Kumar won the National Film Award for Best Actor in 2016 for his performances in "Rustom" and "Airlift". He has been nominated for the Filmfare Awards several times, winning it two times. In 2008, he won the Screen Award for Best Actor (Popular Choice) for his performance in "Singh Is Kinng" and in 2009 he was nominated for Asian Film Award for Best Actor. In 2008, 2011, and 2013 he won the Stardust Award for Star of the Year – Male.