After winning the second Miss Universe crown for India at the beginning of the millennium, Lara Dutta became one of the most sought-after debutantes in Bollywood. Soon, she signed her first film in Raj Kanwar’s Andaaz that released in 2003. The film paired Lara opposite Akshay Kumar and that film started a long-lasting working relationship between the two actors that exists even today.
Since then, the duo has worked together in multiple films including Aan: Men At Work, Dosti: Friends Forever, Bhagam Bhag, Blue and Singh Is Bliing. Eighteen years after their first film together, Lara and Akshay reunite again on-screen in Ranjit Tewari’s Bell Bottom that releases tomorrow. While Akshay plays the role of an agent in the film, Lara brings former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to life.
Ask Lara how it has been seeing Akshay evolve as an actor and also as a human being in all these years, and she responds, “In these 18 years, I have done 13 films with Akshay. I have always been working with him constantly and everybody knows he is one of the most professional actors in the business. He will never arrive late on set, rather he will come earlier than expected. He has an amazing work ethic. He not only has discipline but he also makes sure that he takes care of everyone on set and they are all comfortable.”
Lara goes on to insist that they both share a relationship that goes way beyond the 70-mm screen. “We both share an amazing equation with each other. With him, it never feels like I am working on set. It always feels like I am on a picnic with my family. When I am working with him, I never realise when the film starts and ends,” she gushes.
The actress shares that with Akshay being a prankster on set, everyone always ask her one constant question, for her to recall a prank that Akshay has pulled on her. She has an answer ready for it now. “I have done 13 films with him, so I know all of his pranks by now. He can’t surprise me by pulling one on me. He is literally like family to me now and also a blessing because you don’t find such friends in the industry at all. I always say that Akshay for me is a friend, philosopher and guide. Our equation goes way beyond being co-stars,” she smiles.
Image Source: Instagram/akshaykumar/larabhupathi, spotboye archives