Akshay Kumar On The 'Only Thing' That Made Him Join Bollywood. 'No Producer Or Director Would Even Look At Me'

Akshay Kumar was speaking at an event in Mumbai

Akshay Kumar, whose resume includes over 130 films in a career spanning almost three decades, revealed that in his initial days in Bollywood, filmmakers would only cast him in action roles, reported news agency PTI. Speaking at an event in Mumbai, Akshay said: "I must have done about 135-140 films where most of my initial films were only action. No producer or director would even look at me thinking 'He won't be able to act so just give him action,' I did that then gradually shifted to comedy and then romantic films." Akshay made his Bollywood debut with 1991's Saugandh marked but 1992's Khiladi marked the turning point in his career. In the Nineties, Akshay Kumar headlined in actions films such as Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, Elaan, Barood, Sabse Bada Khiladi and others.

Akshay revealed that he shifted to Mumbai as he wanted to run a successful martial arts school but soon realised that Maximum City has better opportunities when it comes to the film and modelling industry: "I did a lot of action films earlier because I knew nothing else. For 11-13 years, I did only action. I did Thai boxing in Bangkok for five years. Back then I had made up my mind that I'll come to Mumbai and open a martial arts school," PTI quoted Akshay as saying.

Akshay did start with a training school but switched careers soon: "I used to get paid Rs 5,000 a month when I used to teach martial arts. Once someone asked me to do modelling. I tried modelling for a furniture showroom. There was a model and we both posed and I got Rs 21,000 within two hours." Akshay Kumar runs a self-defence academy for women in Mumbai, where he trains women in the art of self-defence free of cost.

"Honestly, the only thing which brought me to the industry was only money. I just came here to earn money," Akshay Kumar added. "I thought what better place to be than here! I thought now I'll do modelling and then eventually entered films," he added. On a recent episode of Koffee With Karan, Ranveer Singh revealed that Akshay once told him: "I don't like to see money getting wasted." This year, Akshay Kumar featured on the seventh spot on Forbes' list of highest paid actors across the world. Akshay Kumar also made it to Forbes' list of 100 highest paid celebrities of 2018 with yearly earnings of $40.5 million.

Akshay Kumar will next be seen in 2.0 and also has films such as Housefull 4 and Kesari in the pipeline.

(With PTI inputs)