Is He Bollywood’s Best Villain? The Real Reason Akshaye Khanna Just Won Big!
The results are in, and it’s a massive night for the “bad guy”! At the Chetak Screen Awards 2026 held this Sunday in Mumbai, Akshaye Khanna officially walked away with the trophy for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male). His chilling performance as the ruthless ganglord Rehman Dakait in the spy-thriller Dhurandhar was the talk of the evening. Even though Akshaye wasn’t there in person to pick up the award—presented by veteran star Raj Babbar—the cheers from the crowd made it clear that his performance left a huge impact.
It’s an even bigger win when you realize who he was up against! Akshaye beat out legendary actors like Naseeruddin Shah and Saurabh Shukla to take home the prize. Interestingly, industry insiders revealed that three other stars actually turned down this role because they didn’t want to be in an “ensemble” film led by Ranveer Singh. Akshaye, however, reportedly signed on within a single day of hearing the script. With Dhurandhar sweeping a total of 11 awards tonight, it’s safe to say that Akshaye’s instinctive choice to play the villain was a total masterstroke!
