Akshay Kumar: The Khiladi of the box office

Abstract

This essay traces Akshay Kumar’s journey towards stardom. The journey was tough and demanding and serves as a lesson in determination, patience and hard work as the non-negotiable qualities to succeed in the extremely competitive and unpredictable film world. One needs formidable calibre to hold the notoriously fickle attention and interest of the audience. With more than 115 films in twentyfive years, Akshay Kumar has proved his “staying power”. He made his name as an “action hero” early in his career after establishing his worth as a bankable player (khiladi) of the box office. Forty-odd formula films later, sustained hard work and tenacity steered Akshay Kumar’s putative growth as a successful actor and a star. Recognition of his acting prowess came as Filmfare and other awards from the film fraternity, followed by critical acclaim as National Padmashri Award in 2009 and the National Best Actor Award in 2017.