Emraan's flirty character based on Akshay

Ajay Devgn has taken his rivalry with Akshay Kumar one notch further. It is learnt that on the actor's suggestion, Emraan Hashmi's womanising character in Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji is loosely based on Akshay Kumar of yore.

He is also called 'Khiladi,' as AK is popularly known. In this film, Ajay plays a character who is on the verge of divorce but chasing a young girl, Emraan is the flirt and Omi Vaidya, the idealistic and virtuous guy.

What's in a name?

It is learnt that when director Madhur Bhandarkar was giving Ajay a gist of the three characters, he mentioned that Emraan's character was a skirt-chaser. Devgn asked him to model the character on Akshay Kumar (before his marriage).

"He was known as Khiladi Kumar because of his escapades with the fairer sex. In the film Emraan's character is called Abhay Suri, and he is called Abbi (to rhyme with Akki?) It was Ajay's inputs that made Emraan's character more colourful. He told the director that he's worked with AK and he could give a backgrounder on how he operated around women. All these suggestions were added to Emraan's character," says a source.

Bhandarkar says, "There are so many characters like that going around not just Akshay. I have drawn traits from people I have met over the years, including my friends, for the three characters enacted by Ajay, Emraan and Omi. DTBHJ is about three guys, their relationships and take on girls. Emraan plays a womaniser who depends on life and women. He's a free loader who believes in relationships but not love."

Not so innocent

The Ajay-Akshay rivalry started during Khakhee when Ajay felt Akshay tampered with the roles of other actors to get more footage. The rivalry was highlighted last year when Ajay was led to believe that Akshay asked Vipul Shah to release Action Replayy on the same day as Golmaal 3. A peeved Ajay ensured that his film Toonpur Ka Superrhero was pushed back to release with Akshay's Tees Maar Khan.

An industry insider says, "Ajay has no problems with anyone except Akshay Kumar. Today he's okay with Shahrukh Khan too. But Ajay definitely has an issue with Akshay and is determined to finger him at any opportunity he gets."