By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
Paresh Rawal, the subject of this write up, worked as an actor, comedian & villain in Hindi & Telugu films. Comedy & villainy have been his forte ever since he entered the Hindi cinema. ‘Hera Pheri’ (2000), directed by Priyadarshan, tells the story of three young men & their struggle in life. ‘Golmaal: Fun Unlimited’ (2006), ‘Chup Chup Ke’ (2006) & ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ (2007) are said to be his best films in a comic role as per reviews made by cine goers.
Despite his best performances, the actor is believed to be underrated. Nevertheless, the actor won many accolades telling story of his success in films as a performer. He won National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in “Woh Chokri” & Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role in film “Sir”(1993) featuring Naseeruddin Shah, Pooja Bhatt & Atul Agnihotri. The film shows rivalry between Rawal & Gulshan Grover playing gangsters.
It would be injustice if we did not mention his film “Sardar”, a biographical drama film on freedom fighter Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, directed by Ketan Mehta. It won National Film Award for Best Film On National Integration. In Rajkumar Hirani’s “Sanju” he plays Sunil Dutt . He plays actor Sunil Dutt’s role in the movie featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Manisha Koirala & Vicky Kaushal.
It was the 1986 blockbuster ‘Naam’ (1986) which saw him rise as an actor of class. ‘Roop ki Rani Choron Ka Raja’, ‘Kabzaa’, ‘King Uncle’, ‘Ram Lakhan’, ‘Daud’, ‘Baazi’, ‘ Gupt’, & ‘Chachi 420 established him as an actor-cum- villain with great talent.
Rawal married Swaroop Sampat, an Indian film & TV actress who won the Miss India contest in 1979 and represented India at Miss Universe 1979 pageant held in Perth, Australia. Paresh Rawal joined BJP & won with a huge margin to become a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, between 26 May 2014 to 23 May 2019.
I met the comic villain at Natraj Studios in Mumbai. On seeing me he said with a hint of sarcasm “What is your measurement”, with a villainous smile lurking around his face. He was repaid in the same coin. I later interviewed a Punjabi actress, whose film had won a National Award in early 1980s. She wanted her grievance to be redressed which I did , writing an article in a Punjabi daily published from Jalandhar which had earlier carried an article against her, on my return to Jalandhar where I was posted at that time.
