It is well known that many people in Bollywood have changed their names in small or major ways. It’s either because of their belief in astrology or because their directors and producers tell them to choose a catchy screen name that won’t be missed by the public. Here is a list of well-known Bollywood stars whose birth names vary slightly or significantly from their stage names.
1. Dileep Kumar
Yusuf Khan the original name of Dileep Kumar is a former Member of Parliament and one of India’s best and most successful film actors. He has received an unprecedented eight Filmfare Best Actor Awards over the course of his 54-year career. Muhammad Yusuf Khan was born in Mohallah Khudadad, Peshawar, Pakistan. In 1998, he released Qila, which was his last film. Since then, he has left the industry.
2. Sunny Deol
Sunny Deol is the eldest son of Bollywood superstar Dharmendra. Ajay Singh Deol was his first name. In 1983, he made his acting debut in the super hit Betaab, for which he won his first Best Actor award. He moved on to produce hits such as Jeet, Ghatak, Ziddi, and Border. Sunny exudes the air of legendary heroism that is sorely lacking in today’s celebrities. In simple terms, he is Bollywood’s Action King.
3. Sunny Leone
Sunny Leone is a dual Canadian/American ethnicity Indo-Canadian pornographic actress, businesswoman, and model. In 2003, she was designated Penthouse Pet of the Year. Karenjit Kaur Vohra was her first name. Leone was raised in Sarnia, Ontario, to Indian Punjabi Sikh parents. She was rated among the top 12 porn stars by Maxim in 2010 and has appeared in independent commercial films and tv shows.
4. Akshay Kumar
Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia popularly known as Akshay Kumar. He grew up in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk region. With the film Saugandh, Akshay made his Bollywood acting debut in 1991. In 1992, he appeared in the film Khiladi for the second time. In 1994, he starred in his first action thriller, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, followed by Mohra, both of which were among the year’s highest-grossing films. In the 2001 film Ajnabee, Akshay played a negative role for the first time. He earned critical acclaim for the film, and also his first Filmfare Award for Best Villain.
5. Katrina Kaif
Katrina was raised in Hong Kong as Kate Turquotte to Mohammed Kaif, an Indian Kashmiri father, and Suzanne Turquotte, an English mother. She has acted in films in Telugu and Malayalam. Eastern Eye named her the sexiest Asian woman in the world in the years 2008, 2009, and 2010. Boom was her first film, released in 2003.
6. Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan’s actual name is Inquilab Srivastava. Harivansh Rai Bachchan and Teji Bachchan, a well-known Indian poet, were his parents. In 1969, he made his movie debut as a voice narrator in Bhuvan Shome. After that, he got his first acting part in Saat Hindustani as among the seven protagonists. Despite the fact that the film did not do well, it won him his first National Film Award for Best Newcomer.