Kulbhushan Kharbanda
Kulbhushan Kharbanda in 2012
Born	(1944-10-21)21 October 1944 (age 81) Hasan Abdal,Punjab,British India
Alma mater	Kirori Mal College,Delhi University,Aligarh Muslim University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1970–present

Kulbhushan Kharbanda (born 21 October 1944) is anIndian actor who works inHindi andPunjabi films. He is best known for his role as the antagonist Shakaal inShaan (1980),^[1][2][3] Starting off with the Delhi-based theatre groupborkh in 1974.^[4] He worked in severalparallel cinema films before working in the mainstream Hindi film industry. He appeared inMahesh Bhatt's classicArth (1982),Ek Chadar Maili Si (1986),Waaris (1988), and in all three parts ofDeepa Mehta'sElements trilogy:Fire (1996),Earth (1998), andWater (2005).^[5] After nearly two decades he was seen on the theatre stage at the Padatik Theatre inKolkata in the production ofAtmakatha, directed by Vinay Sharma.^[6]

After his studies he and a few of his college friends formed a theatre group called "Abhiyaan", and then joined Delhi-based "Yatrik", a bilingual theatre repertory founded by directorJoy Michael in 1964; he became its first paid artiste, though after a few years Yatrik collapsed as the director was lecturing in US universities.^[7][8][9] That is when he moved toKolkata in 1972 and started working with the theatre group "Padatik" which did Hindi theatre, under directorShyamanand Jalan.^[10] Here he worked for a while before moving on to Mumbai and films.^[11][12]

He first got noticed inNishaant (1974) byShyam Benegal, with whom he went on to work in several more films includingManthan (1976),Bhumika: The Role (1977),Junoon (1978), andKalyug (1980).^[13] Soon he was a regular withparallel cinema directors, like inGodhuli (1977) withB. V. Karanth.

Playing the bald villain Shakaal inShaan (1980) directed byRamesh Sippy, he saw his transition into mainstream cinema.^[14] Kharbanda went on to appear inShakti (1982),Ghayal (1990),Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992),Gupt (1997),Border (1997),Yes Boss (1997) andRefugee (2000). However, he continued appearing in art films such asChakra (1981), withSmita Patil andNaseeruddin Shah,Arth (1982), with Shabana Azmi,Andhi Gali (1984), the first Hindi film ofBuddhadeb Dasgupta,^[15]Ek Chadar Maili Si (1986), with Hema Malini,Utsav (1984), byGirish Karnad,Mandi (1983),Trikal (1985),Susman (1987), by Shyam Benegal,Naseem (1995), bySaeed Akhtar Mirza andMonsoon Wedding (2001) directed byMira Nair.

He portrayedReema Lagoo's husband andRaj Babbar's brother inShashi Kapoor's Filmwalas Productions'Kalyug. He has also appeared in period films such asJodha Akbar andLagaan.

He has acted in a number of Punjabi films. He portrayed the hero in the legendary filmChan Pardesi (1980) and starred in the Punjabi comedyMahaul Theek Hai (1999).

He has acted in six ofDeepa Mehta's movies and all her trilogy films:Earth,Fire andWater. He did aGerman film in 2009.

He has acted in TV serials, such asShanno Ki Shaadi andMahi Ve.^[1]

He has been seen on the stage in plays such asTeen Farishtay,Hatya ek akaar ki,Baki Itihaas,Ek Shunya Bajirao,Guinea Pig,Girdhade,Sakharam Binder and, recently,Atmakatha.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toKulbhushan Kharbanda.

• Kulbhushan Kharbanda atIMDb 
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• A stage of reflection Interview inThe Hindu

• 1944 births
• Living people
• People from Attock District
• Male actors in Hindi cinema
• Indian male stage actors
• Hindi theatre
• Indian male television actors
• Male actors in Punjabi cinema
• Delhi University alumni
• Aligarh Muslim University alumni
• People from Punjab Province (British India)

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