Is Kabaddi Star Rohit ‘Akki’ Kumar Akshay Kumar’s Biggest Fan?

Rohit ‘Akki’ Kumar is Akshay Kumar’s biggest fan... in his own words!

(Photo: The Quint)

(Edited by Prashan Chouhan, Camera by Mukul Bhandari)

‘Are you Akshay Kumar’s biggest fan?’ I ask one of Indian kabaddi’s biggest stars and Rohit Kumar’s unhesitant answer is a firm yes. And, he even has a tattoo of the Bollywood actor on his shoulder to show for it.

“I used to watch his movies when I was young and no other actor could pull off action sequences like Akshay sir. I’d pick fights with my friends just so I could try out the moves I learned in his movies,” is how Rohit describes the early years of his Akshay Kumar fandom.

It’s been almost 25 years since he watched ‘Khiladiyon ka Khiladi’ on a Sunday evening in his home, on the outskirts of Delhi, but Rohit’s dedication to his idol has only grown stronger.

Only now, instead of trying out Akshay’s moves with his unwilling friends, Rohit translates the action sequences to tactics on the wrestling mat and even wins his team points for it!

Watch the video as the skipper of Pro Kabaddi League’s defending champions’ team Bengaluru Bulls shares tales of his devotion for Akshay and also recalls the first time he got to meet his idol!