Paresh Rawal

Paresh Rawal is an Indian actor who has worked in a number of Bollywood films. His work is notable in both comedy and villainous roles. He also had a considerable presence in Telugu media throughout the 90s. During his acting career, he has won many prestigious awards and gained critical acclaim. Further, he has stepped into the political field and currently serves as a member of Lok Sabha as a BJP leader.

Early Life

Paresh was born on May 30, 1951, in Mumbai’s Gujarati family. He received his college education from Narsee Monjee College of Commerce & Economics, Mumbai. He is married to former Miss India 1979 Swaroop Sampat and has two sons.

Career

Paresh kicked off his film career in 1985 with the movie Arjun. However, it was Naam that came in 1986 that got him noticed by both media and the critics. After this blockbuster, he was being considered as a talented actor. He then got roles in more than 100 films in the 1980s and 1990s, such as ‘Ram Lakhan'(1989), ‘King Uncle’ (1993), ‘Baazi’ (1995), ‘Daud’ (1997) and many more.

In 1990, came the cult comedy ‘Andaz Apna Apna’ (1994) in which he was in a double role. In 2000 came another hit, in which Rawal gained huge appreciation from viewers and critics for his role in ‘Hera Pheri’. His acting was considered one of the main reason for the film’s huge success. After that, he starred in a number of mainstream Hindi movies. Throughout the 2000s, he played leading roles in films such as ‘Awara Paagal Deewana’ (2002), ‘Hulchul’ (2004), ‘Deewane Huye Paagal’ (2005), ‘Garam Masala’ (2005), ‘Golmaal: Fun Unlimited’ (2006), ‘Malamaal Weekly’ (2006), ‘Bhagam Bhag’ (2007), ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ (2007), ‘Welcome’ (2007), ‘De Dana Dan’ (2009) and many more. In 2012, he won rave reviews for his role in superhit ‘OMG – Oh My God!’ (2012).

He played a prominent role of legendary actor Sunil Dutt, Sanjay Dutt’s father in Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘Sanju’ (2018).

Awards and Achievements

• In 1994, he won National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Woh Chokri & Sir
• In 1996, he bagged Star Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Raja
• In 2001, he won multiple awards for Hera Pheri: Filmfare Best Comedian Award, IIFA Best Comedian Award, Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role and Star Screen Award for Best Comedian
• In 2003 as well, he won multiple awards for his role in Awara Paagal Deewana: Filmfare Best Comedian Award, Star Screen Award for Best Comedian and Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role
• In 2010, he was awarded Apsara Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role for his comedic role in Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?
• In 2014, he received Padma Shri for his contribution to the entertainment world.