A Letter to Akshay Kumar From His Fan Since Childhood

This is a letter to Akshay Kumar from a fan who has followed him since childhood. It looks back at the films that made him “Khiladi Kumar”, from Saugandh (1991) and Mohra (1994) to Airlift, Pad Man and Kesari, and now his 2026 releases Bhooth Bangla and Welcome to the Jungle, and says thank you for 35 years of cinema.

We first published this letter in 2021. We have now updated it for October 2026 with his latest films and the facts behind the milestones mentioned, so the letter still reads as a fan’s note, but with the record set straight.

Akshay Kumar career at a glance

A letter to Akshay Kumar, from a fan since childhood

Dear Akshay sir,

I have been your fan for as long as I can remember. Before I understood what acting was, I knew that a Friday with an Akshay Kumar film was a good Friday. I have watched you jump off buildings, fight villains, fall in love and make an entire hall laugh, and I have grown up with every one of those films.

I finally saw you in person during my college days, when you came to promote Pad Man. I remember standing in the crowd and not quite believing it was really you. That day is still one of my favourite memories.

The Khiladi years

For my generation, you started as the action hero. Saugandh came in 1991, and Khiladi in 1992 gave you the name that stuck for life. Then came Mohra in 1994, which my family watched again and again on TV. The fights, the songs and the stunts you did yourself made you different from everyone else at the time.

Your action in those early films still looks raw and real. There was no big VFX team behind you, just a young actor ready to risk it all for a shot.

The comedy that won us over

Then you surprised us all. Hera Pheri in 2000 showed a side of you nobody expected, and the comedy never stopped after that. In 2007 alone you gave us Namastey London, Heyy Babyy, Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Welcome. Four big films in one year, and all of them still play on TV today.

I also miss the madness of Guru Gulaab Khatri from Awara Paagal Deewana (2002). Your comic timing is something many actors still try to copy, and very few manage it.

The reinvention

Just when people thought they had you figured out, you changed again. Special 26 (2013) was smart and stylish. Airlift (2016) was a gripping, serious drama that made a lot of us proud. Rustom (2016) won you the National Film Award for Best Actor, which you had deserved for years.

Pad Man (2018) talked about periods in a way mainstream Hindi cinema had never done. Kesari (2019) brought a forgotten chapter of history to a new generation. You picked stories that mattered and still made them work for a mass audience.

The recent years

The last few years have not always been easy, and I know that as a fan. Some films did not do as well as we hoped. But you kept working, the way you always have.

OMG 2 (2023) was a hit. Sky Force and Kesari Chapter 2 in 2025 got good reviews. Housefull 5 and Jolly LLB 3 brought back two of your most loved franchises the same year. And in April 2026, Bhooth Bangla, directed by Priyadarshan, did very well. It grossed about Rs 247 crore worldwide and is now on Netflix.

Then, in June 2026, Welcome to the Jungle finally reached theatres, bringing back the Welcome name I have loved since 2007. Seeing you on screen with that crazy energy again felt like going back to my childhood.

What comes next

I know there is more on the way. Haiwaan is complete. Golmaal 5 is being filmed, and you are playing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Marathi film Vedat Marathe Veer Daudle Saat. I will be first in line for all of them.

Sir, you have been working for 35 years and have done more than 150 films. You wake up early, you work hard, and you never take your audience for granted. That discipline is what I have tried to learn from you.

Thank you for all the movies you do, and thank you for being you. I hope that one day I get to meet you properly and say all of this in person.

Your fan, always.

Akshay Kumar films every fan should revisit

• Khiladi (1992): the film that gave him his famous title.
• Mohra (1994): classic 90s action and songs.
• Hera Pheri (2000): the start of his comedy run.
• Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007): horror comedy that still works on rewatch.
• Special 26 (2013): a sharp heist drama.
• Rustom (2016): his National Award winning role.
• Bhooth Bangla (2026): his latest hit, now on Netflix.

For more fan pieces and star stories, read our celebs section and the latest from Bollywood.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Wikipedia: Akshay Kumar, Akshay Kumar filmography, Wikipedia: Bhooth Bangla.