Akshay Kumar reflects on his childhood struggles.

Mumbai: Akshay Kumar, one of India's most successful actors, has risen to stardom not only for his hit films but also for his remarkable journey from a modest beginning.

In a recent interview with Indian media, the Bollywood icon shared insights into his early life and the challenging circumstances he faced before making it big in the film industry.

Kumar recollected his early days when financial resources were scarce, but laughter and happiness were abundant.

His journey began in Delhi before he eventually shifted to Mumbai in pursuit of his dreams.

"In a small house in Chandni Chowk, we lived as 24 people, all crammed into a single room," Kumar revealed, adding, "When we woke up for our morning exercises, we'd have to leap over one another just to get out."

Even after relocating to Mumbai, the actor lived in a modest rented house for which he paid a meager rent of Rs100.

"By God," Kumar recalled, "not a day went by when we didn't laugh or smile. Even today, despite having financial comfort, we sometimes feel sadness, but there was no sadness back then. Our simple meals of dal, rice, cumin, potato, and okra brought us immense joy."

Kumar shared touching memories of his family's tradition of going to the movies every Saturday.

To save money for movie tickets, they would skip breakfast on those special days.

Opening up about his academic journey, Kumar revealed that he had faced failure in the 7th grade, which required him to repeat the entire year. He recalled a moment when his father came to confront him after the failure, asking what he aspired to be. The determined young Kumar replied, "An actor."