How Rajeev Bhatia Became Akshay Kumar! The Untold Story of Akshay Kumar: From Rajeev Bhatia to Bollywood’s Khiladi
Akshay Kumar is one of those rare Bollywood actors who has won our hearts with every role he plays. Known affectionately as "Khiladi Kumar," his fans are well aware that his real name is not Akshay Kumar but Rajeev Hari Om Bhatia. But do you know how Rajeev Bhatia transformed into Akshay Kumar? If not, get ready to be fascinated by the story behind the name.
Akshay Kumar's journey into the film industry began in 1987 with the movie Aaj. This film featured a stellar cast, including Kumar Gaurav, Raj Babbar, Raj Kiran, Anamika Pal, and Smita Patil. In this film, Akshay Kumar had a minuscule role as a karate instructor, appearing on screen for just 10 seconds. It was during this brief appearance that Rajeev Bhatia, so inspired by the character of Akshay portrayed by Kumar Gaurav, decided to adopt the screen name Akshay Kumar.
What followed was nothing short of cinematic magic. Rajeev Bhatia, now Akshay Kumar, captured the hearts of audiences with his dynamic performances in action and comedy films. Aaj, despite its significant delay and production issues—announced in 1983 but only released in 1987—was a hit that year. However, Akshay Kumar’s debut as a lead hero came with the film Saugandh in 1991. Starring alongside Rakhee Gulzar, Shantipriya, Pankaj Dheer, and Mukesh Khanna, Saugandh was an average performer at the box office, earning only Rs. 3 crore against a budget of Rs. 2 crore.
Despite its modest box office performance, Saugandh showcased Akshay Kumar’s unique fighting style, which brought a fresh wave to Indian cinema. His action sequences and stunts left a lasting impression on the industry, leading to a series of successful action films like Khiladi, Vakt Ka Badshah, Sainik, Mohra, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, and Suhag. All of these films were major hits at the box office.
In recent times, Akshay Kumar has appeared in three films this year—Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Sarfira, and Khel Khel Mein. However, all three films have faced disappointing performances at the box office.
