Top 10 Indian Stars Who Changed Their Names For Success

The name given to us by our parents is always unique and represents our personality. A name gives identity to every person, and many times, people change their names due to the advice of astrologers or to make it more memorable for people. We know the celebrities from their work and also by their names, especially if these names are unique and stand out. Many fans name their kids after such famous stars. You might know Salman Khan, Rekha, Jackie Shroff, Mallika Sherawat, and more, but did you know that these are not the actual names of the stars? This article includes Bollywood stars who have changed their names as it adds to their personality or an attractive stage name.

1. Amitabh-Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan was named Inquilaab Srivastava before he entered the film industry. Amitabh was born during the time of revolution, and hence such a different name was given to him. But later on, the legendary Hindi poet Sumitranandan Pant named him Amitabh, which means boundless splendor. He kept his surname after his father's pen name 'Harivansh Rai Bachchan.' Today, his name has earned the goodwill of fans worldwide.

2. Akshay-Kumar

The action king of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar, changed his name from Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia to Akshay Kumar. He was born in a Punjabi family to an Indian Army officer. In an interview, Akshay revealed that he did not change his name because of some superstitious reasons. He changed his name after the character of Kumar Gaurav in 'Aaj,' a martial arts instructor 'Akshay.' 'Aaj' was directed by Mahesh Bhatt, and the movie is close to Akshay's heart as it was his first break in the Indian film industry.

3. Rajnikant

The super-duper famous actor, Rajnikant's real name was Shivaji Rao Gaekwad. He was born in Bangalore to a Marathi family. Before getting into this industry, Rajnikanth did odd jobs like bus conductor. In his first movie, 'Apoorva Raagangal', the name of his character was Rajnikanth, and from that movie onwards, we all know him by this name. He changed his name to Rajnikanth, to avoid confusion between a fellow actor Sivaji Ganesan and himself. He has earned much fame and respect in the film industry globally. He has won numerous awards for his work, including Film Fare, National Awards, and more.

4. Shilpa Shetty

With her iconic dance songs to her exceptionally mesmerizing films, Shilpa Shetty has never failed to amuse her fans. But did you know that her real name is not Shilpa and that her mother, Sunanda Shetty changed her name on the advice of an astrologer? Her real name was Ashwini Shetty, but due to her mother's beliefs, Shilpa’s name was changed. Well, we can say that this change did an excellent job for her as she is one of the best actresses in this industry.

5. Tiger Shroff

The handsome and muscular man of Bollywood, Tiger Shroff, has been ruling his fans with his dance moves and action sequences. Born to actor, Jackie Shroff, and Ayesha Shroff, Tiger's real name is Jai Hemant Shroff. His father Jackie Shroff had also changed his name from Jai Kishan Shroff to Jackie Shroff. So, to keep up his father's legacy, he changed his name. A lesser-known fact is that Jackie Dada had picked the name for his son as he used to bite like one as a child. This bond between the father and son is adorable.

6. Kiara Advani

Kiara has recently tied the knot with Siddharth Malhotra, and we have seen pictures flooding over social media of the ceremony. But did you know that the actual name of Kiara is Alia Advani? In 2014, she changed her name before the release of her debut film, Fugly. As per the media, Salman Khan advised her to change her name as Alia Bhatt was already a huge name. Her name 'Kiara' is inspired by the character of Priyanka Chopra in 'Anjaana Anjaani.' After her performance in 'Kabir Singh' and 'Sheershah', the actress has emerged as one of the top actresses in the film industry.

7. Ajay Devgan

Famous for his role in 'Singham', Ajay Devgan has built an army of fans who love his work. From action scenes to dialogue delivery, Ajay has given his best in all his movies. Although, his real name is not Ajay, Vishal Veeru Devgan. He changed his name right before his first movie, 'Phool aur Kante' in 1991, as Vishal was a widespread name back then. So, to stand out from the crowd and earn fame in the industry, he decided to change his name.

8. Saif-Ali-Khan

Part of the royal Pataudi family, Saif was born to cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and actress Sharmila Tagore. The dashing and charming Saif married Kareena Kapoor in October 2012. The photo of their marriage certificate surfaced over the internet in which Saif's name was Sajid Ali Khan Pataudi. Saif's father had changed his name because around that time, the princely states were falling. The actress did not know this until the day of their wedding. Saif and Kareena have two adorable boys, Taimur and Jahangir.

9. Rekha

The legendary and evergreen actress Rekha of the Indian Film Industry, has been a part of over 150 movies in over 50 years of her career. She entered the industry as a child, and today, her fans love her for her boldness and chicness. The ageless icon of B-town Rekha was born to Gemini Ganesan, a famous South actor, and Pushpavalli. Her real name was Bhanurekha Ganesan, but later she changed it to a shorter name and hence, easy to remember.

10. Katrina-Kaif

The gorgeous and talented Katrina has always surprised her fans with her outstanding performances. With an angelic face and perfect figure, Katrina made her debut in the Indian film industry with the movie Boom (2003), and after this, she worked in South movies. Katrina's real name is Katrina Tourquette. She changed her name to fit better in the industry, as Tourquette is a difficult name to remember and pronounce. As her father, Mohammed Kaif, was not involved in her upbringing, she adopted her mother's surname. But when debuting Bollywood she switched her surname to Kaif.