Akshaye Khanna is currently the talk of the town, thanks to his electrifying performance in the recently released film Dhurandhar. His portrayal of Rehman Dakait, a powerful Pakistani crime lord, coupled with his captivating dance moves in the viral song "Fa9la," has taken social media by storm.
The "Fa9la" track, performed by Gulf-based hip-hop artist Flipperachi, was released in 2024 but gained immense popularity in India following the release of Dhurandhar. The song plays during Akshaye's entry scene, where he greets a room full of Baloch people with a "Salaam" before breaking into an impromptu dance. This particular scene has captured the attention of viewers, with many dubbing it the "new Jamal Kudu," referencing Bobby Deol's viral moment in the movie Animal.
Adding an interesting layer to this viral sensation, fans have noticed a resemblance between Akshaye's dance moves and those of his late father, Vinod Khanna. An old video has surfaced showing Vinod Khanna dancing in a similar style. The clip, reportedly from a 1989 charity concert in Lahore, Pakistan, features Vinod Khanna dancing alongside Rekha, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, and cricketer Javed Miandad. Viewers have specifically pointed out the similarities in their hand and arm gestures. This has led to speculation that Akshaye may have subconsciously drawn inspiration from his father's iconic moves, possibly as a tribute.
However, Akshaye's Dhurandhar co-star, Danish Pandor, revealed in an interview that the dance sequence was not choreographed. According to Pandor, the scene was originally choreographed by Vijay Ganguly. But during the shoot in Leh Ladakh, Akshaye asked director Aditya Dhar if he could simply dance "whatever you feel like doing". Dhar agreed, and Akshaye improvised the now-famous steps on the spot. Pandor recalled that everyone on set was stunned by Akshaye's spontaneous performance, which he delivered despite the challenging high-altitude conditions. Vijay Ganguly mentioned Akshaye even used a small oxygen cylinder due to the low oxygen levels.
Pandor, who plays Akshaye's cousin Uzair Baloach in the film, added that Akshaye's improvisation added authenticity to the character and enhanced his acting. The Bahraini Arabic phrase “Fa La” means "Fun time" or "Party," adding a fun element to Rehman Dakait's consequential entry and developing the cinematic connotation.
Whether Akshaye Khanna consciously replicated his father's moves or not remains a question. Regardless, the viral "Fa9la" dance has solidified Akshaye Khanna's position as a standout performer in Dhurandhar, with many praising his screen presence and charisma.
