Akshay Kumar surprised female auto driver with Rs 10,000; 'I dropped him at his house in Juhu', says Chhaya Mohite

Akshay Kumar surprised Chhaya Mohite, one of Mumbai's pioneering female auto rickshaw drivers, with a thoughtful gesture that captured the public’s attention. After his team spent two months locating her for an interview, the Bollywood star gifted her Rs 10,000 as a token of appreciation.

In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Chhaya shared the story of how this remarkable meeting came about. Akshay Kumar had come across a video featuring her and was immediately intrigued. Recognizing her significance as one of Mumbai's first female auto rickshaw drivers, he was eager to connect with her.
According to Chhaya, Akshay’s team spent two months searching for her, armed only with her name and photo. They combed through various Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) to find her. Chhaya revealed that Akshay’s assistant contacted her every day, though they didn’t disclose that Akshay Kumar was behind the effort. “Many media people would come to my house and make videos about my daily life,” she mentioned. Despite being encouraged to monetize her story, she chose not to charge for interviews.

Initially, Chhaya was hesitant due to her husband’s concerns, but she eventually agreed to participate in the interview. After a full day of filming, she was asked to drop Akshay Kumar off at the Sun-n-Sand Hotel. To her surprise, she found Akshay already seated in her auto rickshaw when she arrived.
“He asked me how much I make. I gave him a ride in Juhu and dropped him at his house,” she fondly recalled. During the ride, Akshay mentioned that his mother and wife were out shopping. Chhaya expressed her gratitude for the experience, saying, “Akshay told me that I could visit him anytime with my kids and family.” However, she regretfully shared that she never got the chance to meet him again.

In addition to the memorable ride, Akshay Kumar’s gift of Rs 10,000 was a generous act of kindness that provided Chhaya with much-needed financial support as she continues to balance her roles as a homemaker and a rickshaw driver.