Paresh Rawal

Paresh Rawal (born 30 May 1955) is an Indian actor film producer and former politician, known for his works primarily in Hindi films. Considered as one of the finest actors of Hindi cinema, he has appeared in over 240 films and is the recipient of various accolades including a National Film Awards and three Filmfare Awards. He was honoured with Padma Shri from the Government of India in 2014. Before establishing himself in Hindi cinema, Rawal was actively involved in Gujarati theatre. He became known for his stage performances and continued his association with theatre throughout his film career. His Gujarati play Dear Father received appreciation from audiences and was later adapted into a film of the same name in 2022. In an interview, Rawal discussed his return to Gujarati cinema after several decades. He stated that the timing felt appropriate for him to revisit Gujarati films and expressed his interest in working on Dear Father, a project based on his Gujarati stage play of the same name. In 1994, he won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in the films Woh Chokri and Sir. For the latter, he received his first Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role. This was followed by Ketan Mehta's Sardar, which saw him playing the lead role of freedom fighter Vallabhbhai Patel, a role that got him national and international acclaim. His other notable works in Hindi cinema are Arjun (1985), Naam (1986), Shiva (1990), Andaz Apna Apna (1993), Mohra (1994), Dilwale (1994), China Gate (1998), Aitraaz (2004) and Table No. 21 (2013). He has received recognition for his villain roles in Telugu box office hits such as Kshana Kshanam (1991), (1994), Money Money (1995), Govinda Govinda (1994), Rikshavodu (1995), Bavagaru Bagunnara (1998). Rawal further gained acclaim...