Paresh Rawal

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Movies listed: 34

Born: Unknown

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Biography

Paresh Rawal is an Indian actor, film producer, comedian, and former politician whose career has been centered largely in Hindi cinema, with additional work in other Indian-language films. Born on 30 May 1955 in Bombay, Bombay State, India, he was raised in a Gujarati family and studied at Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai. Rawal became known as one of Hindi cinema's most versatile character actors, moving across villainous roles, social dramas, satire, and broad comedy over a career that has spanned more than four decades.

Rawal began appearing on screen in the 1980s, with early work including the 1985 film Arjun and the 1986 film Naam, which helped establish him as a recognizable screen presence. During the late 1980s and 1990s he was frequently cast in antagonist and supporting roles, appearing in films such as Shiva, King Uncle, Baazi, Mohra, Dilwale, and China Gate. His performance in Ketan Mehta's Sardar, in which he portrayed Indian political leader Vallabhbhai Patel, marked one of his most prominent dramatic roles of the period.

A major critical milestone came in 1994, when Rawal won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in Woh Chokri and Sir. Sir also brought him Filmfare recognition in a negative-role category, reflecting the period in which he was widely associated with intense dramatic and villainous parts. He later became equally identified with comic performance, a shift that broadened his mainstream appeal and made him a recurring presence in ensemble Hindi comedies.