Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia is Akshay Kumar's birth name-- a fact seldom speak about. On his 52nd birthday, Akshay Kumar's off-screen journey is a story millions of fans will be inspired by. 'Khiladi' actor Akshay Kumar has had a roller coaster ride across his movies that have spanned decades. Like in his movies, the actor donned many hats before becoming a successful actor -- a journey that several aspiring actors will take heart from.

Also Read:-Akshay Kumar Birthday: Ajay Devgn Wishes The Actor With Throwback Pics

Do You Know What Akshay Kumar Did Before Bollywood? 

Also Read:-Akshay Kumar Shares Moving Anecdote With A Throwback Picture

Akshay Kumar’s Bollywood entry was not at all an easy-going journey. The actor had to do multiple odd-jobs before becoming one of India’s highest-paid actors. Akshay Kumar had to undergo a lot of struggle before he achieved super-stardom. He worked as a waiter, a martial art teacher and a background dancer, before becoming an actor.

Akshay Kumar as a waiter: In Bangkok, Akshay did a lot of odd jobs. He worked as a waiter in a restaurant for a long time. Kumar describes it  as one of the toughest phases of his life, but has often stated that he did not lose hope through those hard days. Akshay has often said that he learnt a lot about life from his Bangkok waiter days. 

“I used to end up with less tips, but many Thai girls used to give me a peck on the cheek instead. I used to enjoy that” , said the actor in an interview.

Also Read:-Chandrayaan-2: Akshay Kumar Salutes 'brilliant' ISRO & Upholds Science

Akshay Kumar as martial art teacher: Akshay Kumar has always been a fitness freak and kept a keen interest in martial arts. In fact, Akshay still performs most of his on-screen stunts himself. But do you know how he got interested in martial arts? Akshay got interested in martial arts in Bangkok and learnt the skills he gathered from there. After coming back to Mumbai, Aksay started teaching martial art to students in the city. He got his first breakthrough in modelling reportedly when one of his student’s father approached him for the job.

"Yes, Mixed Martial Arts is a dangerous practice that could result in injuries and loss of life. Even during filming we would end up with abdominal injuries and smacks on our face but overall it was important for the role to look realistic and conditioning for us actors to make the movie as real as possible", said Akshay in a news report. 

Akshay Kumar as a background dancer: Prior to Akshay Kumar's Bollywood entry, he worked as a background dancer in several Hindi films. Akshay has often described those days as ones that made him a constant learner. Being a background dancer also gave the actor a first-hand experience of being on-screen. The actor often recalls how he seldom knew back then about the fame that was to come his way in the consequent years. 

Also Read:-Akshay Kumar Greets Fan Who Walked 900 Km From Dwarka To Meet Him

AKSHAY KUMAR’S BOLLYWOOD ENTRY

Akshay Kumar’s Bollywood entry as a lead actor happened in 1991 with his debut film Saugandh. He then went on to become one of the biggest actors in India. Akshay got popular with his movie Khiladi and it became his Bollywood nickname after that. Akshay Kumar has won several awards and has always been a part of patriotic and socially relevant works throughout his career. Akshay Kumar continues to be one of India's best-loved actors and we wish him a Happy 52nd Birthday! 

Also Read:-Akshay Kumar Picks Up A Reporter's Phone Call Mid-press Conference, Asks 'Hello?'