Long before his engagement to Raveena Tandon made headlines, Akshay Kumar was in another relationship that had reached the doorstep of marriage, one with his 'Dhadkan' co-star Shilpa Shetty. At the time, the two were planning to build a life together.
A Relationship That Almost Ended in Marriage
Filmmaker Sunil Darshan has revealed that Akshay Kumar and Shilpa Shetty were preparing to get married, but the relationship fell apart because of certain misunderstandings. Speaking to Minutes of Masala, Darshan said, "I thought they were about to get married, but some misunderstandings happened and they separated." He added that their bond looked extremely strong at the time, and no one expected it to break down right at the doorstep of marriage.
From a String of Flops to the Breakout Hit 'Jaanwar'
Akshay Kumar once went through a difficult phase in his career, when several of his films kept failing one after another at the box office. Titles like 'Saapoot', 'Lahoo Ke Do Rang', 'Insaaf: The Final Justice', 'Dawa' and 'Tarazu' raised serious questions about his career. It was during this period, in 1999, that Sunil Darshan directed 'Jaanwar', starring Shilpa Shetty and Akshay Kumar, which turned into a massive hit as soon as it released and completely changed Akshay's fortunes. Following that success, his stalled projects, including 'Hera Pheri' and 'Dhadkan', also got the green light for release. Darshan said Akshay's career kept climbing over the next 25 years and he never looked back. The two went on to work together on a total of 7 films.
The Rumour About Hrithik Roshan and the Misunderstanding It Caused
Darshan also shared another interesting episode from that time. After 'Jaanwar' released, a rumour reached Akshay Kumar that Sunil Darshan was signing Hrithik Roshan for his next film. On hearing this, Akshay went straight to Darshan and asked if he had done something wrong. Darshan clarified that he had indeed visited Hrithik's house, but had not signed him, calling it simply a misunderstanding. Akshay then made Darshan promise that they would keep working together, to which Darshan said, "Very good."
Akshay and Saif Ali Khan Set to Share the Screen Again After 17 Years
Akshay Kumar is now awaiting the release of his upcoming film 'Haiwaan', a Hindi remake of the 2016 Malayalam film 'Oppam', which originally starred Mohanlal in the lead role. Akshay and Saif Ali Khan had appeared together in the 2008 film 'Tashan', and the two will now be seen together again in 'Haiwaan' after nearly 17 years. Directed by Priyadarshan, the film also features Boman Irani, Sharib Hashmi, Saiyami Kher and Shriya Pilgaonkar in key roles.
