Akshay Kumar
A martial artist turned movie star who became a one-man industry, blending high-octane action with socially conscious storytelling in Bollywood.
Born 1967 (age 59)·Indian actor and film producer·Birthday: September 9·Generation X
Biography
Before he was Akshay Kumar, he was Rajiv Bhatia, a young man from Delhi who learned martial arts in Bangkok and worked as a chef and waiter in Mumbai. His break came not from acting school, but from his physical prowess, landing him the lead in a series of action films that earned him the nickname 'Khiladi' (Player). Kumar's discipline is the stuff of legend; he famously films his entire day's work before noon, a habit born from his early training. While he dominated the 90s with stunt-heavy thrillers, he later diversified into comedy, drama, and a unique brand of patriotic and social-issue films, tackling topics like sanitation and menstrual hygiene. His staggering output—often releasing four or five films a year—and business savvy have made him one of Indian cinema's most bankable and influential figures, respected as much for his work ethic as for his on-screen versatility.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Akshay was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Akshay Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Akshay's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian honor, for his contributions to Indian cinema.
- Won two National Film Awards, including one for his role in 'Rustom', which tackled a historical naval case.
- Pioneered a sub-genre of action films in the 1990s with his 'Khiladi' series, defining a era of Bollywood thrillers.
- Has been consistently listed among Forbes' world's highest-paid celebrities due to his film fees and endorsements.
- Produced and starred in 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha', a commercially successful film that supported a national sanitation campaign.
Did You Know?
He holds a black belt in Taekwondo and worked as a martial arts instructor in Mumbai before entering films.
Kumar is a licensed pilot and owns several aircraft.
He is a strict vegetarian and has invested in and promoted several vegetarian food businesses.
He became a Canadian citizen in 2011 but continues to be a major figure in the Indian film industry.
“I believe in hard work. It's the only way I know.”
