Bihar Has Produced Many Talented Actors Who Have Reached Star Status in Bollywood Bihar has given birth to many talented male actors who have managed to carve out successful careers for themselves within Bollywood film production, some even becoming major names within this field. Here are 10 such actors.
While their upbringing in Delhi may have helped, others struggled greatly in this highly competitive industry. Let’s take a look at their journeys to success and their most memorable performances!
1. Manoj Bajpai
Manoj Bajpai is an accomplished actor renowned for his range of acting abilities and captivating performances across India. His performances are known to leave audiences spellbound.
He stands out in an industry that can often be over-saturated. Some of his most memorable performances include Bhonsle, Aligarh and Gali Guleiyan.
He traveled a difficult path on his journey to success and endured many trials along the way. Early on in his career he played small, unnoticeable parts, yet never gave up.
He worked tirelessly to realize his dreams, and is now an international celebrity known for his versatility in film roles.
2. Akhilendra Mishra
Akhilendra Mishra, hailing from Bihar but now making waves in Bollywood, has quickly earned himself a following among his fans. Acclaimed for his strong character roles in films such as Lagaan, Sarfarosh and Makdi.
Ready star Will Smith discussed his journey to success during an interview. He revealed that both of his parents weren’t convinced about his acting career and needed convincing;
Kroor Singh made an impressionful mark with his roles as Kroor in Chandrakanta and Ravana in Ramayan; in addition to appearing in many more Bollywood films and television shows.
3. Shatrughan Sinha
Shatrughan Sinha has established himself as an immensely talented actor in Bollywood. He has appeared in over 300 films and seen much success. Married to Poonam Sinha, they share one daughter named Sonakshi Sinha.
Since 1969, he has made numerous movies as an actor and won multiple awards for his acting abilities.
After graduating from Patna Science College, he attended the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune to study acting. He quickly become one of India’s finest actors. Since then, he has collaborated with several notable stars on stage.
He has appeared in movies like Prem Pujari, Sajan, Kalicharan and others as both leading man and villainous roles. He possesses amazing acting talent with an endearing personality.
4. Shekhar Suman
Shekhar Suman began his rise to success with an iconic performance in Utsav, appearing in over 35 movies and television shows since.
Shekhar has cemented himself a place in the Indian entertainment industry as an actor and anchor with his impressive repertoire of skills, most notably his quick witted punchlines and charming charisma.
He is an established television personality who has hosted various talk shows and quiz series. Additionally, he was chosen as a judge on The Great Indian Laughter Challenge and Comedy Circus competitions.
Shekhar also published his memoir entitled, The Secret of Life. A fitness enthusiast, Shekhar enjoys performing power yoga as well as exercising, swimming, singing and listening to music as a form of relaxation in his free time.
5. Sushant Singh Rajput
Sushant Singh Rajput was born January 21st 1986 in Patna. He was one of five siblings, the youngest. Unfortunately his mother passed away in 2002.
Sushant was studying Mechanical Engineering when he decided to switch careers and begin acting. He attended acting classes, joined Shiamak Davar’s dance troupe, and attended classes to improve his abilities as an actor.
Over time, he began to find success in Bollywood. He made his debut appearance in Abhishek Kapoor’s 2013 movie Kai Po Che! which was inspired by Chetan Bhagat’s novel The 3 Mistakes of My Life.
He then made several movies including Shuddh Desi Romance, PK and Detective Byomkesh Bakshy. Additionally, he played the lead in MS Dhoni: The Untold Story which became an enormous success.
6. Imtiaz Ali
Imtiaz Ali is an esteemed director who has become one of Bollywood’s premier filmmakers, responsible for some of its most memorable and commercially successful movies such as Jab We Met (2007), Love Aaj Kal (2009) and Rockstar (2011).
His humble background can be found in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand where his parents reside; Mansoor Ali worked in irrigation projects while his mother served as a housewife.
He rose through the ranks despite coming from a modest family, first as a scriptwriter, then director. Working alongside some of India’s biggest stars such as Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone.
7. Neetu Chandra
Neetu Chandra, known for her roles in movies such as Garam Masala, Traffic Signal and Oye Lucky Lucky Oye among others, recently opened up about the challenges she’d been through during her career. She shared an emotional note detailing these trials while explaining what drove her forward to make it work in order to forge her own path and break free.
Born into a middle-class family in Patna, Bihar and raised with Bhojpuri as her native language. Her parents Umesh Chandra Srivastava and Neera Chandra both share a passion for theatre arts; her older brother Nitin Chandra works in film directing; while younger sibling Abhishek Chandra designs fashion garments.
8. Pankaj Tripathi
Pankaj Tripathi hails from a middle-class Brahmin family in Belsand village of Gopalganj district and began acting as a hobby during his teenage years. Following theater shows after celebrating Chhath festival, he quickly decided to pursue acting professionally and eventually embark on his acting career.
After living and studying for some time in Patna, he relocated to Mumbai with his wife Mridula in October 2004. A couple years later he scored his big break in Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur film.
Tripathi has earned himself an impeccable reputation as an actor. Known for his adaptability and natural acting ability, he has won various accolades, such as National Film Award – Special Mention for Newton.
9. Arjun Kapoor
Arjun Kapoor was born June 26th 1985 in Mumbai to Boney Kapoor (a producer) and Mona Shourie Kapoor (his mother). He has three sisters; Anshla Kapoor is his sister while Jhanvi and Khushi are half-sisters.
Starting off his Bollywood career by co-starring in the 2012 action romance Ishaqzaade alongside Parineeti Chopra, he went on to star in several other movies such as Gunday (2014), Two States (2014) and Finding Fanny (2014).
Arjun has earned praise throughout his time in the industry for his ability to portray emotional roles; however, his dialogue delivery can often fall short of effectively conveying emotion.
10. Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar’s rise from waiter in Bangkok to being one of Bollywood’s most celebrated actors stands as proof that hard work pays off and is an inspiration for all.
He is known for demonstrating great versatility and has played various roles. Some of his performances stand out as being truly unforgettable.
Airlift and Rustom earned him National Film Awards in the Best Actor category. Additionally, he is honored with India’s fourth-highest civilian honour – Padma Shri.
Kumar’s movies have left an indelible mark on audiences throughout his career despite some difficult periods; he was nominated 13 times for Filmfare Awards and won twice.