Fact alert: Here's why Rajiv Bhatia became Akshay Kumar

New Delhi: Be it superstition or image makeover, Bollywood stars are often seen changing their names. Even Akshay Kumar wasn't actually 'Akshay Kumar' when he entered the industry. He was Rajiv Bhatia at that time. But, did you know the real reason why he changed his name? Well, here's the answer.

Reportedly, the 'Boss' hunk entered B-Town with Kumar Gaurav starrer 'Aaj' in 1987. In the Mahesh Bhatt directorial, Akki only had a 10 second role. Apparently, this movie made Rajiv change his name.

“His name, Akshay, has a direct connect with his first-ever film. Gaurav’s name in the movie was Akshay. He loved the name so much that he decided to adopt it as his official name,” a source close to Akshay told Hindustan Times.

He allegedly felt that 'Akshay' suited his Bollywood avatar better.