0 months ago
Co-star recalls Akshay Kumar's discipline, 5 a.m. park workouts
A long time ago, two young men in Mumbai wanted to become actors in Bollywood movies.
Their names were Rajeev Bhatia and Rakesh, and today Rajeev is very famous as Akshay Kumar.
His old friend, Avinash Wadhawan, told stories about their struggling days on a podcast called Hindi Rush.
The friends lived in the same neighborhood, shared motorcycles to save money on petrol, and borrowed each other's jackets for photo shoots.
Akshay was always very disciplined and loved fitness.
He woke up at five in the morning to train at a park, and he was never late for work.
Once, in a town called Ooty, he went jogging at six in the morning even though his movie shoot did not start until nine.
As the years passed, the two friends lost touch and have hardly spoken since.
Akshay Kumar's old friend shared these memories so people know how hardworking and punctual the star has always been.
Actor Avinash Wadhawan recalled his early friendship with Akshay Kumar, then known as Rajeev Bhatia, on the Hindi Rush podcast.
As struggling actors in Mumbai, the two lived in Lokhandwala, shared motorcycles to save on petrol, and borrowed each other's jackets for photo shoots.
Wadhawan described Kumar as a fitness freak who woke at 5 a.m. and trained daily at Nana Nani Park in Versova.
While shooting in Ooty, Kumar was seen jogging at 6 a.m. even though his shift did not start until 9 a.m.
The two have lost touch and last spoke about five or six years ago; Kumar's most recent film is Welcome to the Jungle.
- Who
- Akshay Kumar and actor Avinash Wadhawan, who spoke about their pre-stardom friendship on the Hindi Rush podcast.
- What
- Wadhawan recalled Akshay Kumar's disciplined routine, fitness habits, and their shared struggles as aspiring actors in Mumbai.
- Where
- Mumbai (Lokhandwala and Versova) and Ooty, India.
- When
- Timeline not specified; the recollections are from before either actor became a star.
- Why
- Wadhawan shared the stories to highlight Akshay Kumar's lifelong discipline, punctuality, and commitment to fitness.
Key facts
- Actor profiled
- Akshay Kumar
- Co-star who shared memories
- Avinash Wadhawan
- Podcast
- Hindi Rush
- Akshay Kumar's earlier name
- Rajeev Bhatia
- Daily routine
- Woke at 5 a.m., trained at Nana Nani Park, Versova
- Wadhawan's known 1990s films
- Junoon, Geet, Balmaa
- Akshay Kumar's latest film
- Welcome to the Jungle
- Wadhawan's latest project
- State of Siege: 26/11
Quotes
Avinash Wadhawan
Former 1990s Bollywood actor and friend of Akshay Kumar
“He was the kind of guy who’d wake up at five in the morning.”
indianexpress.com










