4 underrated Akshay Kumar films on Netflix to revisit on actor’s birthday

4 underrated Akshay Kumar films on Netflix to revisit on actor’s birthday

As an ardent fan of Akshay Kumar, I have been fortunate enough to witness his illustrious journey through Bollywood spanning over three decades. However, amidst the blockbusters that have catapulted him into the realm of stardom, there are a few underrated gems that deserve a spotlight, and what better day than his birthday to revisit them!


September 9th is the day when Akshay Kumar, originally known as Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia, was born in Delhi. Known as “Khiladi Kumar,” this versatile actor never fails to keep audiences entertained with numerous movies each year. Despite his talent, some of Akshay Kumar’s films on Netflix have gone relatively unnoticed. To celebrate his birthday, we recommend these four underrated gems that are worth a binge-watch today!

4 underrated Akshay Kumar films on Netflix to enjoy on his big day:

1. Gabbar Is Back

  • Cast: Akshay Kumar, Shruti Haasan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Chitrangada Singh
  • Director: Krish Jagarlamudi
  • IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
  • Movie Genre: Action/Drama
  • Release year: 2015

People who are enthusiasts about cinema but haven’t seen Gabbar Is Back might wonder if its title is derived from Amjad Khan’s character, Gabbar Singh, in the 1975 film Sholay. In the iconic movie, Gabbar Singh was the villain who caused destruction and terrorized the townsfolk of Ramgarh. Contrastingly, in this film starring Akshay Kumar, the protagonist chooses to adopt the name as he embarks on a campaign to eliminate corruption within the nation.

This is an official reimagining of director A. R. Murugadoss’s 2002 Tamil film Ramanaa, which was initially released in theaters in May 2015. Despite being several years old, it remains one of Akshay Kumar’s most-watched films on Netflix. If you haven’t had a chance to watch this underappreciated movie yet, consider this your cue!

2. Pad Man

  • Cast: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
  • Director: R. Balki
  • IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
  • Movie Genre: Drama
  • Release year: 2018

The movie “Pad Man” sparked discussions on a woman’s menstruation and raised awareness about the importance of menstrual hygiene. Based on the life story of Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social activist and entrepreneur from Coimbatore, it tells the tale of an individual who was relentless in his pursuit to create affordable sanitary pads for women living in rural areas, despite facing resistance from both peers and society.

In her book, The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad, Akshay Kumar’s writer spouse Twinkle Khanna discusses his cinematic journey. Notably, this film won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues. Given this recognition, it seems highly recommended that you stream this often underestimated film featuring Akshay Kumar, available on Netflix without delay!

3. Sooryavanshi

  • Cast: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Jackie Shroff, Ajay Devgn, Ranveer Singh, Gulshan Grover
  • Director: Rohit Shetty
  • IMDB Rating: 5.9/10
  • Movie Genre: Action/Thriller
  • Release year: 2021

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which hampered many businesses, Akshay Kumar stayed committed to his acting career and kept himself occupied. The action film Sooryavanshi was originally scheduled for a March 2020 release, but was moved to early 2021 due to delays. However, the escalation of the deadly virus in India necessitated another postponement. Overcoming numerous obstacles, the movie eventually premiered in November 2021, coinciding with Diwali.

After being released following the lockdown, the much-anticipated film didn’t perform financially as well as its creators had hoped. Additionally, the movie, which was jointly produced by Karan Johar, didn’t draw in as many cinephiles as anticipated to the theaters. However, fortunately, it can now be watched on Netflix. Why not give it a chance and see if it lives up to the hype?

4. Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue

  • Cast: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra,
  • Director: Tinu Suresh Desai
  • IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
  • Movie Genre: Thriller/ Action
  • Release year: 2023

Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue was released theatrically last year. It showcases the life and struggles of a brave and diligent mining engineer from IIT Dhanbad, Jaswant Singh Gill, and is based on the Raniganj Coalfields collapse of 1989 in West Bengal. The individual was able to rescue 65 trapped miners in the flooded Raniganj Coalfields, decades ago.

Although the movie showcased the bravery and heroism of an engineer, it didn’t manage to attract many viewers, leaving cinemas empty. Even if some people didn’t appreciate its significance, the story is something everyone should be aware of. Now that it’s accessible on a streaming platform, it’s highly recommended for you and your family to watch this disaster thriller film. It’s a historical piece that deserves attention!

Over the past few decades, Akshay Kumar has been a significant part of the Indian film industry, starring in over 150 films. Although several of these movies earned rapturous acclaim from cinema enthusiasts, productions such as Gabbar Is Back, Pad Man, Mission Raniganj, and Sooryavanshi were underappreciated despite featuring captivating narratives and showcasing Akshay at his finest. Since they are now available on Netflix, Akshay’s birthday presents an ideal opportunity to revisit and enjoy these underrated films.

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2024-09-09 18:52