Rakesh Pandey

Rakesh Pandey Biography

Rakesh Pandey is a very popular actor associated with Bhojpuri cinema known for supporting roles. Along with Sujit Kumar and Padma Khanna, he has given a few memorable roles in Bhojpuri cinema. He has also done a few memorable roles in Bollywood films. He is best known for playing the lead role in Basu Chatterjee film, Sara Akash which marked his film debut in the year 1969. One of the iconic films of Bollywood, the movie is credited along with Uski Roti and Bhuvan Shome - both released the same year to be the film which started the Indian New Wave. The movie also marked the debut of both Basu Chatterjee and cinematographer K. K. Mahajan. For new generation audience, Rakesh is best known for the role of Ayub Khan’s father in “Dil Chahta Hai” (2001).

He was born in Himachal Pradesh in 1946. He is an alumnus of the Indian Film and Television Institute, Pune who graduated in the year 1966. Soon after the completion of the course he joined the IPTA, and has been associated with theatre for many years. He also completed his graduation from Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts. He got his first film offer in 1969 through the film, Sara Akash as male lead. In fact the movie was an experimental project with a new crew which marked a new genre of filmmaking in Indian cinema in the late 1960s never experienced before. Earlier he has done an uncredited role in 1965 film, Bombay Town.

In the 1970s and later he was fully active in the film scene, though he received supporting roles only. He played Rajesh khanna’s brother brother-in-law in one of his biggest films – Amar Prem. Manzil, Anokha Daan, Apradhi Kaun?, Abdullah, Yudh, Darwaza, Eeshwar etc are some of his noted films later. ‘Prakash’ the generous friend of Amitabh Bachchan in the movie “Manzil” is a noted role. Though he stayed in Bollywood for so many years he couldn’t achieve the status which he actually deserved. He lived in an era of 1970s when Amitabh Bachchan was creating magic, and there was no chance for soft roles. So he had to satisfy with supporting roles. But he later became immensely popular through Bhojpuri films, and has received numerous awards for his acting skills.

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Updated: July 09, 2016