In a light hearted revelation that highlights the lasting impact of cinematic performances, Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar shared a hilarious anecdote about his son, Aarav. During a recent promotional interaction, the actor revealed that Aarav was so terrified of Vidya Balan’s iconic portrayal of Manjulika in the 2007 psychological thriller Bhool Bhulaiyaa that he refused to meet her for six years.

Akshay reminisced about how the young Aarav was deeply affected by the chilling transformation of Vidya’s character in the climax of the film. Despite knowing his father was the lead protagonist who eventually solves the mystery, the boundary between fiction and reality remained blurred for the child. “He was so scared that he would literally run away if he knew Vidya was coming over,” Akshay shared with a laugh. This fear persisted well into Aarav’s childhood, making social gatherings involving the two families a bit of a challenge.

Vidya Balan, who was also present during the discussion, found the story incredibly amusing. She noted that while she receives immense love for the role today, hearing about the “terror” she struck in the hearts of children including her co-star’s son—is a testament to the film’s cult status. Akshay added that it took nearly half a decade of convincing and Aarav growing older before he finally realized that “Manjulika” was just a brilliant performance by a very kind friend.

This revelation comes at a time when the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise continues to be a fan favourite, with new installments keeping the legacy of the “ghost” alive. For Akshay and Aarav, however, the film remains a core family memory one involving a lot of hiding behind sofas and a long-overdue apology to one of Bollywood’s finest actresses.

Also read: Sadhguru tells Alia Bhatt a stressed parent is a BAD parent as she discusses Raha