Bollywood actor Akshaye Khanna, who is currently basking in the success of his 2025 release Dhurandhar, had once candidly admitted that he finds it hard to take his eyes off Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
The remark dates back to 2017, when Khanna was promoting his film Ittefaq alongside Sonakshi Sinha and Sidharth Malhotra. During an interaction with filmmaker Karan Johar, Khanna was asked to name the most stunning actor in the industry.
Responding without hesitation, Khanna said, “Ash (Aishwarya Rai)”. “I can't take my eyes off her every time I meet her,” he said. He added that while he does not usually react this way to anyone, Aishwarya has a unique effect on him.
“It's embarrassing for men. She must be used to it (people staring at her). But I'm not used to not being able to take my eyes off somebody. You just keep staring at her like a lunatic,” Khanna said.
Clips of the old interview have now resurfaced on social media.
Khanna and Aishwarya have worked together in two films — Aa Ab Laut Chalen, directed by Rishi Kapoor, and Taal, helmed by Subhash Ghai.
Khanna, meanwhile, had a successful run at the box office in 2025. Apart from Dhurandhar, he featured in Chaava, where he portrayed Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.