Not Akshay Kumar, this actor was Raja Krishna Menon’s first choice for Airlift; he rejected because…

Akshay Kumar’s thriller drama film Airlift impressed everyone and became a hit at the box office. However, do you know Akshay was not the first choice of the film’s director? 

Yes, before Akshay Kumar, the filmmaker, Raja Krishna Menon wanted another superstar in the film. However, even before he approached him, he rejected the film and suggested Akshay Kumar’s name. He is none other than Irrfan Khan. 

In a recent interview with Galatta Plus, Nikkhil Advani, the co-producer of the film recalled the instance when Raja Menon wanted Irrfan Khan as the lead in Airlift and said, “Airlift’s director Raja Menon wanted Irrfan, which was fine for us because he was working on D-Day. I told them I would set up the meeting with Irrfan, and Irrfan overheard me.” 

He added, “He (Irrfan Khan) told me, ‘Boss, mere sath mat kar ye picture (Don’t do this film with me). It is a fantastic film but don’t do it with me because you will not get the budget. Go to Akshay. You know Akshay.'”

He added, “So, I went to Akshay with another film, and he called that rubbish. Then I narrated Airlift and told him that Irrfan didn’t want to do it. He asked me, ‘Why have you come to me then?’ I told him, ‘You can’t do it because it is a very serious film and you will have to memorize all the lines, and the director Raja Menon wants to do workshops.’ He told me that he wanted to do it. I told him Raja doesn’t want you, but Akshay did the film. He sat for workshop after workshop.”

Helmed by Raja Krishna Menon, Airlift stars Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur, follow Ranjit Katyal (played by Kumar), a Kuwait-based businessman as he carries out the evacuation of Indians based in Kuwait during the Invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein's Iraq which led to the beginning of the Gulf War. The plot is adapted from the real-life story of a Kuwait-based Indian businessman Mathunny Mathews. Made in Rs 30 crore, the film collected Rs 228 crore worldwide and became a superhit. 

Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar is now set to star in Khel Khel Mein alongside Vaani Kapoor, Taapsee Pannu, Ammy Virk, Fardeen Khan, and others. The film is directed by Mudassar Aziz and is scheduled to release in theatres on August 15. The film will clash with Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao’s Stree 2.

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