Published By: Sayan Paul

Akshay Kumar Turns 57: Did You Know The Actor Used To Sell Jewelry In His Early Life?

Kumar started working in his teenage years, taking on various odd jobs before discovering his inclination toward acting.

"... My Job Is To Keep Working." - Akshay Kumar

They say, form is temporary but class is permanent. Akshay Kumar is going through a rough patch in his career, with all his recent films failing at the box office. However, despite all that, he continues to remain the same Akshay Kumar whom we have known for decades. He is as passionate about cinema as he was during the 90s, and his dedication to work sets examples for youngsters every now and then. So, love him or hate him, you simply cannot ignore him!

Born on September 9, 1967, Kumar has come a long way in Bollywood, appearing in over 150 films in his career spanning over three decades. Thanks to his films like 'Dhadkan', the 'Khiladi' series, the 'Hera Pheri' franchise, 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa', 'Garam Masala', 'Holiday', 'Airlift', and 'Mission Mangal' among others, he enjoys a solid fan base in every corner of India, and beyond. And he is a recipient of various accolades, including one National Film Award and two Filmfare Awards.

Well, the actor's journey in showbiz is quite well-known; but his life before coming into the limelight was also intriguing. Today, on the occasion of his 57th birthday, we share an interesting fact about him that you didn't know.

Akshay Kumar Used To Sell Jewelry In His Early Life

Akshay Kumar was born in Old Delhi into a Punjabi family and grew up in a humble surrounding. He wasn't great in academics but was exceptionally good in sports. Although he enrolled in Guru Nanak Khalsa College for higher education, he dropped out soon after and started taking on various odd jobs to earn a living.

At one point in his life, Kumar used to sell 'Kundan’ jewelry in Delhi. Speaking about this, the actor later shared on Kaun Banega Crorepati, "I used to sell Kundan jewelry. I used to purchase it from Delhi for about Rs 7,000 to Rs 10,000 and would come to Mumbai to sell it, which would help me earn a profit of Rs 11,000 to 12,000. I did this for about 3 to 4 years."

The Various Jobs Akshay Kumar Did Before Venturing Into Showbiz

Kumar learned karate during his school education at Don Bosco High School, Matunga. Later, he went to Bangkok and stayed there for five years, learning Thai Boxing and other forms of martial arts. He also worked as a chef and waiter there for some time. After returning to India, he worked at a travel agency in Calcutta (present-day Kolkata), and then at a hotel (as a chef) in Dhaka (Bangladesh).

Recalling his days when he was a chef and waiter, Kumar shared on that KBC episode, "I used to make and serve jalebis, chole-bhature, samosas at an eating joint. I also used to make and ensure that the tables were put close together. There used to be a wall right behind me and usually in every restaurant, the chefs usually put up a picture of someone on the walls. I had four people’s pictures put up on my wall. Yours (Amitabh Bachchan), Jackie Chan, Sridevi, and Sylvester Stallone’s images. And, look at my fate today! I’ve worked with all four."

Notably, Kumar moved to Bombay (present-day Mumbai) when his father left the Army to become an accountant with UNICEF. There, he began teaching martial arts.

Finally, Foray Into Cinema

While teaching martial arts in Bombay, Kumar got a modeling assignment for a furniture showroom. Well, within the first two days of shooting, he made significantly more money than his entire month’s earnings. And therefore, he decided to pursue a career in modeling.

He began his acting career in 1987 with the Mahesh Bhatt film 'Aaj', where he had a brief role as a Karate instructor. Till that time, he was known as Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia - his birth name. Shortly after the film was released, he changed his name to Akshay Kumar, after Kumar Gaurav's character (named Akshay) in the film.

How Akshay Kumar got his first film offer is another interesting story. One morning during the late 80s, he missed his flight for a shoot (modeling - advertisement) in Bangalore. He visited a film studio that day as he had no other work, where he was spotted by producer Pramod Chakravarthy. By the end of the day, he signed for a lead role in the film 'Deedar'.

Credit: RVCJ Movies

However, it's worth noting that 'Saugandh' (1991) arrived at theatres before 'Deedar', thus becoming Kumar's debut. The actor had his breakthrough in 1992 with the action thriller, 'Khiladi'. The rest, as they say, is history!