Bollywood and the other film industries in Indian have given us names to remember for a lifetime over the course of many decades of the Indian film industry. Depending on the generation you are from, or how far-reaching your interest is in the Indian film industry, then you may or may not be familiar with all the names of some of the great actors and actresses who have come out from the land of colors.
Name them, and almost everyone will agree that these actors and actresses have earned their places in the hall of fame in the Indian film industry. Amrish Puri, Amitabh Bachchan, Raj Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Anil Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan, and now... Akshay Kumar.
Since the days of Jaanwar and Sangharsh, Akshay Kumar has gone a long way and is now in a position where he can almost do anything.
He never appears out of place, whether he's playing a special officer in Baby or a country simpleton in Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. He is currently the industry's most constant Bollywood star. And you know why: Akshay's last two films, Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara! and Boss, both flopped in 2013. Since then, even the thoughtless entertainer Singh is Bliing has become a mediocre smash, thanks to Akshay Kumar's star power.
These character changes and consistency didn't happen overnight. It is commonly assumed that Hera Pheri was the catalyst for transformation.
This was, however, a deliberate decision by Akshay, who wanted to shed his reputation as an action hero, which he had acquired after appearing in multiple films with Khiladi in the title and a climax that included him racing alongside a helicopter or aviation. Darshan Brothers (Suneel and Dharmesh) put their trust in him and provided him several different parts throughout those years, which contributed to the transformation.
Twinkle Khanna is also attributed to Akshay Kumar's post-marriage change in profile and filmography. However, in the early 2000s, he had ups and downs with a few hits in between Ajnabee, Aankhen (Box office gross Rs 47.1 crore, a significant sum considering it was released in 2002), Andaaz, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Aitraaz, Waqt: The Race Against Time, and Garam Masala.
After 1999-2000, Akshay's next watershed moment came in 2007, when all four of his films— Namastey London, Heyy Babyy, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, and Welcome— were superhits, with Welcome setting new records for him.
If you look back over the years, you'll notice that he hasn't played identical characters in any of the two films he's done since 1999-2000. Even when his films didn't do well, that was the biggest plus.
Akshay turned the clock back from Rowdy Rathore and quickly became a hit machine. With over Rs 116 crore in box office receipts, Rowdy Rathore remains his most successful film to date. Although the numbers may not match Khan's, a producer never loses money when Akshay is in the lead.
Akshay has been awarded a new aliased in "The Modern Day of Manoj Kumar" to patriotism and nationalism in films like Airlift, Baby, Rustom, Holiday and Toilet, Ek Prem Katha. The movies were published while the present administration conducted a wave of nationalism that became stronger in the wake of the operation.
The term has gained popularity as a result of Akshay Kumar's habit of releasing films on the 26th of January and the 15th of August. While the Khans release films around religious holidays to maximize their profits, Akshay Kumar has adopted national holidays as his own.
Akshay has worked on his image in addition to making wise decisions. He is articulate and witty, and he promotes his films with zeal, demonstrating that he believes in his work. He is also very fan-friendly.
He may have consistently delivered hits, but he was not considered on the same level as Khans. But he does something that Khans and other celebrities don't: he releases nearly four films per year on average. This keeps you in touch with your fans at all times.
Akshay is in good shape, has played a number of parts, and created a distinct niche in the business in his more than a quarter of a hundred-year career, where fate changes every Friday but wasn't simple. And he did it all by himself, a real self-made star. Yes, you read it right - he's a celebrity that's just brighter!
