Akshay Kumar

Akshay Kumar is an actor and producer in Hindi cinema, called “Khiladi Kumar” in the media after his early action hits. He has appeared in more than 150 films over three decades. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri in 2009. Forbes included him on its lists of the world's highest-paid celebrities and actors every year from 2015 to 2020.

He started in 1991 with Saugandh, and the action thriller Khiladi (1992) was his first hit, leading to the Khiladi series and films such as Mohra and Suhaag (both 1994). In the 2000s he widened his range with romances such as Dhadkan, Andaaz, Aitraaz and Namastey London. He also had slapstick comedy hits: Hera Pheri (2000), Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Phir Hera Pheri, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Welcome and Singh Is Kinng. He won Filmfare Awards for his villain in Ajnabee (2001) and his comedy in Garam Masala (2005).

Later, critics praised OMG – Oh My God! (2012), Special 26 (2013), Baby (2015), Airlift (2016) and Jolly LLB 2 (2017), and Rustom (2016) won him the National Film Award for Best Actor. He has two National Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards.

His self-produced social films Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (2017) and Pad Man (2018) drew attention. In 2019 Kesari, Mission Mangal, Housefull 4 and Good Newwz set box-office records, and Sooryavanshi followed in 2021. Many later films struggled, with OMG 2 (2023) and Bhooth Bangla (2026) the main exceptions. He has worked as his own stunt actor, hosted four seasons of Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi from 2008 and launched the reality show Dare 2 Dance in 2014. He grew up in Delhi's Chandni Chowk and in Mumbai, where he studied at Don Bosco High School in Matunga and trained in karate.