By:
Subhash
K.
Jha,
IndiaFM
Thursday,
August
16,
2007
Friendships
in
filmdom
are
frequently
as
filmy
as
they
are
flimsy.
But
Anil
Kapoor
and
Akshaye
Khanna
seem
to
have
formed
a
longer-
lasting
bond.
Says
Anil,
"After
the
wonderful
experience
on
Gandhi
My
Father
if
I
had
my
way
I'd
cast
Akshaye
in
all
my
films.
I'm
very
very
fond
of
him
as
an
actor
and
as
a
friend."
However
'friend'
turned
completely
into
'actor'recently
when
the
twosome
came
together
for
the
first
time
since
Subhash
Ghai's
Taal
for
Abbas-Mustan's
Race.
The
spirit
of
one-upmanship
was
so
high
between
the
Anil
and
Akshaye
that
onlookers
on
sets
thought
the
duo
had
fallen
out
with
each
other.
Laughs
Akshaye,
"Yes,
once
the
camera
was
switched
on
Anil
and
I
were
fiercely
focussed
on
doing
our
best.
And
what's
wrong
with
that?
Race
is
a
thriller.
Anil
and
I
had
a
ball
working
together
as
actors
again
after
Subhash
Ghai's
Taal.
Yes,
we
were
really
in
competition
for
Race.
From
'start
camera'
to
'cut'
we
became
co-stars.
Once
the
camera
was
switched
off
we
were
comparing
notes.
Kaisa
kya
kiya....tu
kaisa
tha...main
theek
tha??
Yes
I'm
very
competitive,
in
the
sense
that
I
want
to
do
my
best
within
the
character
I'm
given
to
portray.
So
dies
Anil."
Laughs
Akshaye.
"That's
how
we
are
as
co-stars.
As
far
as
Anil
Kapoor
The
Producer
goes,
I've
told
him
pointblank
that
he
has
to
sign
me
for
all
his
productions.
We're
already
doing
another
project
Shortcut
which
is
a
masala
film.
We're
really
charged
about
it.
Anil
wouldn't
touch
a
project
unless
it
enthuses
him
fully.
Every
seed
needs
a
specific
nurturing.
If
my
director
Feroz
Khan
hadn't
been
nurtured
by
Anil
Kapoor,
Gandhi
My
Father
wouldn't
have
been
possible.
Anil
constantly
nourished
the
project.
He
has
given
so
much
to
the
project.
He
was
such
a
source
of
strength
for
all
of
us,
specially
the
director.
Being
from
a
production
family
Anil
Kapoor
gave
his
all
to
this
film."
Akshaye
wants
to
be
as
versatile
as
Anil.
"Even
today
he
can
balance
a
Salaam-e-Ishq
with
No
Entry.
I'm
aiming
to
be
in
that
maneuvering
space.
I
want
people
to
give
me
the
same
opportunities.
I
can
tell
you
one
thing.
Actors
who
are
confined
by
images
are
very
unhappy
people."