Akshaye Khanna Was The ‘Quiet Storm’ At School, Says Former Classmate: ‘Most Popular Senior'

Dhurandhar may have sparked sharply divided reactions, but if there was one aspect that drew near-universal approval, it was Akshaye Khanna. Whether viewers loved or criticised the film, most agreed that Khanna left a lasting impression. His now-viral dance sequence on FA9LA by Flipperachi only amplified the buzz, with social media brimming with admiration and many noting that, nearly three decades into his career, the actor is finally being celebrated in full measure.

Despite the renewed spotlight, Akshaye Khanna has always kept fame at arm’s length. Known for shying away from interviews and rarely making public appearances, he has long maintained a quiet, almost enigmatic presence. This reserved nature, as it turns out, is not something he adopted later in life—it has been part of his personality since his school days.

Akshaye Khanna's classmate recalls school days

Akshaye completed his education at Lawrence School, Lovedale in Ooty, where he earned an unexpected distinction: the “most popular” senior. Not for being flamboyant or outgoing, but for being the exact opposite. Politician and former schoolmate Saira Shah Halim recently revisited those memories in an Instagram post, fondly referring to him as “Lawrence School Lovedale Ooty’s original Heartbreak Kid.”

“Perhaps I haven’t shared this before,” she wrote, “but Akshaye Khanna was a couple of years senior to us at Lawrence School Lovedale, where I was a boarder along with my brother, Major Mohammed Ali Shah.” She recalled the curiosity that swept through campus when it was announced that Vinod Khanna’s son would be joining Class 11. “We were intrigued about who or what he looked like,” she added.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Saira Shah Halim (@sairashahhalim)

“For the next two years, we saw him every day—passing us by, walking up and down the campus, bumping into him outside the tuck shop—and boy, he was the school crush. Period.” Halim painted a picture of a student who commanded attention without trying. “He wasn’t the boisterous captain of the football team; he was the quiet storm. Reticent, a brooder—the only drama he caused was in the hearts of his schoolmates.” Describing him as a “man of mystery,” she noted that he rarely attended socials, avoided large groups, and preferred solitary walks or quietly sipping tea on the lawns. “Despite never being a ‘ladies’ man’ in the traditional sense, he was the most popular senior on campus,” she wrote.

She also remembered how often his parents visited him at school. “His dad, Vinod Khanna, and stepmother visited him often, I recall,” Halim shared. In hindsight, his journey into films felt inevitable. “Some films clicked, some didn’t—but through it all, one thing remained static: he stayed low-key and mysterious, just the way he is now.” She ended her note by expressing joy at seeing her senior finally receive his long-awaited recognition.

Akshaye Khanna's eventful 2025

There’s little debate that 2025 has turned into Akshaye Khanna’s year. He first commanded attention by eclipsing Vicky Kaushal in Chhaava as Aurangzeb. Now, in Dhurandhar, his portrayal of Rehman Dakait has stood tall, even alongside a heavyweight ensemble that includes Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi and R Madhavan.

Released on December 5, Dhurandhar opened with a strong ₹28 crore and went on to rake in an impressive ₹240 crore at the Indian box office within just eight days—underscoring that Akshaye Khanna’s moment in the sun has been a long time coming.