Akshay Kumar, original name Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia, (born September 9, 1967, Amritsar, Punjab, India), Indian actor who became one of Bollywood’s leading performers, known for his versatility.
Bhatia was the son of a government worker in a country in which acting often runs in the family. As a young man, he trained extensively in dance and martial arts, and his first movie role, nonspeaking and uncredited, was as a martial arts instructor in Aaj (1987; Today). He worked at a Bangkok food stall, tried his hand at modeling, and appeared in several films before being offered a starring role in Deedar (1992; “Glimpse”) by director Pramod Chakravarthy. It was in those early stages of his career that he took the professional name Akshay Kumar.
Kumar acted in a steady stream of thrillers and fast-paced dramas, including Khiladi (1992; “Player”), which brought him considerable attention. His athleticism and daredevil nature were well displayed in action films such as Main khiladi tu anari (1994; I’m the Expert, You’re the Novice), in which Kumar played a police inspector protecting a star witness. He again portrayed a conflicted policeman in Mohra (“Pawn”), one of the most popular Indian films of 1994. Despite his success in those high-intensity roles, Kumar’s good looks also led him to star in romantic comedies such as Yeh dillagi (1994; The Game of Love), a loose adaptation of the American film Sabrina, and Dhadkan (2000; “Heartbeat”), a story of arranged marriage in which Kumar’s character must win over his reluctant bride. Ajnabee (2001; “Stranger”) was a change of pace for the usually charming actor, and his turn as a philandering husband and murderer won him his first Filmfare Award, for best villain.
