Anupam Kher

Anupam Kher is one of Hindi cinema's most prolific and versatile character actors, with a career spanning more than four decades and over 500 films. He announced himself with his 1984 debut Saaransh, playing a grieving elderly father while still in his late twenties, and went on to excel at menacing villains, comic roles and warm patriarchs alike. He moves easily between mainstream blockbusters and acclaimed independent cinema, and has built a substantial international presence in Hollywood films and Western television. Beyond acting he founded an acting school and has led India's principal film institutions, making him a notable figure both on and off screen.

Honours: Two National Film Awards (Special Mention for Daddy and Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara), eight Filmfare Awards, and India's civilian honours the Padma Shri (2004) and Padma Bhushan (2016).