Born on September 9, 1967, Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia better known as Akshay Kumar celebrates his 48th birthday today. It was way back in 1991 when Akshay made his Bollywood debut with Saugandh but became popular only after the suspense thriller Khiladi. It has been over more than two decades ever since he entered the film industry and Akki has been ruling the Box Office charts with his blockbuster hits. Below are few reasons why Akshay Kumar is the only SUPERSTAR....
Man Who Rose from Scratch
From the cramped streets of Chandni Chowk to being a chef in Bangkok, and ultimately one of the highest paid actors in Bollywood, Akshay made it to the top without any godfather, all thanks to his dedication and hard work.
Failure Is Not A Big Deal For Him
He failed time and again but never gave up on his way to the top. Akshay Kumar hardly tasted any success in his take-off years in Bollywood. As many as 17-18 of his movies bombed at the box office and the critiques wrote him off as a failed actor. For the longest time, he wasn’t recognized at the Filmfare Awards. But his resilience took everything face-front and today, and his tremendous success as an actor proves that ‘failure breeds success’.
The Never-Say-Never Attitude
His never-say-never attitude earned him the tag of being a versatile actor. Akshay’s movies stand tall as proof of the fact that he has never shied away from taking up roles that were out of his comfort zone. Started from action, then tried romantic roles, and finally, made us laugh with his comic timing. Akshay has proven his mettle in all genres of cinema.
Throughout Has Been Rooted
Humility doesn’t come easy with all that fame and money but Akshay, throughout his time in Bollywood, has kept himself rooted. No doubt we have never heard about him flipping out on the sets or around his fans.
Family Before Everything
Nobody but Akshay stands as an ideal example of a real family man. More than a decade into matrimony with Twinkle Khanna and blessed with two children, Akshay has always been vocal about his love for his family.
Hardly Into Any Controversies
Unlike his Bollywood peers, Akshay has never been fond of controversies. Twenty years into the industry, he can still boast of a clean record, and that in itself is a herculean task. Just recall when he appeared on ‘Koffee With Karan’ and shut down Karan Johar when he tried asking him controversial questions! That’s an example of a man who has risen above stupid stuff and prefers to let his work do the talking.
Dedication to Fitness
While half of his acting peers are busy getting botox and other cosmetic facelifts, Akshay still clocks in his daily run and cardio exercises. Apart from kickboxing, basketball and swimming, Akshay has developed love for the very physically-demanding sport Parkour. Doing Parkour at the age of 47 speaks a lot about his amazing fitness level. Akshay is a sixth-degree black belt and still practises martial arts. One look at the superstar is enough to get all gym motivation back in line!
Not a Businessman but a Business Itself
His net worth ($158 million) might be known but what is hardly known is his slick business skill. ‘People With Money’ magazine reported on May 4th that Kumar is the highest-paid actor in Bollywood, amassing a whooping $58 million between April 2014 and April 2015. Apart from his multi-million dollar endorsements, Kumar also owns several restaurants (the ‘Fat Kumar Burger’ chain) in New Delhi, a football team (the ‘Amritsar Angels’), a brand of Vodka (‘Pure Wonder Kumar’), a perfume brand (‘With Love from Akshay’) and a clothing line called ‘Akshay Kumar Seduction’.
Interacting With Fans
He has kept up with changing times. Not only has Akshay’s approach towards his movies evolved, he is also well aware of the internet age we live in. Be it Facebook or Twitter, Akshay has been pro-active on both the social platforms and routinely interacts with his fans.
Great Example of a Responsible Citizen
Not only is he an undisputed actor, he is also one of the most sincere taxpayers of Bollywood. Since 2013, Akshay has paid over 20 crores in taxes. Last year, Akshay was applauded all over India when he got down from his car in the middle of a traffic jam upon spotting a person throwing litter from his car.
