From Bond to God, Akshay Kumar Has Played It All

It’s been a minute for Akshay Kumar. Since his debut film Saugandh (1991), the 55-year-old actor has been in over 100 films and he’s showing no signs of stopping.

After starting off as an action hero, he made a mark as the romantic lead in films like Yeh Dillagi (1994), Dhadkan (2000), and Namastey London (2007). He’s won over audiences with comedies like Hera Pheri (2000) and Singh Is Kinng (2008). He’s excelled in thrillers like Baby (2015) and Airlift (2016).

In Raj Sippy’s Mr Bond (1991), Kumar says to Neelam (Ruchika Panday), “Tum toh bank se nikle hue naye note ki tarah, bilkul fresh nazar aa rahi ho (You look as fresh as a new banknote).” It’s hard to believe that 30 years later, the same man would advocate women’s menstrual hygiene in Pad Man.

Rowdy Rathore (2012) saw Kumar sport a hook mustache and deliver iconic dialogues like “Joh main bolta hoon woh main karta hoon ... joh main nahi bolta woh main definitely karta hoon. It was one of those rare occasions when a Bollywood star seemed to be in on the joke and laughing at himself.

The actor, who grooved to the tunes of Neeraj Shridhar’s “Hare Ram Hare Ram”, would later play God in Umesh Shukla’s OMG: Oh My God! (2012). Logic would take the back seat and faith would take the wheel. “Main Krishna hoon is liye chamatkar karta hoon ... chamatkar karta hoon is liye Krishna nahin hoon