Akshay Kumar

Akshay Hari Om Bhatia, known professionally as Akshay Kumar (pronounced [əkˈʂəj kʊˈmɑːɾ]), was born on 9 September 1967. An acclaimed Indian actor and film producer, Kumar is prominent in Hindi cinema and is often referred to as “Khiladi Kumar” by the media. With a career spanning over 30 years, he has appeared in more than 100 films and has earned numerous accolades, including a National Film Award and two Filmfare Awards. In 2009, he was honored with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, by the Government of India. Kumar is one of the most prolific actors in Indian cinema, and Forbes included him in their lists of the highest-paid celebrities and highest-paid actors globally from 2015 to 2020. Between 2019 and 2020, he was the only Indian featured on both lists.

Kumar debuted in 1991 with *Saugandh* and achieved his first commercial success in 1992 with the action thriller *Khiladi*, establishing himself as an action star. This led to multiple films in the *Khiladi* series, along with other action films like *Mohra* (1994) and *Jaanwar* (1999). Though his early romantic film *Yeh Dillagi* (1994) was well-received, it was in the 2000s that Kumar diversified his roles, gaining acclaim for romantic films such as *Dhadkan* (2000), *Andaaz* (2003), and *Namastey London* (2007), and for his comedic performances in *Hera Pheri* (2000), *Mujhse Shaadi Karogi* (2004), *Phir Hera Pheri* (2006), *Bhool Bhulaiyaa* (2007), and *Singh Is Kinng* (2008). He won Filmfare Awards for his roles in *Ajnabee* (2001) and *Garam Masala* (2005).

Despite periods of commercial fluctuation, Kumar experienced significant success in 2007 with four consecutive box-office hits, maintaining this streak until a decline between 2009 and 2011. He regained his status with successful films like *Rowdy Rathore* (2012) and *Holiday* (2014). His critical acclaim grew with films such as *Special 26* (2013), *Baby* (2015), *Airlift* (2016), and *Jolly LLB 2* (2017), and he won the National Film Award for Best Actor for *Rustom* (2016). Kumar also received praise for his self-produced social films *Toilet: Ek Prem Katha* (2017) and *Pad Man* (2018), the war film *Kesari* (2019), and set box-office records in 2019 with *Mission Mangal*, *Housefull 4*, *Good Newwz*, and the 2021 action film *Sooryavanshi*. However, he faced another setback following this success.

Besides acting, Kumar has worked as a stunt actor and began hosting *Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi* in 2008, continuing for four seasons. He launched the reality TV show *Dare 2 Dance* in 2014 and is involved in off-screen ventures such as owning the team Khalsa Warriors in the World Kabaddi League. Kumar has also established martial arts training schools for women’s safety in India and is known for his philanthropy, supporting various charities. A leading brand endorser in India, Kumar held Canadian citizenship from 2011 to 2023.