Akshay Kumar has built one of the most varied careers in Hindi cinema, moving comfortably between action, comedy, romance, drama, and films based on social or historical subjects. From the unforgettable Raju in Hera Pheri to serious roles in Airlift, Special 26, and Baby, his filmography covers a wide range of characters and stories.

What makes Akshay Kumar movies particularly interesting is the contrast between different phases of his career. He first became widely associated with action films and the “Khiladi” image before demonstrating a strong talent for comedy and later taking on more issue-driven and character-focused projects. Akshay himself has spoken about wanting to move between genres rather than remain tied to one particular image.

With such a large filmography, choosing a starting point can be difficult. This guide looks at 15 Akshay Kumar movies worth watching, covering comedy, action, drama, romance, history, and social themes.

BIO

1. Hera Pheri

Released in 2000, Hera Pheri became one of the defining comedies of Akshay Kumar’s career. The film brings together Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal as three financially struggling men whose lives become increasingly complicated after they become involved in a kidnapping scheme.

Akshay plays Raju, a character whose confidence, impatience, and comic reactions provide much of the film’s energy. His chemistry with Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty is a major part of the movie’s appeal.

The film also demonstrated that Akshay could be just as effective in comedy as he had been in action. Filmfare has highlighted his comic timing and one-liners as important parts of his performance.

For viewers discovering Akshay Kumar movies for the first time, Hera Pheri is an easy place to begin.

2. Special 26

Special 26, released in 2013, takes Akshay Kumar into a very different world. Directed by Neeraj Pandey, the film is inspired by real events and follows a group of people carrying out fake raids while posing as government officials.

Akshay plays Ajay Singh, a calm and confident member of the group. Unlike his broad comedy performances, his approach here is controlled and understated.

The film combines a heist story with suspense and investigation. Filmfare’s review noted the strength of the performances and filmmaking while describing the movie as an engaging heist film.

It is a good example of Akshay working in a serious role without relying heavily on action or comedy.

3. Airlift

Released in 2016, Airlift is based around the evacuation of Indians from Kuwait during the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Akshay plays Ranjit Katyal, a fictional composite character inspired by people involved in the evacuation.

The film places its focus on ordinary people caught in an extraordinary situation. Akshay’s character is initially concerned with protecting his own interests but gradually becomes involved in helping others reach safety.

The historical event behind the film involved the evacuation of a very large number of Indian citizens. Filmfare notes that the movie used fictional characters to tell the story of the real evacuation.

Airlift is important within Akshay’s filmography because it shows his transition toward more serious, real-event-inspired stories.

4. Bhool Bhulaiyaa

Bhool Bhulaiyaa combines comedy, mystery, psychology, and horror elements. Released in 2007, the film stars Akshay Kumar as Dr. Aditya, a psychiatrist who becomes involved in a strange family situation.

The movie gives Akshay the opportunity to balance humor with a more serious performance. His character uses observation and psychological knowledge to investigate what is happening inside the old mansion.

The supporting cast, particularly Vidya Balan and Shiney Ahuja, adds another layer to the story. Filmfare has included the movie among notable Akshay Kumar films and specifically highlighted his performance as the psychiatrist.

For audiences who enjoy a mixture of mystery and comedy, this remains an important title in his career.

5. Namastey London

Released in 2007, Namastey London combines romance, family relationships, cultural differences, and comedy. Akshay Kumar plays Arjun Singh, a traditional Punjabi man whose relationship with Katrina Kaif’s character creates much of the film’s emotional conflict.

The movie explores the differences between Indian and Western lifestyles while also focusing on relationships and personal identity.

Akshay’s performance is more restrained than some of his comedy roles, allowing the romantic and emotional parts of the story to develop naturally.

The film has remained associated with Akshay’s romantic-comedy period and is frequently included in retrospective lists of his memorable films.

6. Singh Is Kinng

Singh Is Kinng, released in 2008, is one of Akshay Kumar’s well-known comedy films. He plays Happy Singh, a good-hearted but somewhat clumsy man whose journey takes him far from his village.

The movie combines comedy, romance, action, and an international setting. Akshay’s energetic performance is central to the film, while Katrina Kaif plays the female lead.

The movie also represents the period when Akshay had become one of Bollywood’s most recognizable comedy stars. Filmfare has included Singh Is Kinng among his memorable films and noted his popularity in the comedy genre.

7. Welcome

Welcome is another major comedy from Akshay Kumar’s career. Released in 2007, it features a large ensemble cast including Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Katrina Kaif, and Mallika Sherawat.

Akshay plays Rajiv, a man who wants to marry the woman he loves but becomes caught in an increasingly complicated family situation.

Much of the film’s humor comes from the clash between Rajiv’s relatively ordinary life and the unusual people surrounding him. The supporting performances are particularly important, giving Akshay plenty of opportunities to react to the chaos around him.

Welcome is frequently remembered alongside Hera Pheri and other comedies when discussing Akshay’s most popular comic roles.

8. Baby

Released in 2015, Baby moved Akshay firmly into a serious action-thriller setting. He plays Ajay Singh Rajput, an intelligence officer working with a specialized team.

The movie focuses on counterterrorism operations and the difficult decisions involved in preventing attacks. Unlike his lighter roles, Akshay’s performance is deliberately restrained.

The film’s tone is built around tension, investigation, and action rather than romance or comedy. IMDb lists Baby among Akshay’s notable performances and identifies Ajay Singh Rajput as his character.

For viewers looking for a more intense side of Akshay’s acting, Baby offers a clear change from his comedy films.

9. OMG – Oh My God!

OMG – Oh My God! takes a different approach from conventional Bollywood dramas. Released in 2012, the film centers on Kanji Lal Mehta, played by Paresh Rawal, and a dispute involving religion, faith, and personal responsibility.

Akshay Kumar plays Krishna Vasudev Yadav, a mysterious character who becomes closely involved with Kanji’s journey.

The film uses humor to explore serious questions, allowing audiences to think about faith and religious practices while still maintaining an accessible tone.

Filmfare has included the movie among Akshay’s notable films and described its combination of humor and social messaging as one of its defining features.

10. Kesari

Released in 2019, Kesari is a historical action drama inspired by the Battle of Saragarhi, which took place in 1897.

Akshay Kumar plays Havildar Ishar Singh, a soldier involved in the defense of an important military post. The film focuses on courage, loyalty, leadership, and the difficult circumstances faced by the soldiers.

The movie gives Akshay another opportunity to move away from contemporary comedy and action into a period setting.

It is also part of a broader phase of his career in which he appeared in films connected to historical events and real-life stories.

11. Khakee

Khakee, released in 2004, is a crime thriller featuring an ensemble cast that includes Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, and others.

Akshay plays Inspector Shekhar Verma, a police officer involved in transporting a suspected terrorist. The journey becomes increasingly dangerous as the officers face threats from several sides.

The movie gives Akshay a supporting role within a larger ensemble rather than making him the sole focus. His character adds action and personality to a tense police drama.

For viewers interested in the earlier serious side of his career, Khakee is an interesting choice.

12. Garam Masala

Garam Masala, released in 2005, is one of the clearest examples of Akshay Kumar’s comic abilities.

He plays Mac, a photographer whose attempt to maintain several relationships at once creates a series of increasingly complicated situations. John Abraham, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, and other performers add to the chaotic atmosphere.

The movie depends heavily on timing, physical comedy, misunderstandings, and rapid changes in the story. Akshay’s performance shows why comedy became such an important part of his career during this period.

Filmfare’s comedy coverage continues to include Garam Masala among his notable comedy films.

13. Rowdy Rathore

Rowdy Rathore, released in 2012, combines action and comedy and gave Akshay Kumar an opportunity to play two contrasting characters.

The film follows Shiva, a small-time thief whose life changes when he becomes connected to a police officer who looks exactly like him.

Akshay’s physical presence and action background fit the movie’s fast-moving style, while the comedy allows him to bring some of his lighter personality into the performance.

The film is a useful choice for viewers who want action and comedy in the same Akshay Kumar movie.

14. Pad Man

Pad Man, released in 2018, is one of the more socially focused films in Akshay Kumar’s career. The story is inspired by the life and work of Arunachalam Muruganantham, who developed a low-cost method for producing sanitary pads.

Akshay plays a fictionalized version of the central character. The story focuses on menstrual hygiene, social attitudes, and the difficulty of introducing a practical solution to a subject surrounded by embarrassment and stigma.

The real-life Muruganantham developed a low-cost sanitary-pad production process and received the Padma Shri in 2016. Filmfare’s coverage of the film explains the connection between his work and the story presented on screen.

Pad Man stands apart from many mainstream Akshay Kumar movies because its central conflict is not primarily about romance, crime, or action. Instead, it uses a personal story to discuss a wider social issue.

15. Good Newwz

Released in 2019, Good Newwz returned Akshay to comedy while dealing with a complicated family situation involving fertility treatment and an accidental mix-up.

The film stars Akshay Kumar alongside Kareena Kapoor Khan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Kiara Advani. Much of the humor comes from the confusion between the two couples and the way they react to an unexpected situation.

Akshay’s comic timing works particularly well in scenes where his character tries to maintain control while everything around him becomes increasingly complicated.

The film represents another important part of his career: using comedy to tell stories about contemporary family life.

Akshay Kumar’s Range as an Actor

Looking across these 15 films, it becomes clear why Akshay Kumar has remained associated with so many different genres.

Comedy

Comedy is one of the most recognizable parts of his filmography. Hera Pheri, Welcome, Garam Masala, Singh Is Kinng, and Good Newwz all use very different settings, but they depend heavily on his timing and ability to react naturally to other performers.

His own comments about comedy also reflect how seriously he approaches the genre. He has said that making people laugh is difficult and that he prefers to keep moving between different kinds of films.

Action

Akshay’s early career was strongly connected with action films and the Khiladi series. IMDb’s filmography highlights titles such as Khiladi, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Mr. Bond, and Khiladi 420 among his earlier work.

Later films such as Baby, Rowdy Rathore, and Kesari showed different versions of his action persona.

Serious Drama

Films such as Special 26, Airlift, Baby, and Khakee demonstrate another side of his career. These movies generally rely less on broad humor and more on controlled performances, suspense, and dramatic situations.

Social and Historical Stories

A particularly noticeable part of Akshay’s later filmography has been his involvement with films dealing with social subjects and historical or real-world events. Filmfare has identified this as a recurring feature of his work, citing films such as OMG – Oh My God!, Special 26, Airlift, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, Pad Man, and Kesari.

How to Choose an Akshay Kumar Movie

The best movie to start with depends largely on the type of story you enjoy.

If you want pure comedy, Hera Pheri, Welcome, and Garam Masala are natural choices.

For action and suspense, Baby, Rowdy Rathore, and Kesari offer very different styles.

If you prefer real-event-inspired stories, Airlift and Special 26 are strong examples of that side of his filmography.

For social themes, Pad Man and OMG – Oh My God! explore subjects beyond conventional entertainment.

And if you enjoy romance mixed with comedy and family themes, Namastey London provides a different look at Akshay’s career.

What Makes Akshay Kumar Movies Stand Out?

The biggest feature of Akshay Kumar’s filmography is its variety. Few of the movies discussed here feel exactly alike.

He can play an ordinary man caught in a comic misunderstanding, a police officer facing danger, an intelligence agent working under pressure, a historical soldier, or a character connected to a social cause.

His career also shows how a mainstream actor can move between commercial entertainment and films built around more serious subjects. Filmfare’s retrospectives describe his progression from action roles toward comedy and later toward socially significant and real-event-inspired stories.

Another important factor is his willingness to work in ensemble films. In movies such as Hera Pheri, Welcome, Khakee, and Good Newwz, the story depends on interactions between several characters rather than one performer working alone.

Final Thoughts

Akshay Kumar movies cover a remarkably broad part of Hindi cinema. His career includes action thrillers, family comedies, romantic stories, historical dramas, crime films, and movies built around social issues.

The 15 films in this guide offer a useful introduction to that range. Hera Pheri shows his comic timing, Special 26 and Baby highlight his serious side, Airlift and Kesari explore historical situations, while Pad Man and OMG – Oh My God! show his interest in stories built around wider social questions.

Rather than representing just one phase of his career, these films together show how his screen image has changed over time. That variety is a major reason his filmography remains interesting to explore, whether you are watching his movies for comedy, action, drama, or something a little different.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is one of the best Akshay Kumar movies to start with?

Hera Pheri is a strong starting point if you want to see Akshay’s comedy. For a serious performance, Airlift, Special 26, or Baby provide a very different introduction to his acting.

Which Akshay Kumar movies are known for comedy?

Some widely recognized comedy titles include Hera Pheri, Welcome, Garam Masala, Singh Is Kinng, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, and Good Newwz. Filmfare has also highlighted several of these titles in its coverage of Akshay’s comedy career.

Which Akshay Kumar movies are inspired by real events?

Several films in his career draw from real events or real-life stories. Airlift is based around the 1990 Kuwait evacuation, while Special 26 was inspired by a real incident. Pad Man was inspired by the work of Arunachalam Muruganantham.

Which Akshay Kumar movie focuses on menstrual hygiene?

Pad Man focuses on menstrual hygiene and is inspired by the work of Arunachalam Muruganantham. The film uses his story as the foundation for a wider discussion about access, awareness, and social attitudes.

What genres has Akshay Kumar worked in?

Akshay Kumar has worked across action, comedy, romance, drama, crime, thriller, historical films, and socially focused cinema. His filmography is particularly notable for moving between very different genres rather than staying with one screen image.