Born Rajiv Om Bhatia, the versatile actor changed his name right after his first movie
Akshay Kumar has been in Bollywood since 1987 and is on the verge of completing four decades in the industry in 2027. Over the past 40 years, he has been recognised for many achievements. For example, his passion for performing his stunts, experimenting with roles ranging from action to comedy, and showcasing his martial arts and cooking skills. However, many might not be aware that Akshay Kumar was born with a different name.
As the actor turns 59 years old this September, let us revisit 1987, when he made a significant decision to change his maiden name.
In 1987, Akshay Kumar made his Bollywood debut in the Kumar Gaurav-starrer Aaj. Directed by Mahesh Bhatt, the film also starred Raj Babbar, Smita Patil, Kumar Gaurav, and Marc Zuber. Given that Akshay Kumar was a skilled martial artist, he bagged a minor role of a karate instructor in the film. However, despite grabbing a minor role, Akshay Kumar grabbed something else from the lead actor.
(Credit- IMDb)
The film’s lead actor was Kumar Gaurav, and the character in his name was Akshay. That’s when Rajiv Om Bhatia decided to change his name to Akshay Kumar. In the credit scene of Aaj, Akshay Kumar’s name was screened with his maiden name, Rajiv Om Bhatia.
(Credit- Mashable India)
Talking to Galatta Plus, Kumar, in his own words, explained his decision, stating, “Do you know what Kumar Gaurav’s name was in the film? Akshay. That’s how I got my name. Not many people know this. So, my real name is Rajiv, and during the shoot, I just casually asked what is the name of the hero in the film, they said Akshay, I told them, I want to keep my name as Akshay! It wasn’t like some pandit advised me to change my name! My father also asked me, what’s wrong with you? But I told him the same, that the hero’s name in my first film was this, so I will keep it!”
The last few years have been a lean period for the megastar, who has released several films to the audience, including Bachchhan Paandey, Samrat Prithviraj, Raksha Bandhan, Ram Setu, Selfiee, Mission Raniganj, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, and Khel Khel Mein; however, none of these have brought him success. Only two films, such as Sooryavanshi and OMG 2, offered some breathing space to the actor. However, 2025 seems to be a turning point, as films like Sky Force and Kesari 2 have done considerably well, escaping tags like ‘disaster’ or ‘flop’.
(Credit- BookMyShow)
Therefore, expectations will be high for Jolly LLB 3, Kumar’s next project, releasing on September 19, which, if successful, will not only give him a sigh of relief but will also bring back Arshad Warsi on the big screen after a hiatus of three years.
We certainly hope this birthday month brings tonnes of success to Akshay Kumar and the entire team of Jolly LLB 3.
