On the 77th Independence Day, Akshay Kumar, who had often faced online trolling as ‘Canada Kumar’ due to his Canadian citizenship, surprised everyone by declaring that he had reclaimed his Indian citizenship. Just like his heart, his citizenship too is now rooted in Hindustan.
But he wasn’t the only Bollywood actor who held foreign citizenship! Here’s a compilation of Bollywood actors who are not Indian citizens and hold foreign citizenships:
1. Alia Bhatt
One of the most successful and highest-paid actresses in our country, Alia Bhatt is not an Indian. Alia was born in London to filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and British-born actor Soni Razdan. And, hence she holds a British passport.
2. Nargis Fakhri
In 2011, Nargis Fakhri debuted opposite Ranbir Kapoor in Imtiaz Ali’s romantic drama Rockstar. Do you know Nargis Fakhri was also nominated for Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut? In her Bollywood career, she has been part of many movies including Madras Cafe, and Housefull 3 among others. As per sources, Nargis Fakhri was born in Queens, New York City and she is an American citizen.
3. Norah Fatehi
Nora Fatehi, an actress and accomplished dancer, hails from Moroccan heritage and was raised in Canada. As a result, she possesses both Canadian citizenship and a Canadian passport.
4. Jacqueline Fernandez
Jacqueline Fernandez made her Bollywood debut with Sujoy Ghosh’s directorial Aladin in 2009. But, many are not aware that she doesn’t hold Indian citizenship. In fact, Jacqueline Fernandez is a Sri Lankan actress, who is the winner of the Miss Universe Sri Lanka pageant in 2006. She was raised in Bahrain by a multiracial family of Canadian, Sri Lankan, and Malaysian descent.
5. Katrina Kaif
One of the most popular actresses of recent times, Katrina Kaif was born in Hong Kong and has a British passport. Though her father was a Kashmiri who stayed in Hong Kong, her mother is a British citizen.
6. Imran Khan
Yes, even Imran Khan is not an Indian citizen. He was born in Madison, Wisconsin in the United States, and holds an American passport. Imran moved to Mumbai with his mother after the divorce of his parents.
7. Kalki Koechlin
One of the most unconventional movie stars, Kalki Koechlin is also not an Indian citizen. Though she was born in Puducherry, India, she has a French passport because of her French parents. Â
8. Evelyn Sharma
The actress from “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani” possesses German citizenship. Born and brought up in Frankfurt, Hesse, West Germany, Evelyn Sharma’s father is of Indian origin, while her mother is German.
9. Akhil Akkineni
Hailing from San Jose in California, United States, Akhil Akkineni is the grandson of actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao and the half-brother of Naga Chaitanya. He holds US citizenship. Akhil’s latest movie, titled “Agent,” was helmed by director Surender Reddy and produced by Anil Sunkara. It hit the screens on April 28, 2023, with a substantial budget of 80 crores. Regrettably, upon its release, the film garnered notably unfavorable reviews from both critics and audiences alike. Facing a dismal opening and experiencing commercial failure, “Agent” turned out to be a disappointment.
10. Sunny Leone
Born with the original name Karenjit Kaur, Sunny Leone came into the world in Sarnia, Ontario, to parents of Sikh Indian Punjabi origin. She holds citizenship in both Canada and the United States.
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