When Akshay Kumar's Death-Defying Stunt Made Mahesh Bhatt Run Away: 'Yeh Marr Jayega'

Akshay Kumar recalled a particularly daring stunt from Mahesh Bhatt’s 1998 action-thriller Angaaray that left the director so terrified, he fled the set before it was even executed.

Akshay Kumar recalls a death-defying stunt.

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Akshay Kumar, renowned for performing his own stunts, recently opened up about one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of his career while promoting his latest film Sky Force, co-starring Veer Pahariya. The actor, known for his dedication to action sequences, recalled a particularly daring stunt from Mahesh Bhatt’s 1998 action-thriller Angaaray that left the director so terrified, he fled the set before it was even executed.

Akshay Kumar recalls a daring stunt

In an interview with The Quint, Akshay shared details of the high-stakes moment: “There was a stunt in Angaaray which I did jumping from a seven-floor building. In between, there was a road, but only one lane, and there was another building on the other side. So, I had to jump from the seventh to the fourth floor. During that, my director ran away."

He added, “Mahesh Bhatt was my director, and before I could even do the stunt, he just ran away. He said, ‘Mereko nahi dekhna hai, yeh marr jaayega’ (He said, ‘I don’t want to watch, he is going to die’). He went away, so I did that shot without my director."

 

Akshay on using body doubles

Earlier, Akshay also spoke about why he rarely uses body doubles. “Our audience buys tickets of Rs 250, Rs 350 and come to watch us. They would like to see real things. I don’t want them to feel cheated. Some stunts are there, which you should not try and do. They are very risky. That’s where you take VFX’s help," he explained.

While acknowledging the dangers involved, Akshay emphasised the importance of safety and realism in his action scenes. He said, “Stunts are very risky, life-threatening too. But mostly, I would like to give my audience the real stuff. We go through running, we fall, we tumble. That is important. I don’t want my audience to be cheated and give them what they require. Fear is always there, but the stunts we do, we make sure it is safe enough. Even if you are jumping off this stool, you should do all safety checks. You should know how to land. Similarly, it is important that whenever we do it, we ensure nothing goes wrong."

Akshay Kumar and Veer Pahariya’s Sky Force, an aerial action drama, released in theatres on January 24, 2025.