They are associated with two very different kinds of cinema, but when actors Akshay Kumar and Imran Khan got together for an upcoming film, they realised that they had more in common than they had imagined. A source from the production team of Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai 2 says, “Akshay is known for his hardcore action avatar, while Imran really hasn’t dabbled in the genre much.

Also, Akshay is not known for the kind of films that Imran has done, so it was an unusual pairing and we weresceptical of how they would get along.” However, the source adds that they all were in for a huge surprise. “The two hit it off from the very first day itself. They met up like old friends and though Imran was initially a tad conscious in the presence of his senior, Akshay put him atease and soon the two were seen engrossed in deep conversations,” shares the source.

Director Milan Lutharia too admits that he was a bit anxious in the start as they are from totally different worlds. “But they connected from the word go. They are very simple andrelaxed guys. They live in the moment and were very eager to gel and to pick up nuances of the character and performance from me. I had a great time with them on and off the set, except that both are big sushi fans... Which I’m not!” says Luthria.

The two actors are extremely fond of the Japanese speciality and would often binge on it together during lunches, says the source. “From sharing their best sushi experiences to talking about the preparations, sushi was a topic they really bonded on besides talking about films that they both just couldn’t stop discussing,” adds the insider. Incidentally, both Akshay and Imran are known to be fantastic cooks and so food was something that they easily related to. “The two exchanged recipes, diet tips, workout talk too,” shares the insider.

But this apart, the two talked non-stop about films. “Both Akshay and Imran are as interested in the process of filmmaking as they are in being in front of the camera and both of them even talked about the changing world of cinema which they wholly support,” says the source.