Farah Khan calls Akshaye Khanna the real deal, says: ‘Dhurandhar ke baad Tees Maar Khan ka hi raaj chal raha hai’

Akshaye Khanna played Aatish Kapoor, an arrogant superstar actor desperate for an Oscar in Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan.

Updated on: Jan 16, 2026, 14:28:19 IST

By Santanu Das

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Akshaye Khanna earned massive praise for his performance in Dhurandhar. In the Aditya Dhar film, he played the menacing Pakistani gangster Rehman Dakait. Many viewers said that Akshaye stole the show with his act, while OG fans of the actor acknowledged that he has been delivering brilliant performances for years. This led many to dig up his hilarious performance in Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan, where he played an arrogant superstar named Aatish Kapoor, who is desperate for an Oscar.

Akshaye Khanna in Tees Maar Khan (left) and in Dhurandhar (right).

What Farah said about Dhurandhar

Farah, who visited Bigg Boss 19 finalist Pranit More's residence to shoot her latest vlog, said that Akshaye is the Oscar himself. The director also added that, after Dhurandhar, many have been referring to Tees Maar Khan as an example of how good Akshaye has been over the years. It all began when Pranit tried to teach Farah's cook, Dilip, some stand-up comedy. Dilip learned little and ended up saying that Tees Maar Khan is his favourite film.

‘Asli Oscar toh waha hi he’

Farah replied, “Dhurandhar ke baad Tees Maar Khan ka hi raaj chal raha hain (After Dhurandhar, if any film is ruling, it has to be Tees Maar Khan).” Pranit added, “Asli Oscar toh waha hi he, aapke film mein (The real Oscar is in fact, in your film)!” Farah admitted that it is indeed true and said, “Oscaarrr!” In the film, Aatish keeps repeating the word because he badly wants to win the award someday.

Tees Maar Khan was released in theatres in 2010 and underperformed at the box office. The heist thriller comedy also starred Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif.

Meanwhile, Dhurandhar stars Ranveer Singh in the lead. Apart from Akshaye, the film also stars Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, and Sara Arjun. The film has emerged as the highest-grossing film of 2025. The second part is set for release on March 19.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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