Indian celebrities often adopt stage names for various reasons, from astrology to numerology. While some, like Akshay Kumar (originally Rajiv Bhatia) and Katrina Kaif (born Katrina Turquotte), are well-known, others may surprise you. Here are 10 Indian celebrities with secret real names that might just astonish you. So, if you think you know everything about your favorite stars, think again!
Check out the list of some of the Bollywood celebrities whose real names you probably didn’t know. Have a look:
1. Kiara Advani:
Kiara Advani’s original name is Alia, but she changed it before entering Bollywood, reportedly on the advice of Salman Khan. The reason was to avoid confusion with actress Alia Bhatt. Kiara shared that Salman told her, “There can’t be two actresses with the same name in Bollywood.”
2. Shilpa Shetty:
Shilpa Shetty Kundra’s birth name is Ashwini, but an astrologer advised her to change it for better luck in her film career. Following the suggestion, she adopted the name Shilpa, and the rest is history.
3. Amitabh Bachchan:
Amitabh Bachchan’s father, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, initially named him Inquilaab Srivastava, inspired by the patriotic slogan ‘Inquilaab Zindabad’. However, his name was later changed to Amitabh Bachchan, which has become synonymous with Bollywood royalty.
4. Tabu:
Veteran actor, Tabu’s real name is Tabassum Hashmi Khan!
5. Akshay Kumar:
The versatile actor, fitness buff, and martial arts expert, Akshay Kumar, was born with the name Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia. However, it was filmmaker Pramod Chakravorty, who directed his debut film Deedar, who suggested the name change to Akshay Kumar.
6. John Abraham:
John Abraham, originally named Farhan Abraham by his mother, preferred to go by the name John, as it was the name his father commonly used to address him.
7. Jackie Shroff:
Jackie Shroff’s real name is Jai Kishan Kakubhai Shroff.
8. Tiger Shroff:
Jackie Shroff’s son, Tiger, is more commonly recognized by his stage name, but his birth name is Jai Hemant Shroff.
9. Prabhas:
A lesser-known fact about the actor famous for his role in “Baahubali,” Prabhas, is that his real name is Venkata Satyanarayana Prabhas Raju Uppalapati.
10. Rajinikanth:
Before becoming the iconic South Indian superstar Rajinikanth, he was known as Shivaji Rao Gaikwad and worked as a bus conductor.
