Before Bollywood discovered Akshay Kumar, the actor dabbled in a lot of fields.
He sold costume jewelry.
He ran errands at a travel agency.
He taught martial arts.
He cooked and waited tables in a Bangkok eatery.
He tried his luck in modeling.
Once he found his calling on the silver screen though, there was no turning back.
In movies too, he's slipped into multiple characters and careers. From God to gangster, the Khiladi star has done it all.
Up next, the 57 year old portrays real-life lawyer C Sankaran Nair in the pre-Independence era taking on the British empire over the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919 in his film, Kesari 2.
Sukanya Verma looks at the professions Akshay has acted on screen before.
Soldier
From Sainik, Ab Tumhare Hai Watan Saathiyon, Holiday, Rustom and Sky Force, Akshay has regularly demonstrated his daredevilry as a member of the army, navy and air force.
Cop
Akshay Kumar's khaki avatars as a justice-seeking, no-nonsense, angry young policeman in Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Tu Chor Main Sipahi, Mohra, Khakee, Rowdy Rathore and Sooryavanshi cemented his action hero vigour as keenly as his khiladi persona.
Businessman
High on scruples and sensitivity, Akki's charming, courteous businessman turned to be quite the romantic too in Dhadkan as well as Yeh Dillagi.
Engineer
Automobile engineer, product engineer, mining engineer, Akshay's wannabe IITian is put to test for fun and film in the likes of Humko Deewana Kar Gaye, Aitraaz and Mission Raniganj.
Scientist
Akshay didn't even finish college but is quite convincing at playing a scholar of science in fare like Mission Mangal, Jaan-E-Mann and Joker.
Musician
Remember when Akshay channelled his rockstar energy for turkeys like Dancer and Bewafaa?
Photographer
Prioritising lust over lens and flirting over focus, Akshay's roving-eyed shutterbug in Garam Masala shows no signs of turning a new leaf.
Psychiatrist
Akshay embodies Bollywood's idea of therapists as a loony ghostbuster of Bhool Bhulaiyaa and bloodless Hannibal Lecter of Sanghursh.
Film Star
Almost every actor agrees to play themselves in the movies once in their career, Akshay's accomplished this feat multiple time playing a film star of the humdrum as well as the humorous kind in films like Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya, The Shaukeens, An Action Hero and Selfiee.
Auctioneer
Welcome isn't the kind of film where one bothers what anyone does for a living but Akshay's bid caller trying to auction off Anil Kapoor's masterpiece, Rocking Horse ensures we never forget.
Stuntman
A Hollywood stuntman mingling with the likes of Stallone, Akshay's hope to up his action hero game in the spectacularly bad Kambakkht Ishq turned out to be a damp squib.
Cricketer
Desi origin British bloke wanting to play cricket for England, much to his racism-wary father's dismay, in Patiala House becomes the source of much emotional conflict.
Hockey team manager
Akshay's faltering performance as a drunkard on the mend in hopes to help the Indian hockey team attain Gold at the Olympics isn't one for the books.
Teacher
A physics school teacher forced to turn MMA fighter for the sake of his family in the Warrior remake, Brothers, Akshay is game.
Plastic surgeon
In the under-rated comedy about human tendency to harbour secrets and conceal their true selves, Akshay's witty, wicked portrayal of a celebrity plastic surgeon in Khel Khel Mein makes for a foxy touch.
Chaatwala
Akshay Kumar's early life in Chandni Chowk comes in handy as he plays a chaatwala enjoying a popular clientele among expecting women in the awfully regressive Raksha Bandhan.
Roadside cook
Speaking of Chandni Chowk, the man's cooking skills are put to good use as he slices and dices away to glory as a roadside cook-turned-martial arts expert in the grand misfire, Chandni Chowk To China.
Stripper, Desi Boyz
Akshay and John Abraham team up as down-on-luck NRIs taking up stripper gigs as part of Desi Boyz' mindless comedy.
Nightclub manager
Most of the focus of Heyy Babyy on Akshay along with Riteish Deshmukh and Fardeen Khan is on raising a toddler. For trivia sake, Akshay's source of income is working as a manager at 'Sydney's most happening night club: Greed.'
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