Raghubir Yadav birthday special: Looking at his five best works
Raghubir Yadav stands tall in the Indian theater and film landscape. A National School of Drama alum, he is one of the select Indians to have won the Silver Peacock Best Actor Award at the International Film Festival of India. In his over three-decade-long sprint, the singer-actor has proved his versatility time and again. On his 65th birthday, let's explore his top five roles.
'Panchayat'
Let's start with the most recent one. His role in Panchayat as Pradhan ji has introduced him to a section of viewers who had missed out on seeing his earlier works in the '80s and the '90s. His sense of vulnerability, ability to wear his heart on his sleeve, and camaraderie with fellow actor Jitendra Kumar enhance the drama's relatability factor by several notches.
'Darna Mana Hai'
Millennials can perhaps never forget the raving madman played by Yadav in this 2003 classic horror anthology film helmed by Prawaal Raman. He played Dayashankar Pandey, a Math teacher who becomes obsessed with his student's newfound arithmetic success, while his role in his childhood friend's death gnaws at him simultaneously. Watch it, particularly for the chilling parting shot of the segment.
'Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne'
In 1990, Yadav dipped his toes into the expansive ocean of Hindi television by playing the titular role in Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne. Loosely inspired by Secret Life of Walter Mitty, he played a daydreamer who found cathartic closure in dreams though he got battered in real-life daily. "He was a character picked from real life," Yadav had once said in an interview.
'Chacha Chaudhary'
There is nothing better than seeing your favorite book character come alive on screen! The show, released in May 2002, churned out 415 episodes and is available on YouTube. The thespian did complete justice to the eponymous character by displaying his gray cells and sharp wit. In 2021, Yadav sent us down memory lane by voicing the beloved character for a CRED advertisement, too.
'Peepli [Live]'
Aamir Khan Productions' Peepli [Live] is considered a landmark Hindi film in the recent past. The 2010 satirical black comedy featured an ensemble cast where Yadav played Budhia, a farmer, and yet again cemented his prowess in showcasing characters closer to reality. He also sang the instantly hit song Mehngai Dayain. Notably, the film was India's official entry for the 83rd Academy Awards.
