?

I just do my work to the best of my ability.

What about Genelia?

She is good. She has a very innocent face —a rare thing nowadays. Even in her performance, there is a genuine niceness. She has tremendous energy.

Your recent success, Race was all about the mad race for money and the way people compete to outdo each other. Personally, where do you see yourself in this rat race?

Who is in the rat race? Everybody goes to work in the morning, comes back home, has dinner and goes to sleep. Who am I racing against? Who is Shah Rukh or Salman or Aamir racing against? Aamir Khan is Aamir Khan. He doesn’t need to race against anybody. Akshay Kumar is Akshay Kumar. What race? Your films are either successful or they are not, People either like them or they don’t. Everybody has hits and flops.

Are you happy with the way you looked in Race?

I had put on weight during Race , a lot of weight. We were in South Africa for almost 40 days. We were shooting from morning to night, no time for exercise. In fact, I have lost a lot of weight now.

Did you get positive reactions for Race?

I had the best role in Race. There are no two ways about it.

Anil Kapoor said Gandhi My Father is your best performance till date and you deserved an award for it. Do you share his sentiments?

I think the greatest reward I have got is to have done the film. Where are such films made? It’s a world class film in every department. It is something that I can be proud of for the rest of my life. I don’t need an award to make it any more special for me than it already is.

What motivated you to do a special appearance in Aaja Nachle — hope of a full fledged role in Yash Raj’s next?

Of course not. I really liked the role. It was fun. If you do a guest appearance, it should have a punch to it, people should remember it. Otherwise what is the point in doing it? Like Akshay Kumar’s guest appearance in Om Shanti Om — it was fantastic. My role in Aaja Nachle was small but I really liked the scenes. Working with Madhuri was a big draw.

What keeps you single?

Freedom (laughs). I am young, I am an actor.

Do you ever intend to get married?

I don’t think I am cut out for marriage. I don’t think I will be happy in a marriage. I am someone who is very independent. I find it very difficult being answerable to anybody. I don’t like giving answers. I don’t ask questions to other people so I don’t like other people asking me questions.