Anil Kapoor completes 35 years in Bollywood; here's 10 of his most iconic roles

By Vandana Srivastawa

on June 23, 2018

Anil Kapoor is an actor par excellence, even though he is 60-years-old and father to Sonam Kapoor, Rhea Kapoor and Harshvardhan Kapoor, the enigmatic actor still manages to look too fit for his age. Sometimes, one wonders where he gets his energy from or does he drinks an elixir of youth which keeps him going at an age when the government officially retires everyone. In Salman Khan’s Race 3 which released last Friday, Anil is the only actor who has been praised for his performance; otherwise the film and the other actors have received immense criticism. Today, the veteran actor completed 35 years in the Hindi film industry. Getting nostalgic about the fact, the actor shared an emotional post on his social media account.

Anil made his Bollywood debut 35 years ago as a lead actor in Woh Saat Din (1983) which also starred Naseeruddin Shah and Padmini Kolhapure. However, he made his Hindi film debut with Umesh Mehra's Hamare Tumhare (1979) in a small role. Anil is probably one of those very few actors who have always stayed relevant and not faced a very big lull period. Even today, roles are written for him and he can manage to portray any character with his talent. In the Race film franchise he is the only actor who has acted in all the three installments and received accolades no matter how the film fared.

Kapoor has managed to excel in almost every role that has come his way. Even though he was never labeled as the sexiest man or the handsomest star what he was credited for was his superb acting which lit the screen on fire; Anil’s ‘Ek dum jhakas’ and ‘zabardast’ dialogues have become well-known terms in popular culture. Here’s a look at a few of his most famous roles in films.

1.Prem Pratap Patiyalewale – Woh Saat Din

This was Anil’s debut film and he could not have asked for a more nuanced and lovable character. The character’s principles, his simplicity, his pride and his honesty became hallmarks to which Anil adhered to in life. The actor made the character his own and it was difficult to differentiate between the character and the actor.

2.Raja – Mashaal

With this role Anil gained recognition in the industry and got featured on a magazine cover for his tapori act. He also won his first Filmfare Award in the Best Supporting Actor category for this role. His tapori act and stubble was considered unconventional at that time but became the staple in the years to come.

3.Arun Verma- Meri Jung

Anil was pitted against powerhouse performer Amrish Puri in this courtroom drama and he held his own in all the scenes of the film. His angry young lawyer out for revenge act got a lot of accolades and acclaim.

4.Charandas –Chameli Ki Shaadi

With Chameli Ki Shaadi Anil proved that he can effortlessly carry a humorous role as well. Amrita Singh starred opposite the actor in this film. The laugh-a-riot film is still one of the best comedy films ever made in India.

5.Arun Verma – Mr.India

Mr.India is probably one of the most iconic films ever made, and Anil played the happy-go-lucky, good-at-heart orphan who takes in other orphans in his dilapidated house to raise them up. The film also had Sridevi, Amrish Puri, Satish Kaushik and Ashok Kumar in pivotal roles and is probably one of the best films ever made with children also comprising the star cast.

6.Munna – Tezaab

Tezaab earned Anil his first Filmfare Best Actor Award. His good-guy-turned-into-a-criminal-act got him rave reviews from critics as well as audience. The film’s songs were blockbuster hits. The film starred Madhuri Dixit, Kiran Kumar, Suresh Oberoi, Anupam Kher and Chunky Pandey in pivotal roles.

7.Lakhan –Ram Lakhan

The Subhash Ghai directed film had an ensemble cast and is still hailed as an iconic film and reports of a remake has been doing the rounds for quite some time now. Anil’s street smart character is one of the most loved roles of his.

8.Viren – Lamhe

Lamhe was an iconic film which although did not do too well on the box office is highly acclaimed and has reached a cult status today. Although Anil’s was not the central character as it was a film that focused on Sridevi’s double role act, he still managed to hold his own.

9.Naren Singh – 1942: A Love Story

The romantic film based on the backdrop of the decline of British Raj was a huge hit with its soulful songs and breathtaking cinematography. Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Anil’s carefree avatar in the first half which changes dramatically post-interval for his lady love Manisha Koirala was well-loved by the masses as well as the critics. Although nominated for a Filmfare Best Actor Award Anil failed to win the trophy for the role.

10.Shakti Thakur – Virasat

Anil earned rave reviews for his performance in Virasat which was a remake of the Tamil film, Thevar Magan. He was well supported in the film by Amrish Puri and Tabu.