Gurpreet Singh, popularly known by his stage name Ghuggi, is an Indian comedian, actor and politician. A household name in Punjab, Ghuggi is known to tickle the funny bones of the audience with his funny antics. Throughout his career, he has played many comic roles in films and TV series. The actor had a brief stint in politics and served as the party organizer of the Punjab unit of the Aam Aadmi Party from September 2016 to 2017.
Wiki/Biography
Gurpreet Ghuggi was born on Monday, 19 July 1971 (age 49 years; as in 2020) in village Khokhar Faujian in Gurdaspur, Punjab. His full name is Gurpreet Singh Wariach.
Gurpreet Ghuggi in childhood
Ghuggi moved to Jalandhar with his family when he was a child. He attended a local school in Jalandhar.
School group photo featuring Gurpreet Ghuggi (face surrounded)
Gurpreet was inclined towards acting at a young age in his childhood. Growing up in Jalandhar, he saw hard times as a teenager after his family’s business hit a financial crisis. The current situation forced Gurpreet to look for a job and at the same time continue his formal education and drama. After passing class 10, Gurpreet started working as a daily wage clerk outside Tehsil Kartarpur Sahib, a job that earned him Rs. 5-10 a day. At the end of the day, he used to give all the money he earned to his father. After returning from work, he used to walk 5 km to Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar, where he used to attend drama classes, and then return home around 8 pm. The day will not end there. After dinner, he will go out for acting practice with fellow Rehnuma Drama Group artists and then return home around 1:00 pm. This tight schedule continued until he finished his schooling. After completing class 12, Gurpreet realized that if he had to make it big in acting, then he needed to change the track he was on and put his entire focus on acting. Given his family’s financial situation, Gurpreet had to make a difficult choice between helping his family out of the financial crisis or enrolling in college to pursue his acting aspirations. After mulling over the two options, Gurpreet enrolled herself in Doaba College of Education, Jalandhar (affiliated with Guru Nanak Dev University), for a Bachelor of Arts degree. Seeing his financial condition and acting talent, the college administration gave him 100 percent freedom (when the total tuition fee was paid by the authority itself) upon admission. In his first year in college, he was awarded with the title of “Best Actor” in the Guru Nanak Dev Youth Festival 1991. In the same year in 1991, with the help of his acting, GNDU was able to clinch the “Best College in Drama” Trophy at the All-University Youth Festival India held at Kamraj University Madurai (Tamil Nadu) in 1991. He made the youth festival a platform to make people aware of his talent. He created opportunities for himself, worked in different places, including radio shows, television shows, and rose through the ranks to make his identity in the Punjabi entertainment industry.
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 8″
Eye Color: Black
Family & Caste
Gurpreet Singh is married to Kuljeet Kaur. He was one of the people who pushed Ghuggi to join politics. Together they have two children, Sukhan (son) and Ramneek (daughter).
Gurpreet Ghuggi with his son, Sukhan Wariach
In 2009, Ghuggi joined Hans Baliye’s comedy show with his wife. The couple ended up winning the show.
Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi with his wife at a party hosted by Hans Baliye’s production team
Career
In the Entertainment Industry
He started his career by acting in theater plays in the early 90s. At that time, all the characters he played were quite serious characters. Here’s an episode of ‘Champion,’ Ghuggi’s first TV show on DD Punjabi.
He turned into a comedy actor after meeting Balwinder Vicky, a popular Punjabi comedian in the 1990s (better known as Chacha Raunki Ram or Raunki Ram). Ghuggi considers him as his teacher in comedy. Here is a live scene from 27 January 1996, where Ghuggi performed live on the Miss Punjab 1996 stage with her comedian mentor Balwinder Vicky.
During the initial phase of his career, Ghuggi worked in several TV soap operas. His works in serials like Ghuggi Khol Pitari, Ghuggi Yaar Gupp Na Maar, Ghuggi De Barati, Daldal, Naseehat, Udeek, Lori and Rishtey were appreciated by his audience. The first Punjabi film she acted in was “Jee Aayan Nu” (2004), a Punjabi romantic drama starring Harbhajan Mann. He played the role of a travel agent in the film.
Jee Aayan Nu Poster
After that, he acted in several Punjabi comedy films including Ghuggi Chhoo Mantar (2004), a comedy film in which Ghuggi played the role of a thug who cheats people in his witty style. Here is a clip from the film.
Along with acting in Punjabi films, Ghuggi has participated in several stand-up comedy shows on television. He gained huge national recognition among Indian audiences after appearing on “The Great Indian Laughter Challenge,” an Indian reality stand-up comedy series aired on Star One.
Known for supporting roles, Ghuggi has also appeared in lead roles in several Punjabi films. He was widely praised for his serious lead role as Gurmukh Singh in Ardaas (2015).
Along with starring in Punjabi films, Ghuggi has also appeared in several Bollywood films such as Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (2006), Namastey London (2007), Race (2008), and many more. He played the role of politician Manjeet in the 2008 Indian action comedy film, Singh Is Kinng, starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif.
As a politician
Given his popularity as an entertainer, Gurpreet Singh entered politics by joining the Aam Aadmi Party on 10 February 2016.
Gurpreet Ghuggi addressing the Punjab Inqilab Assembly in Balachaur on 10 December 2016
On 4 September 2016, he was appointed as the party convenor in place of Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who was accused of taking bribes in exchange for polling tickets.
Ghuggi during a political rally in Amritsar after becoming Aam Aadmi Party Punjab Unit Convenor on September 4, 2016
On 10 May 2017, he resigned from the main membership of the Aam Aadmi Party two days after being replaced by Bhagwant Mann as the convenor of AAP’s Punjab unit. After resigning from the main membership of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Gurpreet Singh Wariach stated,
I cannot work under the leadership of a person who has been appointed on the condition that he will not drink (alcohol).”
Favorite Things
Bollywood Movies: A Wednesday (2008), Paan Singh Tomar (2012), PK (2014) & Baby (2015)
Food: Sarso ka saag and makke ki roti with homemade butter
Pilgrimage Site: Golden temple, Amritsar
Comedian: BN Sharma
Facts/Trivia
- Born Gurpreet Singh Wariach, Ghuggi is Gurpreet’s stage name, given to him by popular 90s comedian Balwinder Vicky. Over the next few years, the name caught the attention of his audience, and after that, everyone, including Gurpreet himself, started referring to him as Ghuggi.
- Ghuggi is a teetotaler (a person who does not consume alcohol). He has also abstained from non-vegetarian food since 2005. Gurpreet Ghuggi stopped eating non-vegetarian food due to some health complications in 2005.
- Gurpreet Ghuggi enjoys long drives. Whenever he needs a break, he goes on road trips with friends and family.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
