Akshaye Khanna will always remain Bollywood’s most understated yet compelling talent, an actor who doesn’t seek center stage but owns it effortlessly. Lately, there seems to be a new generation buzzing on social media about a debate that divides Khanna’s fan base into two camps: people who enjoy Khanna’s soft boy period and people who believe nobody pulls off a villain era better than Khanna.
The Soft Boy Era: Gentle, Romantic, and Evidently Lovable
However, for many people, Akshaye Khanna’s soft boy phase marked the epitome of charm. His acting in Dil Chahta Hai, Humraaz (for the romantic bits), Taal, and Border introduced an Akshaye khanna who was very vulnerable, moody, and intensely emotional and very easy to identify with. Even today, fan girls and boys blush about his pure smile, vulnerable look in the eyes, and intense demeanor that made women and even men weaken and fall for him.
On social media platforms, he has been remembered as the “OG green flag hero” because of the manner in which he depicted romance without aggression and masculinity without loud bragging. There have been numerous nostalgic threads on social media about Akshaye and how he had no need to be loud to make an impact because he just existed, and people would melt.
The Villain Era: Cold, Calculated, and Unfathomable/ Impossible to Look Away
But then came an Akshaye Khanna that no one expected the villain era. Dishoom and Mom, and more recent thrillers like Drishyam 2 have seen Akshaye develop into a very charming and deadly antagonist. The soft-eyed romantic hero metamorphosed into a sharply-jawed and commandingly intense bad man who could stun the audience with a mere glance. His cool ire and deliberate speech pattern compelled everyone to whisper, “No one does classy badda roles like him.”
Soft Boy vs. Villain: So What Does the Public Really Think?
The contrast with more mainstream audience members exposes an intriguing dichotomy. Soft boy clickbait will pique people who have a nostalgic soft spot and are interested in romantics and character-driven stories. The villain clickbait will appeal to thriller enthusiasts and people interested in arthouse filmmaking.
It’s quite ironic that among these followers, there are some who refuse to choose sides because, as they believe, Akshaye’s biggest strength is that he can change from one character to another so effortlessly. Whether he plays a poetically heartbroken man or an ice-cold mastermind, he does so with equal conviction. Akshaye Khanna may be trending because he represents two generations, but he is trending because he is among very few actors who can pull off either end with so much ease. Whether it’s soft or sinister, there’s no doubting he has an audience hooked on him.
This article is authored by Sakshi, an intern from Deccan Chronicle.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
