Akshay Hari Om Bhatia[1] (bornRajiv Hari Om Bhatia; 9 September 1967[2]), known professionally asAkshay Kumar (pronounced[əkˈʂəjkʊˈmaːɾ]), is an Indian actor and film producer working inHindi cinema. Referred to in the media as "Khiladi Kumar",[3][4] through his career spanning over 30 years, Kumar has appeared inover 150 films and has wonseveral awards, including twoNational Film Awards and twoFilmfare Awards. He received thePadma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian honour, from theGovernment of India in 2009. Kumar is one of the most prolific actors inIndian cinema.[5][6]Forbes included Kumar in their lists of both highest-paid celebrities and highest-paid actors in the world from 2015 to 2020.[7][8] Between 2019 and 2020, he was the only Indian on both lists.[9][10][11] In 2021, Kumar was awarded the highest tax payer "Sanman Patra" for consecutively paying the highest tax as an individual for the past five years.[12]
Kumar began his career in 1991 withSaugandh and had his first commercial success a year later with the action thrillerKhiladi. The film established him as anaction star in the 1990s and led to several films in theKhiladi film series, in addition to other action films such asMohra (1994) andJaanwar (1999). Although his early tryst with romance inYeh Dillagi (1994) was positively received, it was in the next decade that Kumar expanded his range of roles. He gained recognition for the romantic filmsDhadkan (2000),Andaaz (2003),Namastey London (2007), and for hisslapstick comic performances in several films includingHera Pheri (2000),Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004),Phir Hera Pheri (2006),Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007), andSingh Is Kinng (2008). Kumar won Filmfare Awards for his negative role inAjnabee (2001) and his comic performance inGaram Masala (2005).
While his career had fluctuated commercially, his mainstream success soared in 2007 with four consecutive box-office hits; it was consistent until a short period of decline between 2009 and 2011, after which he reinforced his status with several films, includingRowdy Rathore (2012) andHoliday (2014). Moreover, around this time critical response to several of his films improved; his work inSpecial 26 (2013),Baby (2015),Airlift (2016), andJolly LLB 2 (2017) was acclaimed, and he won theNational Film Award for Best Actor for the crime thrillerRustom (2016). He earned further notice for his self-produced social filmsToilet: Ek Prem Katha (2017) andPad Man (2018), as well as the war filmKesari (2019), and set box-office records in 2019 withKesari,Mission Mangal,Housefull 4,Good Newwz, and the 2021 action filmSooryavanshi. All of Kumar's subsequent theatrical releases failed commercially, with the exception of the comedy-dramaOMG 2 (2023).[13]
In addition to acting, Kumar has worked as astunt actor.[a] In 2008, he started hostingFear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi, which he did for four seasons. He also launched the TV reality showDare 2 Dance in 2014 and his off-screen work includes ownership of the team Khalsa Warriors in theWorld Kabaddi League. The actor had also set upmartial arts training schools for women safety in the country.[15][16] Kumar is one of the India's mostphilanthropic actor and supports various charities. He is abrand endorser celebrity in India.[17] From 2011 to 2023, he was a citizen ofCanada.[18][19][20]
From a young age, Kumar was very interested in sports, and his father also enjoyed wrestling. He lived and grew up in Delhi's Chandni Chowk and later moved toBombay, Maharashtra, when his father left the Army to become an accountant withUNICEF.[21] Soon, his sister was born, and the family lived inKoliwada, aPunjabi dominated area of Central Bombay.[22]
When Kumar was a teenager, he told his father that he wanted to become an actor.[28]
After obtaining aBlack Belt inTaekwondo in India,[29] he studied martial arts in Bangkok, learningMuay Thai, and worked as a chef and waiter.[30]
After Thailand, Kumar worked inCalcutta (present-day Kolkata) in a travel agency, inDhaka in a hotel as a chef,[31] and in Delhi sellingKundan jewellery. Upon his return to Bombay, he started teaching martial arts.[21]
During this time, the father of one of his students recommended Kumar to modelling, which led to an assignment for a furniture showroom. Kumar worked as an assistant for photographerJayesh Sheth for 18 months to create his first portfolio.[32] He also worked as a background dancer in various films.[33]
Kumar made his first screen appearance in the filmAaj (1987) as a Karate instructor. He later adopted the stage name Akshay Kumar, inspired byKumar Gaurav's character Akshay.[34]
One morning, after missing a flight for an ad-shoot inBangalore, Kumar visited a film studio with his portfolio. That evening, he was signed for a lead role in the movieDeedar (1992) by producer Pramod Chakravarthy.[35]
Kumar made his first appearance as the lead actor oppositeRaakhee andShantipriya inSaugandh (1991). In the same year, he acted in Kishore Vyas-directedDancer, which received poor reviews.[36] The following year he starred inAbbas Mustan-directed suspense thriller,Khiladi, widely considered hisbreakthrough role.[37][38] A review inThe Indian Express called the film "an engrossing thriller" and described Kumar as impressive in the lead part, noting his physical appearance, strong screen presence, and commending him for being "perfectly at ease".[39] His next release was theRaj Sippy-directed detective filmMr. Bond, based onJames Bond.[40] His last release of 1992 wasDeedar. It failed to perform well at the box office.[41]
In 1993, he acted in theKeshu Ramsay-directed bilingual filmAshaant alongsideDr. Vishnuvardhan andAshwini Bhave. Almost all of his films released during 1993, includingDil Ki Baazi,Kayda Kanoon andSainik did not perform well commercially.[42] In 1994, he appeared in 11 feature films.[43] He played a police inspector in two films: Sameer Malkan'sMain Khiladi Tu Anari andRajiv Rai'sMohra, both among the highest-grossing films of the year.[44] Further success came later that year when he starred inYash Chopra-produced romanceYeh Dillagi, oppositeKajol. One of the year's biggest mainstream successes, both the film and his performance were received well by critics, withThe Indian Express describing him as "always dependable" and singling out his performance.[45] His work in the film earned him his first nomination forBest Actor at the Filmfare Awards[46] and theScreen Awards.[42] During the same year, Kumar also had success with films likeSuhaag and the low-budget action filmElaan. All these achievements established Kumar as one of the most successful actors of the year, according toBox Office India.[47]
Kumar proved to have success with what later became known as theKhiladi series. He starred in the fourth and fifth action thriller films withKhiladi in the title:Sabse Bada Khiladi (1995) andKhiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), both directed byUmesh Mehra and released to commercial success. He played adual role in the former.[48]Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi co-starredRekha andRaveena Tandon.[49] During the film's shooting Kumar was injured, and went on to receive treatment in United States.[50] Shubhra Gupta ofThe Indian Express wrote in a year-end review, "It was Akshay Kumar inKhiladiyon Ka Khiladi who packed the aisles, no doubt about it... He shoved his hair back in a slick little ponytail, much likeSteven Seagal, wore ankle-length great coats, wrestled with the fearsomeUndertaker, and walked away with the film."[51]
Kumar played a supporting role in Yash Chopra-directed musical romantic drama,Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), co-starringShah Rukh Khan,Madhuri Dixit andKarisma Kapoor, for which he received his first nomination for theFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.[52] In the same year, he starred oppositeJuhi Chawla inDavid Dhawan-directed comedyMr. and Mrs. Khiladi, fifth instalment of theKhiladi series. Unlike his previous films of the series, it failed commercially.[53] Considerable success, however, came with another dual role in the romantic action filmAflatoon.Khalid Mohamed ofFilmfare, while critical of the film, approved of Kumar's effort: "Akshay Kumar comes to life. Given something even slightly different to do, he does rise to the occasion."[54] His following releases failed in commercial terms and this caused a setback to his film career.[55] In 1999, Kumar played oppositeTwinkle Khanna inInternational Khiladi. The film did not do well at the box office.[56] He received critical acclaim for his roles in the filmsSangharsh andJaanwar. While the former did not make a profit at the box office, the latter turned out to be a commercial success and marked his comeback.[57][56]
2000–2006: Established actor and expansion to comedy films
In 2000, Kumar starred in thePriyadarshan-directed comedyHera Pheri alongsideParesh Rawal andSuneil Shetty. The film which was a remake of Malayalam filmRamji Rao Speaking,[58] became a commercial success[59] and proved to be a turning point in Kumar's career.[60]Hindustan Times noted the film's "intense portrayal of the surreality of the human condition".[61] He also starred in theDharmesh Darshan-directed romantic dramaDhadkan later that same year. The film performed moderately at the box office[59] but Kumar was praised for his acting.[62][63]Rediff.com's review stated that he had proved that he is "director's actor" and that "he has worked hard on his role is apparent."[64] That same year, he performed some of his most dangerous stunts in Neeraj Vora-directed action thrillerKhiladi 420, where he climbed a running plane, stood on top of the plane flying a thousand feet in the air, and jumped from the plane onto a hot air balloon. In a later scene, he is also seen being chased by a car, dodging bullets, jumping off buildings, and climbing walls.[65] His character in the film had two names and his role received mixed reviews.[66] Sukanya Verma wrote "Negative roles and Akshay Kumar don't go hand-in-hand. [...] Akshay is ridiculously over the top and irritating to the core. However, he manages a decent performance as the sober and suave Anand."[67] Padmaraj Nair ofScreen, however, believed it was "the best performance of his career".[68]
His first release in 2001 wasSuneel Darshan-directed dramaEk Rishtaa: The Bond of Love. Kumar was praised for his performance in the film.[69] Next, he played a negative role in the Abbas Mustan-directed filmAjnabee.[70][71] While reviewing the film for Rediff.com, Sarita Tanwar termed Kumar the "surprise package" of the film. She added that he was "in total control as the bad guy."[72] The film won him his first Filmfare Award for Best Villain and IIFA award 2002 for Performance in a Negative Role.[23][73][74]
In 2004 Kumar starred inRajkumar Santoshi's action drama thrillerKhakee alongside Amitabh Bachchan,Ajay Devgn andAishwarya Rai. Kumar played the role of Inspector Shekhar Verma, a corrupt, morally bankrupt cop who changes himself during a mission to transfer an accusedPakistani spy Dr. Iqbal Ansari (played byAtul Kulkarni) from a remote town inMaharashtra to Mumbai. The film and Kumar's acting were positively reviewed by critics.[87][88][89] He was nominated for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his role in the film.[90] His other releases included Dileep Shukla's crime filmPolice Force: An Inside Story. He starred alongside Raveena Tandon,Amrish Puri andRaj Babbar. The film's production was delayed following the break-up of the lead actors Tandon and Kumar.[91] Upon release it received negative reviews from critics.[92] Next, Kumar played Hari Om Patnaik, anIPS officer inMadhur Bhandarkar-directedAan: Men at Work.[93] He starred in David Dhawan-directed romantic comedyMujhse Shaadi Karogi alongsideSalman Khan and Priyanka Chopra. He played the role of Sunny, Sameer (played by Khan)'s roommate who pursuits Rani (played by Chopra)-Sameer's love interest. The film received positive reviews.[94] Taran Adarsh praised Kumar and wrote "Akshay Kumar is a revelation [...] he surpasses his previous work. His timing is fantastic and the conviction with which he carries off the evil streak in his personality is bound to be talked-about in days to come."[95] His performance in the film earned him his third nomination for supporting actor at theFilmfare Awards as well as a nomination forbest comic role.[96] His other films included Abbas-Mustan directedAitraaz and S M Iqbal'sMeri Biwi Ka Jawaab Nahin. In the former, Kumarplayed against type as a worker wrongly accused ofsexual harassment by his female boss played by Chopra. According to the directors,Aitraaz was inspired byNational Basketball Association playerKobe Bryant (who was accused of rape by a fan);[97] and the film's development began when they read abouthis sexual-assault case in the newspapers.[98] Talking about the character Kumar said that it is realistic and could be described as a "new-agemetrosexual" man. He added thatAitraaz was the boldest film he had done.[99] In the latter, he starred oppositeSridevi. The film was shot in 1994 but was released in 2004 after a delay of 10 years.
The next year Kumar starred in Dharmesh Darshan-directedromantic dramamusical filmBewafaa (2005) opposite Kareena Kapoor. He played the role of Raja, an aspiring musician who pursues his love interest Anjali (played by Kareena Kapoor) even after she is married to Aditya Sahai (played byAnil Kapoor). The film received mixed reviews from film critic but Kumar was praised for his acting. Anupama Chopra of India Today wrote that "Kareena Kapoor and Kumar stand out." Taran Adarsh wrote "Akshay Kumar does well in a role that fits him like a glove."[100][101] Later that year he acted in Vipul Amrutlal Shah's family dramaWaqt: The Race Against Time alongside Amitabh Bachchan, another Priyadarshan-directed comedyGaram Masala alongside John Abraham.Waqt: The Race Against Time was a family drama film. The film and Kumar's acting received mixed reviews.[102] Vishal D'Souza wrote "Akshay shoulders an author-backed role, carrying more of the film's emotional baggage though he is distinctly uncomfortable in the soppy-weepy scenes."[103] The films succeeded at the box office[104][105] and his performance in the latter earned him his second Filmfare Award, forBest Comedian.[23] His other films included Vikram Bhatt-directed action comedy romance filmDeewane Huye Paagal and Suneel Darshan directed romantic dramaDosti: Friends Forever. In the former he starred alongside Shahid Kapoor, Sunil Shetty andRimi Sen while in the latter he starred alongside Kareena Kapoor and Bobby Deol. Both of these films received positive reviews.[106][107]
Kumar's first release of 2006 was Rajkumar Santoshi-directed dramaFamily – Ties of Blood followed by Suneel Darshan'sMere Jeevan Saathi and Raj Kanwar'sHumko Deewana Kar Gaye. Next, he starred in a sequel toHera Pheri titledPhir Hera Pheri. As was the former, the sequel became a huge success at the box office.[108] Later that year he starred alongside Salman Khan andPreity Zinta in theShirish Kunder-directedromantic musical filmJaan-E-Mann. The film was a well anticipated release, and despite receiving positive reviews from critics, did not do as well as expected at the box office.[108] The film received mostly negatively reviews. Vidya Pradhan of Rediff.com called it a "bizarre movie."[109] Though the film under-performed, his role as a shy, lovable nerd was praised.[110] He ended the year with Priyadarshan's comedy murder mystery filmBhagam Bhag. He starred alongside Lara Dutta, Govinda and Paresh Rawal and played the character of a theatre actor. The film received mixed reviews and Rediff.com called Kumar the real hero of the film.[111][112] The film was commercially successful.[108] The same year, he led theHeat 2006 world tour along with fellow starsSaif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen andCelina Jaitley.[113]
2007–2011: Commercial success and professional setbacks
2007 proved to be Kumar's most successful year during his career in the industry, and as described by box office analysts, "probably the best ever recorded by an actor, with four outright hits and no flops."[114][115][116][117][118] His first release, Vipul Amrutlal Shah-directedNamastey London, was critically and commercially successful, and his performance earned him a Best Actor nomination at the Filmfare. CriticTaran Adarsh wrote of his performance in the film, "he's sure to win the hearts of millions of moviegoers with a terrific portrayal in this film."[119] Kumar's chemistry with lead actress Katrina Kaif also generated immense appreciation, withNikhat Kazmi ofThe Times of India describing their pairing as "refreshing."[120] His next two releases,Sajid Khan-directedHeyy Babyy and Priyadarshan'sBhool Bhulaiyaa, were box office successes as well.[121][122] In both of these films he starred oppositeVidya Balan. Kumar's last release of the year, theAnees Bazmee-directedWelcome, did extremely well at the box office, receiving a blockbuster status and simultaneously becoming his fifth successive hit.[123] All of Kumar's films which released that year did well in the overseas market as well.[124] Kumar appeared in a cameo role inFarah Khan directedOm Shanti Om. His role was listed as no. 3 on the Top 10 Cameos in Bollywood list ofMensXP.com.[125]
Kumar's first film of 2008,Vijay Krishna Acharya-directed action thrillerTashan, marked his comeback to theYash Raj Films banner after 11 years. Although a poll (conducted byBollywood Hungama) named it the most anticipated release of the year,[126] the film under-performed at the box office grossing₹279 million (US$5.76 million) in India.[127] His second film, Bazmee-directedSingh Is Kinng in which he starred opposite Kaif was a huge success at the box office and broke the first-week worldwide record ofOm Shanti Om, the previous highest figure.[128] His next film was the animated filmJumbo, directed by Kompin Kemgumnird. The year also saw Kumar making his small screen debut as the host of the successful showFear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi. He later returned to host the show'ssecond season in 2009.[129][130]
In 2009, Kumar featured oppositeDeepika Padukone in theWarner Bros. andRohan Sippy productionChandni Chowk to China. Directed byNikhil Advani, the film was a critical and commercial failure at the box office.[131][132][133] Kumar's next release was8 x 10 Tasveer, an action-thriller directed byNagesh Kukunoor that failed commercially. His next release wasSabbir Khan'sbattle-of-the-sexes comedyKambakkht Ishq. Set in Los Angeles, it was the first Indian film to be shot atUniversal Studios and featured cameo appearances by Hollywood actors.[134] The film was poorly received by critics but became an economic success, earning over₹840 million (US$17.35 million) worldwide. Kumar's filmBlue was released on 16 October 2009.Blue received negative reviews and collected about ₹ 420 million at the box office.[135][136][137] His last release in 2009 was Priyadarshan'sDe Dana Dan. He starred alongside Katrina Kaif, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal. Kumar played a servant who plans to kidnap his owner's dog. The film received mixed reviews.[138][139][140]
He then appeared in the 2010 comedy,Housefull, directed by Sajid Khan which garnered the second-highest opening weekend collection of all time.[141] Kumar's next release wasKhatta Meetha, directed by Priyadarshan which was an average grosser. The film received negative reviews.[142] Rajeev Masand ofCNN-IBN called it a schizophrenic film.[143]He also appeared inVipul Shah'sAction Replayy, which was a box office failure.[144] The film received mostly negative reviews.[145][146] His last film of 2010 wasTees Maar Khan. Directed by Farah Khan, the film received poor critical reviews but became moderately successful.[147][148][149][150]
In 2011 he starred inPatiala House andThank You. His last film of 2011 was Rohit Dhawan-directedDesi Boyz (2011), which co-starredJohn Abraham,Chitrangada Singh and Deepika Padukone. He also co-produced a film withRussell Peters titledBreakaway (dubbed into Hindi asSpeedy Singhs) which is reminiscent of his ownPatiala House.[151]Breakaway became the highest-grossing cross-cultural movie of 2011 in Canada. Kumar dubbed for the role of Optimus Prime in the Hindi version of Hollywood, action blockbuster,Transformers: Dark of the Moon. He took the dubbing role for his son, Aarav, and did so for free.[152]
His first release of 2012 wasHousefull 2, a sequel of his earlier comedy filmHousefull, which became a huge hit.[153] Kumar's next film was thePrabhudeva-directed action dramaRowdy Rathore in which he played a double role oppositeSonakshi Sinha.[154] The film earned more than₹1.3 billion (US$24.33 million) in India. Both of these films grossed over₹1 billion (US$18.71 million) at the box office.[155] In 2012, he founded another production company called Grazing Goat Pictures Pvt Ltd.[156]
Joker was reportedly promoted as Kumar's 100th film,[157][158][159] but later Akshay Kumar clarified that the 100th film landmark had been crossed long before he even signed up for Joker. "It was a miscalculation on Shirish's part.OMG is my 116th film," he said.[160] Kumar kept himself away from the film's promotion due to differences with Kunder. Reacting to Kumar's backing out from the film's promotion Kunder tweeted "A true leader takes responsibility for his team and leads them through thick and thin. Never abandons them and runs away." He later deleted the tweet.[161] His later releaseOh My God which he produced and starred along withParesh Rawal.[154] It had a slow opening, but because of positive word of mouth it picked up and emerged a superhit at the box office.[162] His last release in 2012 wasKhiladi 786, the eighth instalment in his famousKhiladi series as well as the comeback of the series after 12 years. Although film was panned by critics, it grossed 970 million worldwide.[163]
His first release in 2013 wasSpecial 26 which earned a positive critical reception and was semi-hit at the box office. Although the movie earned him positive reviews and commercial success, trade analysts noted that the movie could have done much better business due to its good content and Kumar's high-profile.[164][165][166]Milan Luthria chose Kumar to play the character of Shoaib Khan (based onDawood Ibrahim) in thegangster filmOnce Upon ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara!, sequel toOnce Upon a Time in Mumbaai. It proved to be a below average at the box office. The film was declared a "flop" byBox Office India.[167] It received mixed reviews however Kumar's acting was praised by a majority of critics. In a review forHindustan Times,Anupama Chopra wrote that Kumar "makes a stellar killer".[168] Madhureeta Mukherjee ofThe Times of India praised Kumar's performance and said that "Bhai act with flamboyance and mojo ... He gets a chance to do what he does best –herogiri (albeit less menacing, more entertaining), with charisma and clap-trap dialoguebaazi."[169]Al Pacino saw the film's trailer and promos and admired Kumar's portrayal of Shoaib Khan, a gangster. He said that the promos and posters reminded him of his ownThe Godfather. Kumar said of Pacino's response: "A touch of appreciation is always held dearly in an actor's arms, even if it's from the simplest of people like our beloved spot boys. But to have your work spoken of so kindly by the world's most admired gangster Al Pacino himself – I had goose-bumps thinking about him watching the promo! I was so humbled, not only as an actor but as a fan of his legendary work."[170][171] Rajeev Masand ofCNN-IBN criticised Kumar for his "in-your-face flamboyance".[172] After the film's mainly negative reviews, Kumar lashed out at critics, accusing them of lacking an understanding of the audience and the basic ideas of filmmaking.[173] Built on an approximate budget of₹1 billion (US$18.71 million),[174] it was the first majorHindi language film to be shot inOman.[175] Kumar received a nomination for Best Actor in a Negative Role atZee Cine Awards.[176]
His next release was Anthony D Souza'sBoss alongsideShiv Panditt andAditi Rao Hydari. The movie received mixed reviews;[177][178][179] it performed poorly at the box office netting₹540 million (equivalent to₹860 million or US$10 million in 2023) domestically.[180] Kumar came back strongly withHoliday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty, the Hindi remake of the 2012 Tamil filmThuppakki. Thisaction thriller earned both critical and commercial success entering the₹1 billion (US$16.39 million) elite club and emerging one of the highest grossers of 2014.[181][182][183][184][185] He then starred inEntertainment and has sung a song for the film. Making of the song has been uploaded on YouTube.[186] His last film of 2014 wasThe Shaukeens. He appeared as himself in it and produced it.[187] He then played the lead role in the thrillersBaby andGabbar is Back.[188][189] Kumar's first collaboration withKaran Johar,Brothers was released on 14 August 2015.[190] His next release wasSingh is Bling, a quasi sequel to 2008'sSingh is Kinng was released on 2 October 2015 and is produced by Grazing Goats Pictures.[191]
His first release wasAirlift released on 22 January 2016 was critically and commercially successful,[192] and second wasHousefull 3 which released on 3 June 2016.[193]Rustom which was produced by Neeraj Pandey and marked his third release of 2016. Akshay was praised for his performance inRustom which garnered him numerous award nominations.Rustom grossed more than 2 billion at the box office.[194] BothAirlift andRustom earned him theNational Film Award for Best Actor.[195]
His second film release in 2017 wasToilet: Ek Prem Katha. This film depicted the serious social issue of toilets in certain regions of the country. Akshay's performance was praised. Akshay Kumar dug a toilet inMadhya Pradesh to promote the film.[196] The movie trailer was released on 11 June 2017.[197] Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi called it a good effort to further the message of cleanliness, as perSwachh Bharat Abhiyan.[198][199]
His only release in 2020 was the horror comedyLaxmii, directed byRaghava Lawrence, an official remake of the Tamil filmKanchana oppositeKiara Advani.[213][214] It was released on 9 November onDisney+ Hotstar, and was not released theatrically in India due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[215] The film revolves around a man who gets possessed by the ghost of a transgender. Despite receiving mixed to negative reviews from critics, it got huge response on both OTT as well as television, eventually emerging the only genuine hit to be premiered on digital.[216][217]
His next release was the historical filmSamrat Prithviraj (2022), which was based on life of the Hindu warriorPrithviraj Chauhan. It also starredSonu Sood,Sanjay Dutt and debutantManushi Chhillar. Released theatrically on 3 June 2022, the film opened to mixed reviews. Anuj Kumar ofThe Hindu wrote 'In order to tone down his body language and accent, Kumar has lost much of his trademark energy and could not develop the gravitas required to play the celebrated ruler. He growls like a lion who has lost his bite and despite all the air-brushing, doesn't look like the boy who became a Samrat in his 20s'.[227] Made on a budget of ₹200 crore, the film failed to recoup the massive investment and proved to be a disaster at the box office.[228][229]
His movieRakshabandhan which was released on the extended weekend of 5 days on 11 August received mixed reviews.The Hindu wrote "The film's engaging powerful anti-dowry sentiments, along with Akshay's brilliant comic timing, ensures that there is enough to keep the audience tied for two hours."[230]The Indian Express rated the film 1.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Do the filmmakers truly believe that such low-rent family dramas, with their uneasy mix of humour and crassness".[231] The film couldn't manage to impress the audience and scored poorly at the Indian ticket windows. The film managed to earn mere $4.2 million over the extended weekend.[232] TheHindustan Times wrote "Akshay Kumar got a golden opportunity in the filmRam Setu byAbhishek Sharma released on 25 October 2022, as his character is unlike anything he has done in the recent past.Ram Setu embraces the best of theIndiana Jones and National Treasure schools of storytelling with desi action".[233] With the poor performance ofRam Setu, 2022 proved to be one of the worst years for Kumar in recent times.[234]
His first release of 2023 wasSelfiee, an official remake ofDriving Licence, which also starredEmraan Hashmi,Diana Penty andNushrratt Bharuccha.[235] This film too bombed at the box office.[236] Kumar next appeared inOMG 2 – Oh my God 2, a spiritual successor toOMG – Oh My God!, where he played a messenger ofLord Shiva.[237] Ganesh Aaglave ofFirstpost stated, "Akshay's character as the messenger of Lord Shiva seems to be an extended cameo. However, the actor impresses with his expressions and dialogues and delivers one of his best performances in recent times."[238] The film became a box office hit.[239] Kumar next appeared opposite Parineeti Chopra asJaswant Singh Gill, a brave and diligent mining engineer in the disaster thrillerMission Raniganj.[240][241] It received mixed to positive response from critics, but flopped miserably at the box office.[242]
His first release of 2024 wasAli Abbas Zafar's actionerBade Miyan Chote Miyan co-starringTiger Shroff.[243] Made at a budget of ₹350 crore, the film opened to largely negative reviews from critics and did a lifetime business of ₹102.16 crore at the worldwide box-office, thus proving to be a disaster and continuing the string of flops for Kumar.[244][245] He was next seen inSarfira alongsideRadhika Madan. The movie was a remake of the Tamil hitSoorarai Pottru, which itself was an adaptation ofAir Deccan founderG. R. Gopinath's memoirSimply Fly: A Deccan Odyssey. The remake performed poorly at the box-office, collecting just ₹20 crores against a budget of ₹80 crores.[246][247][248] Following this, Kumar played a cosmetic surgeon inKhel Khel Mein alongside Vaani Kapoor.[249][250]Sukanya Verma noted, "The chemistry between the motley bunch of actors works in fits and starts but Akshay Kumar's gift of the gab come out tops."[251] Despite positive reviews, it emerged another commercial failure for him.[252] Kumar then reprised his character fromSooryavanshi inSingham Again.[253][254] It emerged a commercial success and one of the highest grossing film of the year.[255]
2025–present: Resurgence
Kumar's career saw a resurgence in 2025, when his films performed well at the box office.[256][257] His first release came withSky Force, based on India's first airstrike during theSargodha airbase attack in the1965 Indo-Pakistani war.[258] This marked his second collaboration withMaddock Films followingStree 2.[259] Pragati Awasthi ofWION wrote "the aura and energy he brings to his character always manages to capture viewer attention. While his performance isn't extraordinary, he still manages to make the audience feel emotional with his poignant scenes."[260] The film was a moderate success.[261] Following this, Kumar played advocateC. Sankaran Nair inKesari Chapter 2, which is set against the backdrop of theJallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919.[262][263] Titas Chowdhury stated, "Akshay Kumar sheds off his aura as a superstar and chooses to lean on his acting prowess, taking it a notch higher thanSarfira."[264] The film emerged a moderate commercial success, his first sinceOMG 2.[265][266] Kumar next played one of the primary character inHousefull 5 oppositeNargis Fakhri and Jacqueline Fernandez. The film was released in two versions, titledHousefull 5A andHousefull 5B, each featuring a different climax and murderer.[267] Rishabh Suri opined: "Akshay knows exactly what’s expected of him. This is classic Akshay comedy territory, and he makes even the flat writing work."[268] A commercial success, it emerged asone of the highest grossing films of the year.[269][270] Kumar then portrayed LordShiva oppositeKajal Aggarwal in the Telugu filmKannappa[271] In his last release of the yearJolly LLB 3, Kumar reprise his role of an advocate fromJolly LLB 2 alongsideArshad Warsi, who reprises his role fromJolly LLB.[272][273] Vineeta Kumar ofIndia Today noted, "Akshay is a delight to watch. His sharp one-liners land effortlessly."[274] The film emerged yet another commercial success and one of the highest grossing film of the year.[270][275]
In 2011, Kumar hosted India's firstMasterChef television show onStar Plus, was viewed by 18.2 million viewers and went to prove that Indian audiences are open to experimenting and look forward to innovations in television entertainment.[281]
In 2014, He hosted another reality showDare 2 Dance as a mentor, which aired onLife OK from 6 September. It broke the norms of a regular dance format with a commitment of a 'first of its kind. A dance show where trained and famed dancers wasn't judged only on the basis of their dance performances, but they had to perform stunts.survive on the dance floor.[282][283]
In 2014, Kumar also produced a successful television serialJamai Raja (2014), starringRavi Dubey andNia Sharma, which established them leading actors in Indian television industry.[284]
Kumar joinedBear Grylls for an episode in "Into The Wild", which aired on Discovery channel on 14 September 2020.[287] The episode was second highest-rated show in the infotainment genre (Discovery Channel) in terms of TRP. 1.1 crore people watched the premiere on Discovery Network channels.[288][289]
Kumar promotes health fitness and exercising, stays in shape with a combination of kickboxing, basketball, swimming andParkour as well as working out. While in standard eighth he had started practising Karate. He intended to open a martial arts school and the state government ofMaharashtra allotted land for the school in Bhayandar.[291]
He helped Khanna with editing the drafts of her debut bookMrs Funnybones.[292] He is ateetotaller[293] but has endorsed for a liquor brand in the past. Half of the sum was given fordaan (charity work), of which he has been doing more of in recent times.[294][295] In 2013, one of his fan travelled fromHaryana to Mumbai, to meet him. The journey took him 42 days. When he reached Kumar's building, he was informed that Kumar was in Casablanca. The fan stayed outside the building for one week before Kumar met him.[296] Kumar has come out in support and lauded the Sports MinisterRajyavardhan Singh Rathore for his stand against corruption. The minister said that the government entrusted CBI in the investigation against the corrupt officials in sports department.[297][298]
On 9 August 2014, Kumar performed at his 500th live show. The show was held in O2 Arena in London as part of the inaugural function of the World Kabaddi League. His first live show was held in 1991 in Delhi. Kumar ownsBengal Warriors a team in the Indian Kabbadi League.[291][299] Akshay Kumar sets himself on fire at his upcoming The End series launch withPrime Video, says he's a stuntman first and actor later.[300]
Kumar with his wife Twinkle Khanna and mother-in-lawDimple Kapadia in 2014
Relationships and family
During late 90s, Kumar was in a relationship with actressRaveena Tandon. Although they were engaged, they later parted ways.[301][302] Later from 1997 to 2000, Kumar was in a relationship with actressShilpa Shetty.[303]
Kumar met actressTwinkle Khanna, the daughter of actorsRajesh Khanna andDimple Kapadia, during a photo session forFilmfare magazine.[304] Kumar married Khanna on 17 January 2001. Together have a son (Aarav, born 2002) and a daughter (Nitara, born 2012).[305][306] He is known as a protective father and keeps his children away from the media. He stated that he wants to "give them a normal childhood."[307] Kumar often credits Khanna for his success.[308][309]
In 2009, while performing at a show for Levis atLakme Fashion Week, Kumar asked Twinkle to unbutton his jeans. This incident sparked a controversy which led to a police case being filed against them.[310]
Sometime during or after the2011 Canadian federal election, theConservative government there granted Canadian citizenship to Kumar by invoking a little-known law which allowed circumventing the usual residency requirement for Canadian immigrants.[18] According to a former Conservative Party minister,Tony Clement, the citizenship was awarded in return for Kumar's offer of putting his "star power to use to advance Canada-Indian relations," and Canada's "trade relations, commercial relations, in the movie sector, in the tourism sector."[18] Although Kumar had earlier appeared in a campaign event for Conservative Prime MinisterStephen Harper inBrampton, Ontario, a city with a large Indo-Canadian population,[316] and praised Harper, Clement denied that the citizenship was a reward for partisan support.[18] Kumar had received an honorary doctorate degree from theUniversity of Windsor, and in a 2010 interview with theEconomist claimed he had "dual citizenship."[317] He was one of the 15 international celebrities invited for the Olympics torch-bearer rally to Canada.[318]
In December 2019, Kumar stated that he has applied for anIndian passport and plans to give up hisCanadian citizenship.[319] On 15 August 2023, on the occasion ofIndependence Day, Kumar confirmed he got Indian citizenship back and renounced his Canadian citizenship as required by Indian law.[1]
In the media
Kumar in 2013
InIndian media, Kumar is referred asKhiladi orKhiladi Kumar for doing so many dangerous stunts by himself and also because of hisKhiladi film series. In 2009,Madame Tussauds wanted to make his wax figure next because he has an international fan following. But he declined and a source close to him said,"Akshay does not want to be waxed because he does not think it is of that great importance".[320] From 2015, he was continuously featured inForbes's highest paid actors top 10 list.[321] In 2019, he was fourth highest paid actor in the world behindDwayne Johnson,Chris Hemsworth andRobert Downey Jr. On theForbes US list of World's 33rd Highest Earner with $65M.[322] In 2020, He ranked sixth and only Indian actor in top 10 of highest paid actors list with $48.5M.[11] Kumar is the first Indian film actor, whose films'domestic net lifetime collections crossed₹20 billion (US$341.31 million) by 2013, and₹30 billion (US$446.46 million) by 2016.[323][324][325]
Kumar was named "Sexiest Man Alive" by People Magazine in 2008.[326] Kumar was awarded withNDTV Imagine Best Entertainer of the Year 2007 by the Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards (FTPGI). In 2009, he was awarded the highest Japanese honour of "Katana" and a sixth degree Black Belt in Kuyukai Gojuryu Karate.[327] He was one of the 15 international celebrities invited for the Olympics torch-bearer rally to Canada in 2009.[328] Kumar bagged the UltimateMan of the Year at the prestigious GQ Awards in 2015.[329] He won the HT Hottest Trendsetter (Male) award at the HT India's Most Stylish in 2019.[330]
Kumar has great brand value and holds strong credibility in the advertising world. In 2020, Kumar has topped the list with brand value of $118M he has seen a jump of 13% by previous years.[331][332] According to Duff and Phelps, Kumar was third most valued celebrity with $139M in 2021.[320][333] Kumar has endorsed brands includingThums Up,Honda,Tata Motors, Dollar,Harpic,Sparx, Livguard Battery, and Kajarai Tiles. He was also brand ambassador of Canada Tourism.[334] Kumar ranked number 1 on TAM's list of most visible stars in TV ads with an average visibility of 37 hours per day across all channels since 2019 to 2022.[335][336][337]
Kumar has significant fan following inIndian diaspora as well as in European and African countries. As of September 2022, He is most followed Indian actor on social media including Facebook,Twitter and Instagram.[338] Memes from his comedy movies, especially his face expressions are hugely popular on social media.[339][340] In 2019, interviewed Modi on TV,[341] which concluded as controversies in social media, later he clarified that it was a personal interview as a common man, not political.[342] Since 2013, Kumar has been the Hindi film industry's highest advancetaxpayer for six consecutive years. He paid₹190 million (US$3.24 million) as advance tax payment in that year.[343] In August 2022, he got a certificate from Income Tax department for being highest tax payer.[344] Kumar has criticised award functions and doesn't believe in it saying, "It happens sometimes that the people from the award night call you and tell you that if you perform then they can give half the money and give an award as well. I tell them that they can give me complete payment and keep their awards with them".[345] He calledNational Film Award, most prestigious award of the country.[346]
Kumar at Road Safety Awareness Program on 14 August 2018 inNew Delhi
Kumar is one of India's most philanthropic celebrities, does a lot ofhelps and donations, continues the good work offscreen with his philanthropy and services.[352] He and his co-star Tamannaah Bhatia donated all the clothes from their film 2014 Entertainment to an animal welfare charity. Youth Organisation in Defence of Animals (YODA) is an organisation which works for the welfare of street animals.[353] He has also donated₹5 million (US$93,567.08) toSalman Khan'sBeing Human Foundation. Kumar also had donated a sum of ₹9 million to drought hit farmers in Maharashtra in 2015, Khan himself tweeted on Twitter.[354][355] Kumar also helped a contestant of TV reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi by giving him Rs. 25 lakh after knowing that the contestant needed the prize money of the show for his father's cancer treatment. He has also donated ₹5 million to aid drought affected people through the Maharashtra government'sJalyukt Shivar Abhiyan.[356] In March 2013, he started a 30-bed cancer shelter for policemen inNaigaon.[357] In December 2013, Vishwas Nangre Patil, Additional Commissioner of Police, West Mumbai visited his gym along with several trainee officers.[358] Acid attack survivorLaxmi Agarwal, on whose life Deepika Padukone's Chapaak was based is also an activist. Some years ago, she was struggling to make ends meet. Kumar came to her rescue and transferred Rs. 5 Lakh into her account so that she could fend for herself until she found a job, because medals, awards and certificates don't pay the bills.[359]
He launched an insurance scheme for the registeredstunt directors in 2017. The family of deceased stunt director Abdul Sattar Munna has received a compensation of Rs. 20 lakh under the same scheme. Now, the actor has been asked to help those stunt choreographers who are above 55 years of age and therefore, aren't eligible to have insurance in their name.[360][361]
During the promotions ofRustom, Kumar expressed his wish of serving the nation but destiny held something else in store for him. He has played a soldier inHoliday andKesari, a special agent inBaby and a naval officer in Rustom. The actor was applauded by many for showing his concern towards the families of 12 slain jawans of theCentral Reserve Police Force (CRPF) who were killed in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday, 11 March 2017. He donated Rs. 1.08 crore to the families of the martyred jawans.[362] In August 2016, Kumar had donated Rs. 80 lakh to the families of army men. He gave Rs 5 lakh to each family and said our soldiers need money along with "samman". In October 2016, Akshay donated Rs. 9 lakh to the family of a martyredBSF jawan.[363]
He also donated Rs. 1.5 crore to build the shelter for transgender persons inChennai. He is supporting the construction of the home.Laxmii's directorRaghava Lawrence shared the "good news" of the actor's new initiative with friends and fans along with some pictures on Facebook.[364]
Kumar endorsesSwachh Bharat Mission, Builds Toilets in Madhya Pradesh, he had previously posted a video on social media, talking about the importance of having individual toilets at home, His movieToilet was also based on Toilet's importance.[365] He was named Uttarakhand's brand ambassador for 'Swachhta Abhiyaan'.[366]
In 2017, Kumar launched theBharat Ke Veer app, with the help of the home ministry. The platform lets people send money directly to the bank accounts of family members of soldiers martyred in the line of duty. On The Kapil Sharma Show, Akshay said that he was only carrying out his responsibility as a citizen with the app. "Hum yeh kahenge, ki hum apna kartvaya nibhate hai… Jo shaheed hote hai, unka nuksaan hum kabhi bhar nahi paayenge. That is for sure. Sarkar unko jo deti hai, woh deti hai. Lekin, as a civilian, humara bhi toh kuch kartavya banta hai. Yeh aisa app hai… Na iske beech mein koiNGO hai, na koi sarkar hai," he said.[367][368] In the aftermath ofPulwama terror attack on theCRPF jawans, Kumar came forward to help the families of those sacrificed their lives in the attack. He donated Rs. 15 Lakh to a martyred jawan's family and even urged his fans to do the same. He further pledged to donate Rs. 5 crore through 'Bharat Ke Veer' app. He additionally donated Rs. 9 Lakh each to the families of 12 CRPF jawans who were killed in Chhattisgarh.[369] In Mid-2020 when Kerala, Assam and Chennai were left devastated as they were hit by floods that severely affected several families as they lost their houses, land, crops, many people died. Kumar donated a sum of Rs. 1 crore each to not just Kerala but also Assam and Chennai. CM Sonowal thanks Kumar.[370]
Kumar was one of the first personalities fromBollywood to contribute to thePM CARES Fund right at the start of the first wave of theCOVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, He donated Rs. 25 crores to the Prime Minister's Fund[371][372] and another crore to ex-cricketerGautam Gambhir's charity for the same cause. The former cricketer revealed on Twitter that Akshay Kumar had donated Rs. 1 crore to his foundation during the deadly second wave to help people affected by the novel coronavirus. Gambhir wrote, "Every help in this gloom comes as a ray of hope. Thanks a lot Akshay Kumar for committing Rs 1 crore to #GGF for food, meds and oxygen for the needy! God bless."[373]
In 2021, Kumar donated₹1 crore for construction of a school building in Neeru Village of Bandipora district inJammu and Kashmir.[374]
In August 2024, Kumar donated₹1.21 crore toHaji Ali Dargah for its maintenance.[375]
^abcdBlackwell, Tom (21 May 2019),"Bollywood actor who campaigned for Stephen Harper was granted Canadian citizenship by Conservative government",Nationalpost, National Post,archived from the original on 29 May 2020, retrieved29 May 2020,In the thick of the 2011 federal election, Stephen Harper appeared in the Indo-Canadian heartland of Ontario with a ringer. At a campaign stop in Brampton, Bollywood mega-star Akshay Kumar praised the then prime minister, danced on stage with his wife, Laureen Harper, and thrilled the audience. And at some point, the Harper government invoked a little-known law to grant the actor Canadian citizenship, circumventing the usual, stringent residency requirements for would-be Canadians, says a former Conservative cabinet minister. MP Tony Clement, who as industry minister met with Kumar in Mumbai, says the citizenship grant was just a thank you for the actor's help in promoting Canadian tourism and trade to a huge emerging economy – not a reward for partisan support. 'Basically, he had offered to put that star power to use to advance Canada-India relations, our trade relations, our commercial relations, in the movie sector, in the tourism sector,' said Clement.
^PR (10 July 1992)."Engrossing Thriller".The Indian Express.Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved31 October 2020.In the lead role Akshay Kumar is impressive as Raaj. Tall, with a good physique and a strong screen presence, he is perfectly at ease.
^Review, Special 26."Rejeev Masand Review".Rajeev Masand. CNN-IBN. Archived fromthe original on 11 February 2013. Retrieved9 February 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^"Special 26". Box Office India.Archived from the original on 20 November 2016. Retrieved19 November 2016.
^Press Trust of India (4 December 2014)."Akshay Kumar's 'Baby' trailer released".The Indian Express. Mumbai: Indian Express Group.Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved1 May 2015.
^Cheadle, Bruce (16 November 2009),"Harper goes Bollywood to sell Canada in India",The Star, Toronto,archived from the original on 13 July 2020, retrieved29 May 2020,The sobering reminder of the entire region's often inflamed ethnic and religious violence stood in jarring contrast to Harper's next stop: a feel-good photo-opportunity in the penthouse of a pricey modern hotel with Akshay Kumar, an A-list Bollywood star and an Indo-Canadian, who brought out a huge throng of Indian media to an event promoting Canadian tourism. Harper also announced that Kumar, a black belt in karate, will be a torchbearer for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
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