top 10 most underestimated Actors In Bollywood
Bollywood has a pool of supremely talented actors that never really rise from the shadows. Blame it on box-office or the lack of opportunities; these actors are yet to find their place in the industry.
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Pawan Malhotra, born in Delhi, India, is a versatile Indian actor known for his impactful performances in Bollywood films, television, and regional cinema. With a career spanning several decades, Pawan Malhotra has earned acclaim for his ability to portray diverse characters with authenticity and depth.
Pawan Malhotra started his acting journey with theater and made a seamless transition to the world of cinema. He made his mark in Bollywood with notable performances in the late 1980s and early 1990s. One of his early acclaimed roles was in the film "Bagh Bahadur" (1989), directed by Buddhadeb Dasgupta, where he portrayed the lead character with nuance and sensitivity.
Throughout his career, Pawan Malhotra has portrayed a wide range of characters, from supporting roles to lead roles, in both mainstream and parallel cinema. His performances in films like "Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro" (1989), "Black Friday" (2004), and "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" (2013) have showcased his versatility and ability to immerse himself in the roles he undertakes.
In addition to Hindi cinema, Pawan Malhotra has been active in regional films, particularly Punjabi cinema, where he has delivered impactful performances. His commitment to storytelling and authenticity in his portrayals has garnered him appreciation from audiences and critics alike.
Pawan Malhotra has also made a significant impact on Indian television with roles in popular shows like "Nukkad" (1986-1987) and "Pradhanmantri" (2013). His work on the small screen has contributed to his recognition as a seasoned actor across various mediums.
Apart from his acting career, Pawan Malhotra has been associated with social and cultural initiatives. His dedication to his craft, combined with his commitment to meaningful storytelling, has established him as a respected figure in the Indian entertainment industry.
Pawan Malhotra continues to be an active and influential presence in Indian cinema, delivering memorable performances across different genres.- Actor
- Music Department
- Director
Annu Kapoor made his debut in the film Mandi directed by Shyam Benegal in 1983.His career has spanned nearly 30 years including a distinctive presence in Bollywood cinema, television serials, and reality game shows. He is best remembered for hosting the singing show Antakshari, produced by ZEE TV. His performance as an obsessive-compulsive Sperm Clinic Doctor in the recently released Vicky Donor has met with a lot of praise from the critics as well as the audience.- Actor
- Writer
- Music Department
Sadashiv Amrapurkar is a popular actor who is well known for his performances in Marathi and Hindi films in the 1980s and 90s. He received the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role in 1991 for Sadak - the first time the award was instituted. In addition to negative roles, he has shone in supporting roles and, more recently, in comic roles.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Sachin Khedekar was born on 14 March 1965 in Mumbai, Maharahstra, India. He is an actor, known for 13B: Fear Has a New Address (2009), Agneepath (2012) and Sita Ramam (2022). He has been married to Jalpa Khedekar since 19 December 1993. They have two children.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Shukla's family left Gorakhpur for Delhi when he was two years old. After completing his schooling, he graduated from Khalsa College, Delhi. His professional career began in 1984 with his entry into theater.
Shukla began serious theater in 1986 with roles in plays like A View From The Bridge (Arthur Miller), Look Back In Anger (John Osborne), Ghashiram Kotwal (Vijay Tendulkar) and Hayvadan. In 1991, he joined the NSD Repertoire Company - the professional wing of the National School of Drama - as an actor. The next year, he got his first break when Shekhar Kapur, impressed with his work, created a role for him in Bandit Queen. Shukla also took the role of Vijay Anand's sidekick Gopi in the 1994 Doordarshan crime drama Tehkikat. The series was directed by Karan Razdan, but Shekhar Kapur directed the first episode.
Shukla's biggest break came when he co-wrote the script for Ram Gopal Varma's 1998 cult classic Satya and essayed the role of gangster Kallu Mama in the film. He won the Star Screen Award for Best Screenplay alongside Anurag Kashyap.
In 2003, he wrote the screenplay for Calcutta Mail. He received his first award for this film, the Zee Cine Award for Best Screenplay. In 2008, he acted in his first international film, the Golden Globe and Academy Award winning Slumdog Millionaire, as the character Constable Srinivas.- Actor
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Composer
Sanjay Mishra is an Indian actor primarily working in the Hindi film and television industry.
Mishra was raised in Varanasi, India. His father was an employee of the Press Information Bureau under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. His grandfather served as a District Magistrate.
Mishra's father took a keen interest in the arts, inspiring him to do something in the field. His earliest influence was his grandmother, who sang for the Patna Radio Station.
Mishra did his schooling at the Kendriya Vidyalaya BHU in Varanasi. He later attended the National School of Drama in New Delhi and graduated in 1989.
Mishra made his Bollywood debut with the film Oh Darling Yeh Hai India (1995) featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepa Sahi. He went on to appear in several films, including Rajkumar (1996), Dil Se.. (1998), Wajood (1998), Satya (1998), Jwalamukhi (2000), Jung (2000), and Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000).
At the same time, Mishra worked in numerous television shows like Chanakya (1990), Aahat (1995), Hum Bambai Nahin Jayenge (1994), Office Office (2000), C.I.D. (1998), Lapataganj (2009), Comedy Circus (2018), and Booo: Sabki Phategi (2019).
Mishra has played a range of roles in Bollywood. He starred in serious roles in movies like Satya (1998), Zameen (2003), Plan (2004), and Charas: A Joint Effort (2004). He also essayed comedic roles in films like Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006) and Dhamaal (2007). He went on to feature in critically acclaimed films like Bunty Aur Babli (2005) and Apna Sapna Money Money (2006) while taking a break from television.
Mishra starred in the leading role in Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga... (2013). He then played the part of the protagonist in the critically recognised film Ankhon Dekhi (2013), directed by Rajat Kapoor. He has also appeared in minor roles in big-banner films like All the Best: Fun Begins (2009) and Phas Gaye Re Obama (2010).
In the 2020s, Mishra appeared in Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (2020), 36 Farmhouse (2022), Cirkus (2022), Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022), Bachchhan Paandey (2022), Holy Cow (2022), and Vadh (2022).
Mishra won the Best Actor award in the critic's category for Aankhon Dekhi at the Filmfare Awards in 2015. He was nominated for Masaan and Kamyab in the following years. He went on to win awards as the best actor for Aankhon Dekhi in 2014 and best-supporting actor for Masaan in 2015 at the Filmfare awards. He also received the Best Supporting actor (Male) award for Masaan at the Zee Cine Awards in 2016.- Actor
- Additional Crew
When Ashish Vidyarthi first began his career in the acting industry, he was known for playing one of the most lovable villains in Bollywood. At present, he is finally able to fulfil his lifelong ambition of being a YouTuber, public speaker, and explorer. Vidyarthi is a well-known figure in the media today because he has been in over 300 movies made in 11 different languages.
Vidyarthi was a student at Mehta Vidyalaya, part of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. He attended Hindu College in Delhi and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in history there. Vidyarthi made his debut in the movie industry with the Kannada film Anand (1986), in which he had a supporting part.
Until 1990, he was a National Academy of Theatre student. Vidyarthi was then seen starring in the Kannada movie Hijack (1991). A few years later, in the movie Sardar (1993), based on the life of Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Vidyarthi portrayed V. P. Menon. The movie was directed by Ketan Mehta and starred Paresh Rawal, Tom Alter and Annu Kapoor.
Vidyarthi debuted in the Hindi film industry in Droh Kaal (1994). The movie earned him a National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor the following year. He also appeared in Naajayaz (1995) with Ajay Devgn, Naseeruddin Shah and Juhi Chawla.
Vidyarthi went on to star in classic films such as 1942: A Love Story (1994), Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin (1996), Mrityudaata (1997), Soldier (1998), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999), Vaastav: The Reality (1999) and Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000), Refugee (2000), LOC: Kargil (2003), Barfi! (2012), and Begum Jaan (2017), to name a few.
On the international front, Vidhyarthi was a part of the film Nightfall (2000), which was shot in Hollywood. Gwyneth Gibby is the director of this film adaptation of Isaac Asimov's short tale of the same name.
With movies like Ezhumalai (2002), Pokiri (2006), Kuruvi (2008), Adhurs (2010), and Awara (2012), Vidyarthi left a mark in many regional films. In addition to appearing in films, he starred in the audio series Kahanibaaz (2018).
Vidyarthi lent his voice to the role of Scar in the Hindi version of The Lion King (2019).
He was also a part of iSmart Shankar (2019) in the role of a CBI officer, Ramamoorthy. Puri Jagannadh directed this science-fiction Telugu movie. Later the same year, Vidyarthi acted in Oru Adaar Love (2019), a Malayalam love story starring Priya Prakash Varrier and Mohammed Roshan.
The year after, Ashish Vidyarthi acted in the film Uriyattu (2020), which K. Bhuvanachandran directed.
Vidyarthi has received various accolades and awards, like the Star Screen Award for Best Villain and the Best Actor Award from the Bengali Journalists' Association for his movie Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin (1996). He also was awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Villain - Telugu for his movie Athanokkade (2005) and received the Best Character Actor award for his work in the Telugu film Minugurulu (2012).
Vidyarthi has honed his acting abilities not just by performing on the big screen but also by appearing in other online series. To mention a few, Trial by Fire (2018), Mission Over Mars (2019), Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors (2020), Raktanchal (2020), Sunflower (2021), and Rudra: The Edge of Darkness (2022).
Vidyarthi was last seen in the Telugu film Writer Padmabhushan (2023), which saw him play the role of Madhusudhan Rao.
Vidyarthi is well-known not just for the parts he has played on screen but also for his work as a motivational speaker. He has improved the lives of young professionals at over 200 organisations worldwide through his ignite lectures and customised transformational workshops.- Pankaj Tripathi is a well-known Indian actor who has made a significant contribution to Indian cinema. Born to Pandit Benares Tiwari, a priest and Hemanti Devi, Tripathi had a humble upbringing in a small town in Bihar, India.
Tripathi, as a child, participated in a few amateur plays where he played the role of a girl. However, he was not actively involved in the world of acting at that time. While studying in class 12, Tripathi's interest in theatre was sparked when he watched a play named Andha Kuan. Actor Pranita Jaiswal's emotional performance moved him to tears, which further intensified his passion for theatre. Later on, Tripathi relocated to Patna to pursue Higher education in Hotel management training and this is where his life took a new direction.
He would often cycle his way to see all the stage shows that were held in Patna from 1994 - 1995. By 1996, Tripathi stopped being in the audience and took to becoming a performer. Tripathi also worked the night shift in a hotel kitchen during this time.
His interest in acting led him to complete his graduation in Hindi literature and enrol at the National School of Drama (NSD) in Delhi, which he completed in 2004. He then moved to Mumbai.
Tripathi's initial years in the films saw him playing minor roles in several films, including Run (2004), Apaharan (2005), Omkara (2006), Shaurya (2008), Raavan (2010), Children's Party (2011), and Agneepath (2012), among others. In many of these movies, he played the role of an antagonist.
After working for about eight years, Tripathi got his first major role onscreen in the Gangs of Wasseypur (2012). The movie was a two-part gangster movie directed by Anurag Kashyap based on the coal mafia. The movie received rave reviews from critics and was included in the list of 100 best films of the 21st century by The Guardian.
Following this, Tripathi worked in several other movies, such as Dabangg 2 (2012), ABCD (Any Body Can Dance) (2013), Fukrey (2013), Singham Returns (2014), Dilwale (2015), Nil Battey Sannata (2015), Bareilly Ki Barfi (Seeking True Love (2017)), Fukrey Returns (2017), and Super 30 (2019).
Tripathi was also seen in Neeraj Ghaywan's independent drama film Masaan (2015). He played a small but impactful role of a small-town government official who has an amicable nature.
He went on to play the lead role in Shanker Raman's neo-noir thriller Gurgaon (2017). In the same year, he appeared in a prominent role in Newton (2017), a dark comedy-drama directed by Amit Masurkar. The film premiered at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival under the Forum section.
Newton won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi 2017. Tripathi earned a special mention for his performance in the movie at the National Film Awards held in 2018. Newton was selected as the official Indian entry for the 90th Academy Awards held in 2017 under the Best Foreign Language Film.
Tripathi appeared in Pa. Ranjith action drama Kaala (2018) starring Rajinikanth and Nana Patekar the following year. It marked his debut in Tamil cinema. His next film was Stree (2018), a horror-comedy directed by Amar Kaushik. It was a huge commercial success and earned about Rs. 180 crores worldwide. For his performance in this movie, Tripathi won the Best Supporting Actor Award at the Star Screen Awards 2018.
Tripathi appeared in a supporting role in Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020). He played the role of a progressive father who was supportive of his daughter's dreams. His character believes in gender equality and encourages his daughter to break the bonds of patriarchy and reach for her dreams.
He also worked in Ludo (2020), directed by Anurag Basu.
Tripathi was also seen in prominent roles in Kaagaz (2021), Mimi (2021), '83 (2021), and Sherdil (2022). He has also acted in various TV series, such as Time Bomb (2005), Zindgi Ka Har Rang ... Gulaal (2010), Powder (2010), and Sarojini - Ek Nayi Pehal (2015).
Tripathi has been a part of several web series as well, including Sacred Games (2018), Mirzapur (2018), Criminal Justice (2019), Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors (2020), Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach (2022), and Gulkanda Tales.
His performance in Mirzapur (2018) won him Best Actor - Drama at the iReel Awards 2019 and Best Actor - Web Series at the Indian Television Academy Awards 2021. - Actor
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He began his acting career in films in 2005 with a credited role in the film 'Haasil' directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia. His major breakthrough came in 2012 film 'Paan Singh Tomar' in which he played the role of a local reporter. In both 'Paan Singh Tomar' and Haasil' he worked with Tigmanshu Dhulia (director) and Irrfan Khan (actor).Kala spent his childhood & studied in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh where his father worked in a veterinary Collage.[ His family belongs to Pauri, Garhwal in Uttarakhand.. He performed theatre in Mathura with a theatre group named Swastik Rang Mandal for as long as 19 years. He lived in Lala Lallumal ki kothi in, Junction Road, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. He graduated from Agra university , in B.Sc bio chemistry, from Kishori Raman Degree College, Mathura.- Actor
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Shergill was born in a Sikh family in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. He moved to Punjab, the place of his ancestors, in 1985 where he studied in Yadavindra Public School, Patiala and Bikram College Patiala. He learnt acting from Sri Harpal Singh, and then moved to Mumbai to work in the entertainment industry. He's married to Priyanka Puri from Delhi and they have a son named Veer Shergill.