Kulbhushan Kharbanda is an Indian actor best known for playing Shakaal, the antagonist, in the Hindi film Shaan (1980). He is considered to be one of the most admired villains of Bollywood.
Wiki/Biography
Kulbhushan Kharbanda was born on Saturday, 21 October 1944 (age 78 years; in 2022) in Hasan Abdal, Attock District, Punjab, British India (now in Pakistan). He pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Delhi. After the partition of India, Kulbhushan’s family moved to India from Pakistan. His father’s job included traveling so the family had to move to different cities around the country. Kulbhushan attended school in Jodhpur, Aligarh, Dehradun, and Delhi. In an interview, Kulbhushan shared that he got admission in the National School of Drama; however, he did not attend due to the high failure rate of NSD.
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 7″
Hair Color: Gray
Eye Color: Brown
Family
Wife & Children
On 8 December 1965, Kulbhushan married Maheshwari Devi Kharbanda. Maheshwari, daughter of Maharaja Ram Singh II of Pratapgarh, Rajasthan, was earlier married to the Maharaja of Kotah.
Kulbhushan Kharbanda and his wife, Maheshwari Devi Kharbanda
Kulbhushan and Maheshwari have a daughter named Shruti Kharbanda. In 2018, Shruti married Rohit Navale.
Kulbhushan Kharbanda with his daughter and wife
Address
No. 501, Silver Cascade, Bandra West, Mumbai
Career
After graduating from college, Kulbhushan and his college friends formed a theater group called Abhiyaan, which was short-lived. Later, he joined another theater group called Tarik. He then moved to Kolkata and started working with the Hindi theater group ‘Padatik’ under director Shyamanand Jalan. During his theater days in Kolkata, he was offered a film job and moved to Mumbai.
Movie
Hindi
In 1974, he made his Bollywood debut with the film ‘Nishant,’ directed by Shyam Benegal. He played the role of Police Patel in the film.
Kulbhushan Kharbanda (left) with actor Girish Karnad (right) in a still from the film ‘Nishant’ (1974)
In 1980, he appeared in Ramesh Sippy’s critically acclaimed film Shaan in which he played Shakaal, a bald antagonist.
In the 1985 action drama film Ghulami, he played Havaldar Gopi Dada. The role earned her immense popularity and a nomination for the 1986 Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Kulbhushan Kharbanda in a still from the film ‘Ghulami’ (1985)
In 2008, he won acclaim for playing the role of Raja Veer Bharmal, Jodhaa’s father, in the historical drama film Jodha Akbar.
Kulbhushan Kharbanda in a still from the movie ‘Jodha Akbar’ (2008)
In 2001, Kulbhushan appeared in the national award winning film Lagaan. Her role, Raja Puran Singh Chawla, in this film earned her a nomination for the 2002 IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Kulbhushan Kharbanda in a still from the movie ‘Lagaan’ (2001)
He has appeared in all three parts of Deepa Mehta’s Elements trilogy: Fire (1996), Earth (1998), and Water (2005). He appeared in JP Dutta’s films Border (1997) and Refugee (2000). She is also known for her performances in Shyam Benegal’s films Manthan (1976), Bhumika: The Role (1977), and Junoon (1978).
Punjabi
In 1980, he made his Punjabi debut with the film ‘Chan Pardesi,’ directed by Chitrarth Singh. Kulbhushan appeared in this film along with actors Raj Babbar, Amrish Puri, and Rama Vij.
Kulbhushan Kharbanda in a still from the film ‘Chan Pardesi’ (1980)
He has appeared in many Punjabi films including Mahaul Theek Hai (1999), Delhi in a Day (2012), Midnight’s Children (2012), Saadi Love Story (2013), and Kirpaan – The Sword of Honor (2014).
OTT
In 2018, Kulbhushan appeared in Amazon Prime action crime thriller web series seasons 1 and 2 Mirzapur where he played Satyanand Tripathi aka Bauji.
Television
In 1997, Kulbhushan made his Television debut with the Hindi drama series Yeh Hai Mere Apne on ZEE TV. In 2020, he appeared in the BBC Television drama web series titled A Suitable Boy where he played Karim Chand Seth, Nanaji Lata.
Theater
She has appeared in Hindi dramas like Teen Farishtay, Hatya Ek Akaar ki, and Atmakatha.
Favourite
- Actor(s): Balraj Sahni, Motilal, and Naseeruddin Shah
- Directors: Shyam Benegal, Raj Kapoor, and Ramesh Sippy
Facts/Trivia
- Kulbhushan smokes occasionally.
- Kulbhushan owns a house in Khandala, Maharashtra.
- In an interview, when Kulbhushan was asked which medium of acting he liked, he replied,
I refuse movies to act! I lost millions of rupees. But I never complained. It was a choice I had made and I could afford at the time. It’s funny, when we were in the film industry, if I told someone I was working in a drama, they would ask me why I was wasting my time! So I used to lie to people when I had to go to practice or perform for my play. At that time, people respected an actor only if he worked in films.
- In 2011, Kulbhushan fell while riding a horse and injured his back after he turned down a role offered by director Vinay Sharma in the film Atmakatha; however, Vinay Sharma is waiting for him to fully recover.
- In 2015, he won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the PTC Punjabi Film Awards.
- While Kulbhushan was living in Kolkata as a theater artiste, director Shyam Benegal wanted him to work in his film ‘Nishant’ (1974). Kulbhushan thought it would be a waste of time and effort to go to Bombay from Kolkata, so he declined; however, Shyam Benegal was so enthusiastic that he sent him a plane ticket.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
