Paresh Rawal Bio

Paresh Rawal hails from a Gujarati family and is married to Swaroop Sampat – Miss India 1979 and Bollywood actress.

He graduated from Narsee Monjee Institue of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai. He made his debut in the film Holi, directed by Ketan mehta in 1984. Paresh Rawal is well-known for his portrayals of a comedian and a villain.

He plays all types of character roles both comic and villanous. He has been awarded the prestigious National Award by the President of India for his roles in Sardar and Tammanna.

In 2000, he played a dim-witted and boisterous, but kind-hearted Marathi landlord Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in the film Hera Pheri. His performance was one of the key reasons for the major nationwide success the film received.

Rawal made his debut with the 1984 film Holi. He then appeared in over 100 films throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Paresh Rawal's biggest hit was Hera Pheri.

Before he attained national recognition, in 1991 Rawal achieved recognition and adulation for his role of a bank robber in Kshana Kshanam. His quirky accent and mannerisms made him an instant hit. He acted in quite a few Telugu films by the RGV school of direction like Money and Govinda Govinda.

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 also received his first Filmfare Award for Best Comedian. 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 not only national but international acclaim.

He followed it with the film Tamanna (1996), in which he played the role of a Hijra (person of "third" gender, typically male transgender) who raises a young, orphaned girl, played by Pooja Bhatt.

In 2000, Rawal played a dim-witted and boisterous, but kind-hearted Marathi landlord Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in the film Hera Pheri, who takes in Raju (Akshay Kumar) and Shyam (Sunil Shetty) as paying guests in his house. Rawal's acting was a key reason for the major nationwide success the film received.

For his performance, he won the Filmfare Best Comedian Award. He reprised his role as Baburao in the sequel to the film, Phir Hera Pheri (2006), which was also successful.

In 2002, Rawal portrayed one of three blind bank robbers in the hit film Aankhen. Rawal has since played many comedy roles in successful films including Awara Paagal Deewana (2002), Garam Masala (2005), Deewane Huye Paagal (2005), Malamaal Weekly (2006), Golmaal (2006), Chup Chup Ke (2006), Bhagam Bhag (2006), Shankar Dada MBBS, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Welcome and De Dana Dan (2009).

In 2010, Rawal acted in the movie Aakrosh based on honour killing.

A mention should also be made of his very successful acting career in Gujarati plays. The latest hit being "Dear Father" (Gujarati).

Paresh Rawal has produced several Hindi soaps including Zee TV's Teen Bahuraaniyaan, Sahara One's Main Aisi Kyunn Hoon and Colors' Laagi Tujhse Lagan.