Why 'Dishoom' makers are keeping Akshaye Khanna's comeback under wraps

Akshaye Khanna has been missing from the Bollywood scene for quite a while — his last film was 'Gali Gali Chor Hai' (2012). The actor prefers to lie low and is rarely spotted in public. It is known that he prefers to work on his terms — you take him (and conditions apply) or leave him.

Akshaye Khanna. Pic/Getty Images
The star son made a rare appearance in January at a Gujarat government endeavour of which he is the brand ambassador. Now Akshaye will be seen after a hiatus in Rohit Dhawan's upcoming film, 'Dishoom', which stars John Abraham, Jacqueline Fernandez and Rohit's younger brother, Varun Dhawan.
Strangely, the makers have maintained a silence about his presence in the film. They have even avoided mentioning his name among the cast members. At the film's wrap up event on Monday at the Mehboob Studios in Bandra, the entire cast as well as director Rohit Dhawan and producer Sajid Nadiadwala was present, but Akshaye was conspicuous by his absence.

John Abraham, Jacqueline Fernandez and Varun Dhawan at the wrap up of the film's shoot. pic/SURESH KARKERA 
So why are the makers not promoting his presence in a film after a long gap?
Says a source, "Akshaye is being kept under wraps for now. It is a deliberate measure in keeping with his image of staying away from the limelight. The makers are making elaborate plans to bring him to the fore when the film's trailer launches. They want him to take centre stage only then. So now for now they want him to lie low as he normally does. It suits him as well as the makers fine."
Akshaye plays a gray character in the film and it took a lot of cajoling to get him on board. He did not want to essay the typical Bollywood baddie who the hero keeps bashing up every now and then. He also wanted to give his inputs for the character.
Adds the source, "His character has a lot of one-liners, the kind that can be seriously funny. He shot for the film during the unit's Abu Dhabi schedule."
Over two years ago, Akshaye was in the news when he was slated to feature in Dev Benegal's 'Bombay Samurai' with Kareena Kapoor Khan and Farhan Akthar as his co-stars. Buzz was that he wanted some changes in the script before signing on the dotted line. The project, however, did not take off.

Photos: 'Dishoom' cast John, Jacqueline and Varun at Mehboob Studio