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Paresh Rawal called Akshay Kumar his colleague, and added that his real friends are the ones he made during his theatre days, like Naseeruddin Shah, Johnny Lever, and Om Puri.
Paresh Rawal and Akshay Kumar have worked together in Hera Pheri, Bhaagam Bhaag and other films
Veteran actor Paresh Rawal has shared screen space with Akshay Kumar in several iconic films such as Hera Pheri, Bhaagam Bhaag, among others, and shares a great equation with him. He always speaks highly of Akshay Kumar. In a recent interview, Paresh Rawal called Akshay a ‘colleague’, and explained that in the film industry, relationships are mostly professional. According to him, his true friends are the ones he made in school, and theatre. He called Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, and Johnny Lever his true friends.
During a conversation with The Lallantop, Paresh Rawal was asked, “Is Akshay Kumar a friend?” The veteran actor initially replied, “Yes.” However, he then added, “Film industry mein colleague hote hain, theatre mein dost hote hain, aur school mein jigar jaan dost hote hain. But film ke andar colleague hote hain. (In the film industry, people are colleagues, in theatre they are friends, and in school, they are heart-to-heart friends. But in films, they are colleagues).” When asked whether Akshay Kumar is his colleague, he replied, “Yes.”
Paresh Rawal further shared that his friends include Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Johnny Lever, whom he bonded with during theatre days. “Mere dost jinko main with respect bol saku toh Om Puri sahab the, Naseer bhai hain, Johnny Lever hain. Ye hain jinko main dost bol saku. Ek hota hai na ki with permission. (The ones I consider friends- whom I can respectfully call friends – were Om Puri sahab, Naseer bhai (Naseeruddin Shah), and Johnny Lever. These are the people I can call friends. You know, the kind of friendship where you feel you have the permission to say so),” said Paresh Rawal.
While Paresh Rawal refers to Akshay Kumar as a colleague, it doesn’t take away from the strong bond and mutual respect that they share. The two actors have consistently praised each other over the years. In February, while speaking with Siddharth Kannan, he called Akshay ‘hard working’ and ‘extremely honest’. He said that there is no insecurity between them. “The integrity is top-notch, and he is a proper family man. It feels nice to talk to him, and be around him,” he said.
Paresh Rawal and Akshay Kumar have worked together in several films such as Hera Pheri, Bhaagam Bhaag, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, OMG: Oh My God, etc. They will next be seen in Priyadarshan’s horror-comedy film ‘Bhooth Bangla’ and ‘Hera Pheri 3’.
