There is something different about Akshaye Khanna. Earlier this week, we met the 41-year-old actor in a ramshackle office of veteran producer Nitin Manmohan (think Bol Radha Bol and Chal Mere Bhai) in Mumbai’s Andheri. Almost four years after he pretty much disappeared from the industry, Akshaye is back as the baddie in Dishoom. And he is looking happier and mellower than we have ever seen him. “We are told you are a changed man,” we quip. He only laughs. Once he’s done playing and has a cup of masala chai in his hands, we get down to talking about his hiatus and his comeback.  

Where have you been?! 
I had a few personal issues that didn’t allow me to take on work. And then it took me an unusual amount of time to find the right role and project to come back with. I wanted to start with a really substantial role, but not have the whole responsibility of the film on me. At least for the first two-three films, I want to go ‘small’. 

Why?
There was a little nagging voice in my head that kept telling me that I was rusty because I hadn’t worked for so long. I wanted to start with the mindset of a newcomer… start with a clean slate. It took me some time to find the two films (Dishoom and then Mom, starring Sridevi and Nawazuddin Siddiqui) I have done. Both I am very happy with. I am in a happy space now. I feel like I am breathing again. 

Did you miss acting?
Terribly. 

Really?
Why do you sound so surprised?! 

Even though you did so many movies through your career, there was always a sense that you weren’t interested or you weren’t happy...
How strange! It’s unusual that when I feel so totally at home here to give an impression of the opposite. I have been working since I was 19 and this is all I know. There is no other profession that I have ever been interested in. It’s quite unfortunate that I gave out that impression. Right now, I feel as if I have come home. 

There was talk that you had moved to Alibaug. True or false?
No no… I have never moved out of Mumbai in my life. I do go to Alibaug on weekends. I really enjoy a break from the city life but I never shifted there. I don’t know why people thought that. I guess, when one is not seen or heard, it’s natural for rumours to float around. 

There were many rumours, from substance abuse to your father’s (Vinod Khanna) illness... 
(Laughs) Yes, dad wasn’t well, but he is better now. But all these rumours are rubbish! It was one of the most difficult times of my life. Working is all that I have always known, so it was very tough for me. It’s not like I had other things to keep my mind occupied. It was a horrible, horrible time and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. I am not comfortable talking about specifics, so I am just going to leave it at that. 

How did Dishoom come your way?
Rohit (Dhawan, director) got in touch through a common friend. Though I had never worked with David (Dhawan, Rohit’s dad), I knew him a little. I didn’t know Rohit at all. He met and narrated the script. There are very few scripts that can actually be told in one or two sentences. Dishoom is one of those rare ones. It’s basically a story of 36 hours before an India-Pakistan match when the star Indian batsman goes missing. Rohit told me that (producer) Sajid Nadiadwala green-lit this film on the basis of this line even before the complete script was ready. It’s such a great premise for a film, and we have a young fun cast. 

After Humraaz and Race, Dishoom is the third time in your career that you’ve played a negative character. Do you enjoy being the bad guy?
I do, but I have to explain that I only do negative characters that have shades. I don’t want to do an all-out evil character. My bad guy has to be entertaining and someone that the audience would probably root for. He has to be a little likeable. I don’t want my character to be hated by the audience. My character (Wagah) in Dishoom, I think, is quite entertaining. Even though you know he is wrong, at some level the audience will like him. 

You’ve also recently finished shooting with Sridevi for Mom. Was that fun as well?
Oh, ya! I don’t want to talk too much about it because it’s going to release six months from now. That film is something special. I am very proud to be a part of a story like that. 

Are you looking forward to more films?
Absolutely! Going back on the set felt like what I am assuming a fish feels like when you put it back into water.  

Karishma Upadhyay