- Avinash Wadhawan knew Akshay Kumar before either became a star, when they used different names
- They both lived in Lokhandwala and shared motorcycles to save on petrol expenses
- Akshay Kumar was dedicated to fitness and martial arts, holding black belts early on
Actor Avinash Wadhawan, in a podcast with Hindi Rush, spoke about knowing Akshay Kumar long before he became a star. He also recalled their struggling days in the industry.
The Junoon actor said, "I knew him back when neither he nor I was a hero. His name was Rajiv, and my name was Rakesh. We both lived in Lokhandwala, and we both had motorcycles. Sometimes he'd ride my motorcycle, and sometimes I'd ride his. That's how we'd save money on petrol."
Recalling how they would help each other before photoshoots, he said, "Whenever he had a photoshoot, he'd come to my house and borrow my jackets. And when I had a photoshoot, I'd go to his house and borrow his jackets."
Avinash also praised Akshay's dedication to fitness in his early years and spoke about how he was already deeply committed to martial arts.
"Akshay was very good at action. He had black belts and all. We also joined dance classes together back then."
Avinash went on to praise Akshay's discipline, saying his early morning routine set him apart from others. "He was the kind of person who woke up at 5 am. I was staying in a paying guest accommodation back then. He would come to my place around 6 am to wake me up while I'd be fast asleep. There was a park called Nana Nani Park in Versova, where he'd go to practise and train in martial arts. He'd ask me to come along, but I never did. I just couldn't wake up that early."
He also recalled an outdoor shoot in Ooty and said Akshay's dedication to fitness remained unchanged, regardless of his shooting schedule.
"We were once in Ooty for different films and staying at the same hotel. My shift started at 7 am, so I'd get ready and head out. His shift began at 9 am. Yet, at 6 am, you'd see him jogging on the streets of Ooty. We'd be driving to our set and spot Akshay running on the road, even though his shoot wasn't due to begin until 9 am. That's just the way he lives his life."
"What stood out to me was that he was always on time. He was an absolute fitness freak. Once work was over, he'd go home, and the next morning, he'd be back on set right on time," Avinash added.
When asked whether they are still in touch, Avinash said, "His life went in a different direction, and I'm living my own life. We haven't really been in touch for years. We spoke once on the phone about five or six years ago, but since then, our numbers have changed and we haven't reconnected."
Avinash worked in films such as Junoon, Geet, and Balma. On television, he appeared in shows including Balika Vadhu and Sapna Babul Ka... Bidaai.
Also Read: 'Akshay Kumar Reads Lines On Teleprompter': Toilet Ek Prem Katha Co-Star