When Akshaye couldn't stop staring at Aishwarya

Bollywood actor Akshaye Khanna, who is in the news for his menacing act in Chhaava, once made headlines when he openly confessed to being mesmerised by Aishwarya Rai’s beauty.
An old interview from his appearance on Koffee With Karan resurfaced online where he revealed his admiration for the beauty. During a rapid-fire round on the celebrity chat show, host KJo asked Akshaye to name the sexiest woman in Bollywood. Without hesitation, Akshaye replied, "Ash (Aishwarya Rai). I can’t take my eyes off her every time I meet her. It’s embarrassing for men. She must be used to it—people staring at her. But I’m not used to not being able to take my eyes off somebody. You just keep staring at her like a lunatic."
Sonakshi Sinha, who was also on the show to promote the film Ittefaq alongside Sidharth Malhotra, chimed in, "Not only guys. Even I am not able to take my eyes off her. She is damn stunning."
While Akshaye had no qualms holding back on his admiration for Aishwarya's beauty, did you know the actor was once linked to her during the late 1990s. Speculation about their relationship intensified when the on-screen duo’s chemistry was undeniable. The two were reportedly involved for nearly a year. However, their alleged romance ended when Aishwarya signed Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

(1999) and grew close to Salman Khan.

At the time, Akshaye also had the tabloids buzzing over his engagement to actress Karisma Kapoor. According to a report by News18.com, veteran actor Randhir Kapoor—Karisma’s father—was keen for his daughter to marry Akshaye. He even approached Vinod Khanna, Akshaye’s father, with a marriage proposal. However, the relationship allegedly ended due to opposition from Babita, who was unwilling to see her daughter settle down and step away from the film industry at the height of her career.
"If Babita had not objected, Akshaye and Karisma would almost certainly have been married," a source claimed.