Yes, it is correct. Chunky Panday told this tale in an interview with comedian-actor Cyrus Broacha, and said that Akshay Kumar still jokingly blames him for not receiving “too much work” in the entertainment industry at first. Chunky Panday told Cyrus Broacha that when they were both at the same dancing school, he “used to teach” Akshay Kumar “dance movements and some line delivery,” and that the latter “still chuckles” about it.

Chunky Panday said: “He (Akshay Kumar) really makes me laugh about it. I graduated from a school called Madhumati’s Dancing School. So, when I was graduating… Akshay’s much younger than me, four-five years younger than me. Akshay was just joining the school. You know how it is, when you just join, the teachers don’t teach you, the senior students teach you.”

“So, I used to teach him some dance moves, and some dialogue delivery. He still laughs and jokes about it. That’s why he says in the initial part of his career he didn’t get too much work or awards, because of the acting I taught him. He had to undo what I taught him and become a better actor, and that’s why he’s become Akshay Kumar,” he added.

Chunky Panday and Akshay Kumar, who is now one of the top actors in Bollywood, are co-stars of several films like Housefull movie series, De Dana Dan and Tees Maar Khan. The duo share a great rapport. The stars were last seen together in the 2019 Housefull 4.