Bollywood Celebrities are as human as we fans and audience are and have their own beliefs, or are sentimental about their name before they join the Film industry or gain fame .
Some of the film stars in B-town have created a deep impact on our lives. We have been impressed with their style ,charisma and even their name. Their names have been changed for various reasons and one of them could be numerological number that relates to their name thus the lucky charm starts with their name before entering the glamorous film world. Here we take a look at some of the top actors who have changed their original name to screen name and you would be surprised..!!!!
Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar born as Abhas Kumar Ganguly was born in MP is a Singer, Actor, Lyricist, Composer, Film Producer, Director and Screen Writer for both Hindi and Bengali films. Abhas Kumar Ganguly changed his name to Kishore Kumar after he started his career in the Film Industry in a chorus singer for the Bombay Talkies production house where his brother Ashok Kumar also worked. Kishore Kumar’s first appearance in Bollywood was in the film Shikari in 1946 in which Ashok Kumar played the lead role.
Gurudutt
Gurudutt was born in Bangalore and was named Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone but he changed his name to Gurudutt following a childhood accident which made them belief that his name was inauspicious. Gurudutt got famous for films such as Pyaasa , Kaagaz Ke Phool, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam etc and was also a director and producer besides being an actor. He became famous between the periods 1950 to 1960 . Gurudutt featured in the 2010 CNN Top 25 Asian Actors. His films would go houseful not only in India, but also in Germany, France and Japan.
Pran
Pran Krishan Sikand better known by his screen name Pran a versatile character actor who was famous as one of the best villains of the Bollywood Industry . He also acted as the hero in some films and was a supporting actor. Pran acted in over 350 films and received many awards during his tenure in the film industry. Started his career with Khandaan in 1942. Was honoured the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and was one of the top names listed in the CNN’s Top 25 Asian Actors of all time.
Madhubala
Madhubala one of the most beautiful women of the Bollywood industry changed her name from Mumtaz Jahan Begum Dehlavi to Madhubala . Her original name being too long she chose the first alphabet from Mumtaz and in her reel life she got popularity as Madhubala and was known for her outstanding performance in films like Mughal-e-Azam, Mahal, Chalti Ka Naam Gadi an Mr & Mrs. 55 after which she rose to fame and created milestones in her career in the Hindi film industry.
Dharmendra
Dharmendra , Dharmendra Singh Deol one of the most brilliant veteran actors of the film industry , producer and politician. He had received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution in the Hindi Cinema.His most memorable role was in Sholay in 1975 and he also earned the nick names as Action King or the He Man. Born in Ludhiana , Dharmendra made his debut with Arjun Hingorani’s Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere in 1960 and since then he has been in the film industry over a decade.
Rajesh Khanna
Rajesh Khanna is the first superstar of the Indian Cinema and was raised in Amritstar by his foster parents Chunnilal Khanna and Leelawati who were relatives of his biological parents. He made his debut in the year 1966 fil Aakhri Khat directed by Chetan Anand followed by Raaz and that’s when he changed his name to Rajesh Khanna. Rajesh Khanna continued to reign the industry as the superstar for a long time and won many awards for his impeccable performance in every film he acted in. One of the first loverboy heroes and his screen presence was that of the first King of Romance.
Rekha
Bhanurekha Ganesan a better known actress as the Bollywood Diva Rekha is known as one of the most stunning and beautiful actress of the B-town . An actress with a flair for her versatility started her career in 1966 as child star and later did her debut in the industry with her adult role as Sawan Bhadon. A successful artist who has acted in over 180 films in a career span of 50 years.
Jeetendra
Jeetendra born as Ravi Kapoor in Amritstar Punjab . An actor, television and film producer and Chairman of the Balaji Telefilms and Balaji Motion Pictures and ALT Entertainment. Got his fame as one of the best dancers in Bollywood . He changed his name to Jeetendra when he joined the film industry in 1964 with his debut film a major break in the award winning film Geet Gaya Pattharon Ne by V. Shantaram. In the span of his career in the film industry between the 1960’s to the 1990’s Jeetendra won many awards for his performance and achievements.
Mithun Chakraborty
Gourang Chakraborty better known in the film industry as Mithun Chakraborty his screen name is a film actor, dancer, singer, producer, social worker , entrepreneur and a member of Parliament. A receiver of many awards including three National Film Awards . This Bengali babu made his acting debut with the art film Mrigayaa in 1976 and went on to establish himself as one of the biggest stars of the Bollywood industry. He is also recognised as the dancing star and got his fame with in his films for his Disco and Desi fusion dance form.
Dev Anand
Dev Anand the renowned actor in Bollywood and a much admired celebrity in the History of Hindi cinema, did his name change from Devdutt Pishorimal Anand to Dev Anand. The veteran actor had created magic on screen and went on to become one of the most successful superstar, a director, film producer . His Bollywood career span over 65 glorious years and he acted in about 114 Hindi films and two English films. His first film was in Hum Ek Hain in 1946 as a lead role in a film on Hindu-Muslim unity by Prabhat Films starring opposite Kamala Kotnis
Sanjeev Kumar
Bollywood’s most versatile and legendary actor Sanjeev Kumar who became very popular with his films that portrayed him in an off beat character . He was at his peak of his career between 1960 and 1970 and made his film debut in the year 1960 in the film Hum Hindustani. Just before he did his debut in the Bollywood , he changed his original name Harihar Jethalal Jariwala to Sanjeev Kumar. Many in the film Industry continued addressing him as Hari bhai.
Dilip Kumar
Dilip Kumar was born as Mohammad Yusuf Khan in a Awan family in Peshawar which is now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. Born to a landlonr and a fruit merchant was one among the 12 children. He moved to India in his growing years. He joined the film industry in 1942 and met Devika Rani the owner of Bombay Talkies who cast him in a lead role for Jwar Bhata in 1944 and changed his name from Mohammad Yusuf Khan to Dilip Kumar and also marked his entry and journey into the film industry
Sridevi
Sridevi was originally Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan a real long name that wouldn’t go too well in the entertainment industry she had chosen to make a career. The young actress before she entered into the filmline, as a child artist had established herself at the tender age of four and thats when her name was changed to Sridevi which stuck and she went on to become one of the most successful actress not only in Hindi films but also in Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada films.
Reena Roy
Reena Roy an yesteryear actress was one of the most popular lady who rocked the film industry between 1972 and 1985. Her real name was Saira Khan as she was born to a Muslim father and a Hindu mother who later separated . Her mother had changed her name to Roopa Rai and after many years when she joined the film industry she changed it to Reena Roy and she was a very talented actress and much sought after for many films.
Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff any one can guess what this macho man’s real name is ? Jaikishen Kaku Bhai was a local model in a few advertisements when director Subhash Ghai noticed him and launched him in the film Hero and he gave him the screen name Jackie Shroff which stayed on permanently in the span of four decades. After which the actor has been in the industry and has acted in over 200 films and ten language as Jackie Shroff.
Rajnikanth
Like many other successful Bollywood celebrities , Rajnikanth also went in for a name change when he joined the celluliod . He gave himself a screen name of Rajnikanth. His real name is Shivaji Rao Gaikwad and is a Maratha. He made his debut with director K Balachander who gave him his screen name . Rajnikanth has done over 150 films in various languages including Hindi and is one of the most popular actors in the South .
Shilpa Shetty
It would come as a surprise that actress Shilpa Shetty’s real name is Ashwini Shetty but before she joined the film industry with her debut role in the film Baazigar the actress went in for a change of her name from Ashwini Shetty to Shilpa Shetty . The name change was done during her teenage years for numerological reasons. This came to light only in 2008 though she has been in the industry since 1993.
Saif Ali Khan
The Nawab of Pataudi, the Bollywood ‘s most popular star son of the veteran actress Sharmila Tagore and the late Cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was born as Sajid Ali Khan but when he chose to join the B-town he called himself Saif Ali Khan. The change came into light only a few years back at the time of his wedding registration with Kareena Kapoor.
Ajay Devgn
Ajay Devgn has been in the industry for almost over 26 years from the time he did his first film ‘ Phool Aur Kaante’ in 1991 to his most recent, ‘ Baadshaho’ in 2017. We are aware the actor had changed the spelling of his name and dropped the alphabet a from Devgan and changed it to Devgn. This is not his first time when he made a change for his name the actor is said to have changed his first name too before he joined the industry therefore very few know him by his real name which was Vishal Devgan which he had changed to Ajay Devgan and then to Ajay Devgn.
Ranveer Singh
Ranveer Singh one of the most handsome hunk of Bollywood and the most popular young actor of the recent times went in for a change of his name before he joined the industry. The Sindhi boy Ranveer Bhavnani dropped his surname and felt it was too long and therefore adopted the surname as Singh. Ranveer Singh as the actor feels is a short and crisp name that would be remembered in the film industry and by his fan. He also felt his original surname was rather too long.
Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol
The elder son of veteran actor Dharmendra , Sunny Deol is an actor in Bollywood and started his career decades ago . Later his brother Bobby Deol followed him. Sunny is currently also a director and a producer . Dharmendra had named him Ajay Singh Deol but before he joined the film industry his name was changed to Sunny Deol. A popular actor and brother of Bollywood actor Bobby Deol who also changed his name from Vijay Singh Deol to Bobby Deol.
Salman Khan
Salman Khan a producer, television personality, singer, actor, philanthropist has had a career span in the Bollywood industry for over 25 years and has received numerous awards including two National Film Awards as the producer and many others. The eldest son of screen writer Salim Khan and Sushila Charak a Maharashtrian and a Jammu-Kashmir origin who changed her name to Salma Khan. Salman Khan was named Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan a name that long got cut short to Salman Khan when he made his debut in Maine Pyaar Kiya in 1989 and rose to become one of the most popular stars in Bollywood and is also internationally popular for his iconic screen appearance.
Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar was born as Rajiv Bhatia , an Indian Born Canadian actor who has been in the film industry with a career spanning for over a decade . Starring in over hundred films till date and has won several awards and most recently the National Film Award for his best performance . Rajiv Bhatia was born to Hari Om Bhatia and Aruna Bhatia . When he joined the film industry he changed his name to Akshay Kumar. His first film in the lead role was Deedar.
Preity Zinta
Preity Zinta was born as Preetam Singh Zinta in a family from Rohru in Simla district in Himachal Pradesh. Her father an Indian Army officer . Zinta started her career in modelling and became famous for her advertisement in Liril and Perk chocolate. Her film career began with Shekhar Kapur’s Tara Rum Pum opposite Hrithik Roshan but the film was shelved and she later commenced her career in Bollywood with Dil Se which had her on the screen only for 20 minutes but she had by then changed her name from Preetam Singh Zinta to Preity Zinta . Preity Zinta went on to do many films and is remembered always for her vivacious chirpy roles.
Mahima Chaudhary
A model turned actress and a Nepali origin Mahima Chaudhary was born to an Indian father and a Nepali mother from Darjeeling. She did her debut with the film Pardes in 1997 . The film was successful and she won her first award . Her real name is Ritu Chaudhary but Director Subhash Ghai changed her name to Mahima.
Katrina Kaif
Katrina Kaif was born in Hongkong to a British father Mohammed Kaif and a Kashmiri descent mother Suzanne Turquotte . She was named Katrina Turquotte and has seven siblings. She started her modelling career in and her film debut in 2003 and changed her screen name to Katrina Kaif. She was first noticed by London based filmmaker Kaizad Gustad and selected her for English-Hindi erotic heist film Boom . Kaif therafter established herself as one of the most successful actress and has done some brand endorsing as well in India.
Malika Sherawat
Mallika Sherawat was born as Reema Lamba in Haryana to a Jat family. Mallika which means Empress or the Queen was adopted by the actress and Sherawat is her mother’s maiden name. Before she entered the film industry she changed her name to Mallika Sherawat from Reema Lamba and over the years she managed to secure a good position in the flm industry and is known to be one of the hottest and an actress with her stunning looks. She is a great dancer as well.
Sunny Leone
Sunny Leone better known as the Porn queen a, Canadian born Indian American actress , model turned pornstar to Bollywood star changed her name from Karenjit Kaur Vohra to Sunny Leone . She changed her name when she joined the Penthouse Pet of the Year in 2003 and became one of the top porn stars in 2010 and thus to avoid people knowing about her involvement in Porn films she decided to drop her real name. She had also changed her name to Karen Malhotra. In 2012 she made her debut in Bollywood with Pooja Bhatt’s erotic thriller Jism 2 and shifted her focus to Bollywood films mainstream.
