Farah Khan says Akshay Kumar flew to Tees Maar Khan set daily by helicopter: ‘Paise kha gaya’

After making her directorial debut with Main Hoon Na and following it up with the blockbuster Om Shanti Om, Farah Khan teamed up with Akshay Kumar for her third feature film, Tees Maar Khan. While the 2010 comedy emerged as a moderate box-office success, it was panned by critics upon release—a backlash that Farah has admitted affected her deeply. Over the years, however, the film has found a loyal fan base and evolved into a cult favourite. Now, adding another fascinating chapter to the film’s legacy, Farah has revealed that Akshay Kumar used to commute to the set by helicopter every single day—and still managed to be the most punctual person on set.

Farah, Akshay, Priyadarshan and Rajpal Yadav recently sat down for a conversation to promote Bhoot Bangla. During the chat, the actor-director duo recalled their Tees Maar Khan days, particularly the shoot in Malshej Ghat.

Farah shared, “We were shooting for Tees Maar Khan in Malshej. The call time was 8 am every day. Everyone stayed there because it was about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Mumbai. But Akshay would go home every evening after pack-up and return by 7:45 the next morning.”

The revelation left Rajpal Yadav visibly stunned. Turning towards him, both Farah and Akshay asked, “Bolo kaise?” (Tell us how?) Rajpal was left clueless. Akshay then casually revealed, “I travelled by helicopter.” His answer sent everyone into laughter.

Farah added, “For the first time in my life, I saw an actor treat a helicopter like a taxi. But to his credit, he was always on time.” Akshay quickly defended himself, saying, “But how was it anybody’s problem? I was the producer myself.” Farah shot back, “And so was I.” Akshay nodded in agreement before Farah jokingly accused him, “Mere saare paise kha gaya (Spent all my money on him).” A shocked Akshay responded, “Main paise kha gaya? You made the most money on that film!” Farah then burst into laughter and quipped, “Call Ronnie and ask him about our money.”

ALSO READ | Inside Tamannaah Bhatia’s home with Jacuzzi in balcony: ‘Best in Lokhandwala,’ says Farah Khan

While Tees Maar Khan earned around Rs 84 crore at the domestic box office, it failed to match the critical acclaim of Farah’s earlier directorial ventures. The criticism, she later revealed, took a serious toll on her mental health.

Story continues below this ad

Speaking on The Ranveer Show, Farah reflected on that difficult phase of her career.

“It puts you on the backfoot for a very long time. You move on, bounce back, and continue working, but somewhere in your mind, you’re always on the backfoot. It’s not that you start doubting yourself, but people try to push you towards self-doubt,” she said. She explained that success and failure can be equally deceptive in the film industry. “Even when your film becomes a hit, people may make you feel like you can do anything. Then everyone blindly follows whatever you say because they think you know everything. You have to question that too. Career-wise, it wasn’t a good phase for me.”

Farah also admitted that the relentless criticism triggered anxiety and moments of helplessness.

“Thankfully, there was only Twitter back then. But there are always well-meaning friends who come and tell you who’s saying what. That makes you angry, then sad, and eventually leads to panic attacks because, for the first time, you’re feeling helpless,” she recalled.

Story continues below this ad

Today, however, Tees Maar Khan enjoys a second life online, with many fans celebrating its quirky humour, memorable dialogues and chartbuster song.