Paresh Rawal Considers Akshay Kumar A 'Colleague': 'Ones I Consider Friends Were From Schools And Theatre'

Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal have collaborated in multiple movies but still the latter does not consider Kesari 2 actor as a ‘friend’. In an interview, Rawal called Kumar a ‘colleague’, stating that the relationships are mostly professional in the film industry. He also discussed his “true friends,” namely Om Puri, Johnny Lever and Naseeruddin Shah, which he made in school and theatre.

In a conversation with The Lallantop, Paresh Rawal said, “Film industry mein colleague hote hain, theatre mein dost hote hain, aur school mein jigar jaan dost hote hain. But film ke andar colleague hote hain. (In the film industry, people are colleagues, in theatre they are friends, and in school, they are heart-to-heart friends. But in films, they are colleagues)." When asked whether Akshay Kumar is his colleague, he replied, “Yes."

He further added, “Mere dost jinko main with respect bol saku toh Om Puri sahab the, Naseer bhai hain, Johnny Lever hain. Ye hain jinko main dost bol saku. Ek hota hai na ki with permission. (The ones I consider friends- whom I can respectfully call friends – were Om Puri sahab, Naseer bhai (Naseeruddin Shah) and Johnny Lever. These are the people I can call friends. You know, the kind of friendship where you feel you have the permission to say so).”

Earlier, in a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Rawal called Kumar ‘hard working’ and ‘extremely honest’. He said, “The integrity is top-notch, and he is a proper family man. It feels nice to talk to him, and be around him.”

For the unversed, Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal have shared screen space in multiple movies and all have received praise from fans and critics alike. Their movies include Hera Pheri, Bhaagam Bhaag, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, OMG: Oh My God, etc. They will next be seen in Bhooth Bangla and Hera Pheri 3.