‘Was starstruck working with Yash, he inspired me to think bigger', says Akshay Oberoi

Indian Express

2 days ago

Actor Akshay Oberoi, who will be seen alongside Kannada superstar Yash in the upcoming film Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grownups, says he was starstruck at first and was inspired by the actor's work ethic and humility.
'I've been lucky; I've got to work with a superstar here (Bollywood), Hrithik Roshan, right before I started working with Yash. He is such a huge star and has got no airs about it; people go crazy when he is around, but he is so soft-spoken. I learnt that he is from Mysore, his father was a bus conductor, and he has slowly made his way up. I was quite starstruck working with him; it took me a while to act opposite him. I was also a huge fan of KGF, like all of us. He is special; his thinking is bigger than anyone else's. He has inspired me to think bigger about my own career and self,' Oberoi told PTI.
The Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grownups is directed by Geetu Mohandas and is produced by VN Productions and Monster Mind Creations. It will be released in theatres on March 19, 2026.
'Geetu Mohandas is a phenomenal filmmaker; she has made Liar's Dice and Moothon, and I've had the experience of being directed by her, and she is so good. Toxic is going to be great,' Oberoi said.
The 40-year-old actor is looking forward to Shashank Khaitan's Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. The film, featuring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor, will be released on October 2.
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Akshay Oberoi said he hopes that with both Toxic and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, he will be able to connect with a mass audience. 'Actors are dreamers. I've been doing this for 15 years, and with every film I dream that this film works well. The only way to survive is to keep that positive outlook because there is so much out of control in this line of work. The only thing we can do is to ensure that we do our work. I hope that these films reach the masses more, and people get to know about my work more, like in the case of Fighter. I've a good feeling about these two films,' Akshay Oberoi said.
Oberoi, who was talking on the sidelines of a retrospective on legendary actor-filmmaker Guru Dutt, said yesteryear artistes like Dutt and Balraj Sahni have inspired him to foray into movies. 'My father would show me Guru Dutt's films when I was eight years old. Recently, I read his biography, and I got emotional. I became a huge fan of his,' he said, urging the younger generations to explore Dutt's remarkable films such as Pyaasa, Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Aar Paar, and Mr. and Mrs. 55.
Expressing his admiration for Sahni, Oberoi said, 'We don't talk about him anymore, but he was a great actor. We should celebrate our icons, especially the ones who've gone. He left us way too early, but he has left an impact with his work across the globe, and we've forgotten about him.'