Akshay Kumar turns 52: Rare photos of Bollywood’s Khiladi

Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia, popularly known by his stage name Akshay Kumar, is one of the biggest actors working in Bollywood today. He has had an almost three decade long, varied and prolific career in the industry, starring in over 100 films. He trained as a martial artist before taking up acting and is known to perform his stunts in action films. He made his debut with Saugandh in 1991 but his breakthrough role was 1992's Khiladi. He established himself as an action hero, but later starred in romantic, dramatic and comic roles. In the most recent phase of his career, he has focused on films with either social issues or with nationalist and patriotic overtones like Baby, PadMan and Kesari. (Photo: Express Archive)

Akshay Kumar was born in Amritsar on September 9, 1967. (Photo: Express Archive)

Akshay Kumar is lovingly referred to as Khiladi or Khiladi Kumar by his fans. He has worked in seven movies with the word 'khiladi' in the title -- Khiladi, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Sabse Bada Khiladi, Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, International Khiladi, Mr and Mrs Khiladi and Khiladi 420. (Photo: Express Archive)

Akshay Kumar won a National Film Award for his performance in 2016 films Rustom and Airlift. He has also won two Filmfare Awards. (Photo: Express Archive)

Akshay Kumar has also played negative roles in films like Ajnabee, Blue, Khiladi 420 and 2.0. (Photo: Express Archive)

A Forbes report declared him the fourth highest-paid actor in the world in 2019, behind only Dwayne Johnson, Chris Hemsworth and Robert Downey Jr. (Photo: Express Archive)

In 2008, Akshay Kumar was conferred with an honorary doctorate by the University of Windsor. (Photo: Express Archive)

In 2009, Akshay Kumar was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India, the fourth highest civilian honour in the country. (Photo: Express Archive)

Akshay Kumar's upcoming projects include Housefull 4, Good News, Sooryavanshi and Laxmmi Bomb. (Photo: Express Archive)

Akshay Kumar has also dabbled in television with reality shows like Fear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi and Seven Deadly Arts with Akshay Kumar. (Photo: Express Archive)

Akshay Kumar was last seen in Mission Mangal, which was based on the events surrounding ISRO's Mars Orbiter Mission launched in 2013. (Photo: Express Archive)