All own his own: Akshay Kumar believes he and Shah Rukh Khan are the only actors in the current times who have attained this level of success all on their own, without any godfather backing them.

King Khan: The Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan started his journey way back in the 1980s when he appeared in television serials. He made his film debut with the commercially successful Deewana.

Big B: Amitabh Bachchan made his film debut in 1969 as one of the seven protagonists in Saat Hindustani. Though the film was not a financial success, Bachchan won an award for Best Newcomer.

Hottie: Intially a model, John Abrahan won the Gladrags Manhunt Contest, and made his film debut with Jism. The film got him nominated for the Filmfare Best Debut Award.

Bachchan bahu: Before starting her acting career, Aishwarya Rai worked as a model, and gained fame after winning the Miss World contest in 1994. She made her film debut in Mani Ratnam's Tamil film Iruvar.

Self made: After winning the title of Miss India World and later becoming Miss World 2000, Priyanka Chopra made her acting debut with the Tamil film Thamizhan.

Lucky boy!: Arjun Rampal was discovered in a Mumbai discotheque by designer Rohit Bal. Soon the actor became Rohit's protégé, who pomoted him to the extent that he became one of India's most sought after male supermodels and subsequently an actor.

Sizzling: Bollywood bombshell Katrina Kaif was approached by an agent when she was fourteen. Her first job was modelling for a jewellery campaign in London. Subsequently, she was discovered by filmmaker Kaizad Gustad, who gave her a part in his film Boom.

Bombshell: Mallika Sherawat made her onscreen debut was in Lak Tunoo, a music video by Surjit Bindrakhia. She came into the spotlight with her 17 kisses in her movie Khwahish.

Sensual: Since her debut in the film Baazigar (1993), Shilpa Shetty appeared in nearly 50 Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films, her first leading role being in the Aag. Although she went through years of decline during her career, Shetty keeps reinventing herself.

Pretty woman: While in college, Deepika Padukone decided to pursue a career in modelling. She modeled for well-known Indian brand names such as Liril, Dabur Lal powder, Close-Up toothpaste and Limca before entering films.

Circuit!: Arshad Warsi had a keen interest in dancing and won the fourth prize in the English Jazz Dancing Competition at the age of 21. He started his own dance school with that money. Soon he got his first offer to act in Amitabh Bachchan's first production Tere Mere Sapne in 1996.

Nasal king: Son of Gujarati music director Vipin Reshammiya, Himesh Reshammiya lost his elder brother at the age of 11, and decided to take up music as his career after the incident, to fulfill his father's wishes. He made his film debut in Aap Kaa Suroor The Movie:The Real Love Story.