Akshaye Khanna hasn’t faced a camera in six months. His last release, a dud —Priyadarshan’s Mere Baap Pehle Aap — was a year ago. The year 2008 also saw him in the thriller Race and the sublime Gandhi My Father, a film that didn’t set the box office on fire. Akshaye Khanna is all set to rock the screen in his role in another Anil Kapoor production called—Shortkut-The Con Is on. Puffing hard at his cigarette he says, “Shortkut… has a very nice, strong story. It is not one of those nonsensical comedies where characters attempt buffoonery to get laughs. It is a small film with a big heart.’’ He candidly admits that the six-month sabbatical that he was forced into at the start of 2009 is because of the global recession and the multiplex strike.

Says the actor, “Hindi film industry’s fortunes are directly connected to that of the world finance markets. Two of my films got cancelled.’’ However now that the tide is changing, the reclusive actor will do two films back to back. The first is Anees Bazmee’s No Problem with Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor, Suniel Shetty and Kangna Ranaut that will be shot extensively in South Africa this July. And the second is a thriller with Priyadarshan where he plays a CBI officer. The film is based on report that had appeared in The Times of India newspaper.

Asked if star sons get shortcuts into Bollywood, he says, “Of course we are privileged. But someone can only open a door for you. Once you are in the room, you’re alone. Then, you have got to fend for yourself.’’ He’s happy that he’s in an enviable place, and he’s also happy that he has found a true friend in the much older Anil Kapoor. “What’s age got to do with friendship?’’ he wonders. And says, “If you can describe Anil in one sentence it would be — he is young at heart.” He defends his good friend’s jumping around at the Oscar ceremony saying, “People criticised him for that. Honestly I thought Anil was so endearing.”