Recently, Akshay appeared on the season finale of The Great Indian Kapil Show (Season 3), celebrating his 35-year journey in cinema. And amidst the laughter and fanfare, he opened up about his early motivation: financial security. Revealing just how “middle class” he really is, Akshay recalled a pivotal memory from his youth:

“I had read a news article long ago that Jeetendra sahab had made a fixed deposit (FD) of ₹100 crore. I still remember, I ran to my father and asked, ‘Daddy, if someone makes an FD of ₹100 crore, what would the interest be?’ At that time, the interest rate was 13%, which meant ₹1.3 crore per month. I thought, ‘The day I manage to create an FD like that, I’ll feel financially secure.’ But humans are never satisfied. That number kept increasing for me — from ₹100 crore to ₹1,000 crore and then ₹2,000 crore. The greed never ends.” Of course, Kapil Sharma couldn’t resist asking the next obvious question: “What’s the biggest FD you have?” Akshay’s reply? Classic deadpan: “I won’t tell you.”

The superstar also admitted that his middle-class instincts are alive and kicking, even today. “Even today, if my son or daughter leave a fan or light on, I instinctively rush to turn it off. I know it might only add ₹2,000 extra to the electricity bill, but I can’t help myself. It’s a habit.” Akshay added: “This morning I even scolded my coach. I had asked him to turn on the AC five minutes before I entered the room, but he did it 25 minutes early. It’s not kanjoosi (stinginess), it’s just how I have been raised — being mindful of resources.”

Of course, Akshay’s “middle-class” mentality hasn’t stopped him from making a big difference in the world. Later in the show, stuntmen also opened up about Akshay’s long-standing support for their welfare, revealing that he personally covers the life insurance premiums for every member of their union.