'Raaz' to 'The Empire': Birthday boy Dino Morea's best roles
When Dino Morea made his entry into the film industry in 1999, he shot to instant fame and soon became the "chocolate boy" of Hindi cinema. The model-turned-actor went on to work in many films across languages, including Tamil and Telugu. To celebrate his 48th birthday on Saturday, let's look back at some of the titles that made him a popular face.
'Raaz'
The first film that pops into one's mind while talking about Morea is the 2002 film Raaz. The supernatural horror film, helmed by Vikram Bhatt, featured him and Bipasha Basu in the leading role, alongside Malini Sharma. Raaz was the big break in Morea's career that brought him huge popularity. A commercial success, it's considered one of the best Hindi horror films.
'Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi'
Starred opposite Rinkie Khanna, Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi was the launch pad for Morea who turned from a model to an actor with this movie. Also starring Sanjay Puri in the lead, the movie is a Raj Kaushal directorial. More than its story, Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi is remembered fondly for its music, especially for songs such as Woh Pehli Baar, and others.
'The Empire'
Morea was cast as an antagonist in Nikkhil Advani's periodical drama series titled The Empire. Helmed by Mitakshara Kumar, the series is based on Alex Rutherford's novel titled Empire of the Mughul. Released in 2021, it featured Morea as Shaibani Khan, Kunal Kapoor as Babur, Shabana Azmi as Esan Dawlat, and Drashti Dhami as Khanzada Begum, among others.
'Bandra'
Morea was last seen in the Malayalam action drama Bandra, helmed by Arun Gopy. Morea shared the screen space with Dileep, Tamannaah Bhatia, Mamta Mohandas, Kalabhavan Shajohn, and many others. Released in November, the film received mixed reviews from the critics. However, Morea's performance was praised by many. He essays the role of Raghvendra Desai, a film producer, in the movie.
