Shah Rukh Khan is not the only actor from Delhi with a non-film background to strike it really big in Bollywood. There is another man who has done it, albeit slowly and steadily - Akshay Kumar a.k.a Rajeev Bhatia. Let's take a quick look at his rise to stardom.
Akshay learnt judo, karate and taekwondo in Bangkok while working as a chef and waiter at a restaurant. He moved to Mumbai and taught martial arts for a living. He soon landed up a modelling assignment, and earned more than a month's salary in a few hours. That is when he decided to take up acting and began approaching people to cast him.
The first film he signed was Deedar opposite Karisma Kapoor, but he began shooting for Saughand first. But the first film in which Akshay showed potential to be a big star was Khiladi. The film was a hit, and a few more films with 'Khiladi' in its title followed - Khiladi No. 1, Mr & Mrs Khiladi, Sabse Bada Khiladi, International Khiladi, Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, Khiladi 420... They didn't do too well, but soon, the karate kid began being referred to as Khiladi Kumar. The new action star of India had arrived.
But somewhere along the line, things went wrong. Akshay's early action films were always less popular than say, a Sanjay Dutt or a Salman Khan film, except maybe a Mohra or a Main Khiladi Tu Anari. The actor started experimenting, and did roles such as Sangharsh and also a cameo in a Shah Rukh Khan film - Yash Raj Films' Dil Toh Pagal Hain.
But it was Dharmesh Darshan's Dhadkan which brought him back into the league of top actors. The film was a blockbuster, and turned around the careers of not just Akshay, but also Shilpa Shetty and Suniel Shetty.
Akshay's third innings came soon after, with Priyadarshan's Hera Pheri. He had established himself as an actor with a great sense of comic timing. Who would've thought an out an out action star could do romance so well, and also comedy? Akshay became the Jackie Chan of India, but with less action in his films and more slapstick humour.
In between, the actor kept going strong with movies like Ajnabi, Andaz, Aankhen, Aitraz, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Khakee... Even in films of the Awara Paagal Deewana genre, Akshay showed he could scare the hell out of other actors with his histrionics.
And then came Namastey London. Akshay was the die-hard romantic in this one, paired with the hot Katrina Kaif (their first film, Raj Kanwar's Humko Deewana Kar Gaye, went unrecognised). But he continued to be comedy king with Phir Hera Pheri, Welcome, Bhagam Bhag, Singh is Kinng and Heyy Babyy among others. He also did Bhool Bhulaiyya, Tashan, Jaan-e-Mann and kids film Jumbo.
In 2009, he had five releases - Chandni Chowk to China, 8x10 Tasveer, Kambakkht Ishq, Blue and De Dana Dan. While the first two were flops, the remaining three did good business but did not go down well with critics. Was Akshay losing his touch?
His next release, Housefull, is another comedy by Sajid Khan in the Heyy Babyy genre and promises to be rocking. This film is important to Akshay and will decide if his 2010 begins well for his forthcoming releases, which include Action Replay with Aishwarya Rai; Patiala House with Anushka Sharma, Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan with Katrina Kaif and two other films, Helloo India and Khatta Meetha.
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