"Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi" was an Akshay Kumar action thriller full of stunts, thrills, and titillation. However it was Rekha as the powerful mafia boss Maya, who stole the show. The ageless queen of Bollywood wowed and seduced the audience with her performance and showed all of the younger actresses the true meaning of vamp. Her erotic scene mud wrestling with Akshay Kumar and then showering nude with him, is a classic of kitsch cinema. Only Rekha could make the scene rise above exploitation to an ode to feminist empowerment as she dominates the over the top machismo of Kumar and makes him whimper like a little boy. Much of the film is less than forgettable, but the scenes with Rekha sizzle.

Rekha won the FilmfareÊAward 1996 forÊÊBest Supporting Actress and the Screen Award 1996 for Best Performance In A Villainous Role for her effort in "Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi".