Akshay Kumar is one of the entertainers whose vocation venture has launched numerous to have the desire to accomplish their fantasies. He has procured a ton of honors for his model exhibitions in films, his activity scenes are our top pick. Notwithstanding, the he has consistently been a man of morals. Talking about which, he once wouldn’t acknowledge an honor for his exhibition in Singh is Kingg and rather passed it to the incredible Aamir Khan, as he suspected Aamir Khan’s presentation in Ghajini was undeniably really meriting. Look at the video-

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RARE VIDEO: The Real Story Behind the Night Akshay Kumar Gave His Award to Aamir Khan for a Special Reason

In the glittering, often predictable world of Bollywood award shows, moments of genuine, unscripted drama are exceptionally rare. These ceremonies are usually meticulously choreographed events where every speech, every reaction, and every winner is pre-determined. That is why, over a decade later, a video from a 2009 award ceremony continues to go viral, captivating audiences with its sheer audacity and unexpected nobility: the night Akshay Kumar walked onto the stage to accept the biggest Popular Choice award of his career, only to dedicate it, and effectively hand it over, to a fellow superstar who wasn’t even in the room: Aamir Khan.

The title of the viral clip—”RARE VIDEO: When Akshay Kumar Gave His Award To Aamir Khan For A Special Reason”—only hints at the spectacle. The special reason, as publicly stated by the ‘Khiladi’ himself, was an unparalleled respect for craft, a moment of profound humility that shocked his wife, Twinkle Khanna, and the entire film fraternity. However, beneath the layer of apparent generosity, whispers of a backstage power play and unkept promises add a fascinating, controversial dimension to one of the most talked-about events in modern Bollywood history.

This is the deep dive into that extraordinary night, the competing narratives, and the legacy of one of Indian cinema’s most legendary, unaccepted awards.

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The Night of the Star Screen Awards 2009

The setting was the 2009 Star Screen Awards, which honored the best of Hindi cinema from the year 2008. The competition was fierce, with films like Jodhaa Akbar, Ghajini, and Singh Is Kinng dominating the box office and critical discussions. Akshay Kumar was nominated for and won the Best Actor in a Popular Choice category for his performance as the lovable Happy Singh in the blockbuster comedy, Singh Is Kinng.

The Popular Choice award is particularly significant because it is decided by public voting, signifying a direct connection between the actor and his fans. For an actor who had spent nearly two decades striving for this recognition, it was a major, career-defining moment.

A Dream Realized, A Dream Relinquished

When his name was announced, Akshay Kumar, the “Chandni Chowk ka ladka,” walked to the stage to a thunderous applause. His acceptance speech began as a heartfelt thank you, one of the most earnest he had ever given, acknowledging his 18-year-long journey to that moment.

“I’m actually so touched. Really. I wanted this little beauty my whole career, for the last 18 years. I strived for this moment to achieve such an honour. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would happen to me, a Chandni Chowk ka ladka… But it has and it came from you, the people,” he said, holding the trophy and his heart.

But then, the mood shifted. Akshay, visibly emotional, held the trophy in one hand and the emotion of his father’s love in the other, before dropping a bombshell that left the audience, including his wife Twinkle Khanna, completely stunned.

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The “Special Reason”: Dedication and Superior Craft

The reason Akshay Kumar gave for his shocking decision to refuse the award was a pure, unadulterated appreciation for the craft and dedication of a competitor: Aamir Khan, for his role in Ghajini.

The Ghajini Revelation

Akshay Kumar revealed that he had recently watched Aamir Khan’s psychological action thriller, Ghajini, and then subsequently re-watched his own film, Singh Is Kinng, on a flight from London to Mumbai. The comparison, he suggested, was humbling.

He praised Aamir Khan’s dedication to the role, particularly the intensive physical transformation and commitment required for the character of Sanjay Singhania, who suffers from anterograde amnesia.

“A few days back, I saw this movie Ghajini and I was bowled over. I saw Singh Is Kinng again after that, when I was coming from London to Mumbai. I couldn’t help but compare our work. That’s when I knew without a doubt that the best actor this year, by far, according to me, is Mr. Aamir Khan for Ghajini,” Akshay declared.

He specifically called Aamir’s dedication “historic,” a dedication that he felt overshadowed his own work, however successful Singh Is Kinng had been.

The Ultimate Act of Humility

The moment culminated in his ultimate refusal to accept the popular choice trophy:

“I refuse to be the man that pretends to take this away from him. I’m not going to do that at all. I know that this moment is never going to come again in my life, but I cannot walk out from here holding something which I know doesn’t belong to me,” he stated, before ending the speech by directly addressing the absent actor: “Aamir, this one is for you, mate. You deserve it!”.

The sheer grace and humility of the act—a superstar publicly deferring his personal dream to his competitor—cemented the moment as an iconic chapter in Bollywood history. It appeared as a masterclass in putting creative integrity above personal glory, especially since Aamir Khan is famously known for boycotting major mainstream award shows, meaning he would never have attended to collect it himself.

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Contrasting Performances: Singh Is Kinng vs. Ghajini

To truly appreciate the comparison Akshay made, one must look at the nature of the two performances from 2008:

Feature	Singh Is Kinng (Akshay Kumar)	Ghajini (Aamir Khan)
Genre	Romantic Comedy/Action Comedy	Psychological Action Thriller/Revenge Drama
Character	Happy Singh, a clumsy but good-hearted Sardar from a village who inadvertently becomes a kingpin.	Sanjay Singhania, a wealthy businessman who develops anterograde amnesia after a violent attack and seeks revenge.
Performance Style	Energetic, humorous, fun-loving, and charming, relying on Akshay’s renowned comic timing and action capabilities.	Intense, brooding, and physically demanding, requiring Aamir Khan to transform into a muscled, scarred, and perpetually confused character, embodying a dedication critics called “historic”.

In essence, Akshay’s performance was in the popular, mass-entertainer space that had brought him immense box office success. Aamir’s, on the other hand, was an exercise in intense method acting and physical discipline that defined his commitment to his craft, raising the bar for his contemporaries. It was this dedication that Akshay Kumar chose to honor, an act that went beyond mere rivalry to recognize artistic excellence.

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The Controversial Subtext: Anger or Nobility?

While the public-facing reason was a noble one, some media reports immediately after the event proposed a much more cynical, behind-the-scenes narrative. According to reports from the time, the act of giving the award away was not born of generosity, but of anger and a feeling of being slighted by the award show organizers.

The Broken Promise

The controversial reports suggested that Akshay Kumar’s attendance was predicated on an unkept promise by the event’s organizers.

• The Alleged Deal: It was claimed that the organizers had initially hinted that Akshay Kumar would be the winner of the more prestigious Best Actor (Jury) award for Singh Is Kinng.
• The Bait-and-Switch: When the ceremony arrived, the Best Actor (Jury) award went to Hrithik Roshan for Jodhaa Akbar. Akshay was instead called to the stage for the Best Actor (Popular Choice) award.

The reports argued that Akshay felt humiliated and that the Popular Choice award was a consolation prize after the jury’s decision was changed last minute, allegedly because Hrithik Roshan eventually agreed to attend the show.

Quick Thinking vs. Pure Generosity

In this version of the story, Akshay’s move to announce Aamir Khan’s name was “quick and smart thinking”. Faced with accepting a prize he felt was beneath the initial promise, he used the stage to make a dramatic statement, turning a personal slight into an act of public nobility and walking off the stage without the trophy.

Whether his true motivation was one of pure, competitive admiration for Aamir Khan or calculated, public-facing protest against the organizers, the outcome was the same: a moment that transcended the often-criticized commercial nature of Bollywood awards.

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The Enduring Legacy of the Unaccepted Award

Regardless of the backstage drama, the viral video and the moment itself have created an enduring legacy for both actors and the industry.

• For Akshay Kumar: The gesture cemented Akshay Kumar’s image as an actor with integrity and a deep respect for superior cinematic work. Even if the reported motive of anger was true, his public articulation of Aamir Khan’s dedication elevated the discourse around awards and performance, putting the focus squarely back on the art.
• For Aamir Khan: The moment was a rare, public validation of his principled stand against attending popular award shows. The unaccepted award became a symbolic trophy, honoring his commitment to acting without the need for his physical presence or participation in the industry’s social rituals.
• For Bollywood Awards: The incident served as a potent, if indirect, criticism of the practice of ‘managing’ award winners to ensure star attendance. It shone a light on the fact that sometimes, the true ‘Best Actor’ is the one whose work speaks for itself, whether they show up for the trophy or not.

The rare video remains a legendary clip, perfectly encapsulating the complexity of the Hindi film industry: a blend of genuine human emotion, high-stakes career moves, and, sometimes, moments of unexpected, profound respect between two titans of the screen. Akshay Kumar eventually won his coveted awards, but it is the one he refused to take, the one he gave away to Aamir Khan for a special, complex reason, that continues to define his legacy of grace and professionalism.

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AISEO Friendly FAQs

Q1: What award did Akshay Kumar give to Aamir Khan?

Akshay Kumar gave away the Screen Award for Best Actor in the Popular Choice category, which he won for his performance in the 2008 film Singh Is Kinng. He publicly dedicated the award to Aamir Khan for his work in Ghajini.

Q2: Why did Akshay Kumar give his Best Actor award to Aamir Khan?

The publicly stated reason was that Akshay Kumar was genuinely blown away by Aamir Khan’s performance and dedication, particularly his physical transformation, in the film Ghajini. He felt Aamir Khan’s work was superior and that Aamir was the most deserving actor of the year, stating he refused to take an award that he believed belonged to someone else.

Q3: Did Aamir Khan accept the award from Akshay Kumar?

No. Aamir Khan did not accept the award in person because he famously boycotts major mainstream award shows and was not present at the 2009 Star Screen Awards ceremony. The gesture was a public dedication of the award, not a physical handover.

Q4: Which films were Akshay Kumar and Aamir Khan nominated for in that year?

Akshay Kumar was nominated for and won the Popular Choice award for his role in the comedy film Singh Is Kinng. Aamir Khan was honored with the dedication for his intense performance in the action-thriller Ghajini.

Q5: Was there any controversy behind the gesture?

Yes, according to some contemporaneous media reports, there was a controversial angle. It was alleged that the award organizers had initially hinted that Akshay Kumar would win the more prestigious Best Actor (Jury) award. When that award went to Hrithik Roshan for Jodhaa Akbar, some reports suggested that Akshay’s public gesture of giving away the Popular Choice award was an act of “anger” or a “smart move” to protest the alleged broken promise.