Akshay Oberoi’s career appears to be on an upward trajectory. After his recent appearance in Yash’s ‘Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups’, the actor is now gearing up for Siddharth Anand’s much-anticipated ‘King’, which stars Shah Rukh Khan in the lead. His recent work also includes ‘Fighter’, ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ and the web series ‘The Broken News 2’. In a recent conversation, Akshay opened up about working on big-budget films, his interactions with Shah Rukh Khan and the director he credits with helping expand his mainstream appeal.
Akshay Oberoi on interacting with Shah Rukh Khan on ‘King’ sets
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Akshay revealed that although he has not had any scenes with Shah Rukh Khan so far, he has had several opportunities to interact with the superstar on the sets of King.“Even when he is not shooting, Shah Rukh comes on set,” Akshay said, describing the actor as warm, kind and remarkably approachable.
Akshay Oberoi calls Shah Rukh Khan one of the ‘kindest, gentlest people’
Akshay recalled how easily Shah Rukh makes people around him feel comfortable, often speaking to them as though they have known each other for years. According to the actor, this warmth appears to be an intrinsic part of the superstar’s personality rather than a public persona.“He is what everyone says he is. He’s one of the kindest, gentlest people. In five minutes, he’s talking to you like you’re his buddy. That comes naturally to him…it’s not like it’s a put-on. He can’t be faking it for all these years,” Akshay said.His praise has added to the anticipation surrounding King, which marks another collaboration between Shah Rukh Khan and director Siddharth Anand. Speaking about his admiration for Anand, Akshay added, “I’d jump off a cliff for that man.”
Akshay Oberoi credits Siddharth Anand for his mainstream breakthrough
Akshay also spoke about reuniting with Siddharth Anand and producer Mamta Anand. The actor has developed a close professional bond with the filmmaker and credits him with playing a significant role in shaping the trajectory of his career. After years of working in smaller projects, Akshay said Anand helped give him the mainstream visibility he had been looking for. He also revealed that his work in ‘Fighter’ eventually led to his casting in ‘Toxic’, after director Geetu Mohandas noticed him in the 2024 film.“He trusted me so much. I’m in Toxic because of him, because Geetu saw me in Fighter (2024). He gave me mainstream attention after years of grinding in small films. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to repay him for that in this lifetime,” Akshay said.
Akshay Oberoi says he is content with his career journey
Reflecting on his career, Akshay said he is currently in a positive space and feels content with the way things have unfolded professionally. Rather than viewing his success as something that arrived later than expected, the actor now sees his journey as one that happened at the right time.
About ‘King’
Besides Shah Rukh Khan, ‘King’ also features Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Arshad Warsi, and Rani Mukerji.
