HTLS 2024: DYK Akshay Kumar was the first choice for the Ajay Devgn-starrer Phool aur Kaante?

Phool aur Kaante (1991) was Ajay Devgn's big acting debut. But did you know the actor wasn't really the first choice for the potboiler?

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The annual Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, concluded its illustrious three-day run, yesterday, in New Delhi's Taj Palace. Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn marked their presence at a session being moderated by Sonal Kalra, Chief Managing Editor, Entertainment and Lifestyle, Hindustan Times. The candid conversation saw the duo reveal much about their professional endeavours and personal lives, including the fact that Akshay will soon be starring in a film helmed by none other than Ajay.

Now while Akshay and Ajay definitely looked to the future, they didn't mind throwing the conversation back to some fun anecdotes. Ajay had marked his debut in 1991, with Kuku Kohli's Phool aur Kaante . The film served as his big threshold into the industry from where he began building his career.



But did you know, Ajay was not in fact, the first pick for the film? The conversation saw Akshay reveal that it was he who was supposed to originally star in Phool aur Kaante . He said, "I was going to do Phool aur Kaante but then I came to know Ajay was doing it, and Ajay got it, and I'm happy that Ajay got that and Ajay came into the limelight, jab mujhe uss film se nikala gaya, I got a film called Khiladi". A post shared by HT City (@htcity) So eventually, Akshay not featuring in Phool aur Kaante , worked out for the better, for both him as well as Ajay.

Ajay got his launch, while Akshay went on to sign, arguably among his biggest and most long-spanning franchises, something which also gave him one of his monikers. For context, the Khiladi franchise boasts of 8 installments between 1992 and 2012. More recently, the actors shared screen space in Rohit Shetty's Singham Again , still running in theatres.

The two will now be joining forces soon enough as Ajay's directorial with Akshay in the lead, commences its journey. God's plan!.