Akshaye Khanna, who has once again captured Bollywood’s attention through his gripping performance in Dhurandhar, is back in the spotlight. Known for his natural, understated acting style, he remains one of the most intriguing actors in Hindi cinema. Now, an old interview of his has resurfaced—one in which he speaks candidly about one of the most painful phases of his life.

Akshaye reveals how premature hair loss and balding during his youth—long before he became an actor—shattered his confidence.

In the old interview given to Mid-Day, he recalls the emotional turmoil of those early years.

“It started very young,” he said. “For me, it felt like a pianist losing his fingers. Until you truly make peace with it, it keeps troubling you.”
 

He compared the shock to waking up one morning and realising you suddenly can’t read the newspaper without glasses—or a sportsperson discovering they need knee surgery. “It’s heartbreaking,” he said.

“You can lose a year or two from your career. For an actor, how you appear is extremely important. You can hide your body—but never your face. At 19 or 20, it feels catastrophic. Heartbreaking. It can kill you mentally.”

When asked why he didn’t opt for a wig like many actors did at the time, Akshaye responded that such decisions depend on personal choice. “As a young actor, the hair loss really affected my confidence,” he admitted.

Akshaye’s words capture how deeply early balding can impact a person. Premature balding often originates from genetic factors, hormonal imbalances or autoimmune conditions. It can begin even in the late teens—especially among men—and frequently takes a heavy toll on confidence and mental well-being.