Raghubir Yadav is an Indian actor, music composer, singer and set designer who works in
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of North India, northern, Central India, centr ...
films. He made his film debut with ''
Massey Sahib
''Massey Sahib'' is a 1985 Hindi drama film directed by Pradip Krishen, starring Raghubir Yadav in the title role. It was Krishen's first film, and was an adaptation of Joyce Cary's 1939 novel ''Mister Johnson (novel), Mister Johnson''. It won ...
'' (1985), in which he played the title role. He has won two International Awards as Best Actor for ''Massey Sahib'',
FIPRESCI Critic's Award, Venice Film Festival, 1986 and the
IFFI Best Actor Award (Male)
The IFFI Award for Best Actor (officially known as the Silver Peacock for the Best Actor Award (Male)) is an honor presented annually at the International Film Festival of India since 2010 to an actor for the best performance in a leading role ...
: Silver Peacock Award at the
11th International Film Festival of India, 1987.
The film also featured writer and social activist in National School of Drama, New Delhi until 1977.
Career
Theatre
Yadav has performed as an actor and singer in over 70 plays and about 2500 shows, travelling in caravans, living in tents and performing on makeshift stages in villages, towns and cities of India with the Parsi Theatre Company (1967–1973). He was with the Rangoli Puppet Theatre, Lucknow (1973–1974), performing with glove puppets. At the
National School of Drama Repertory (1977–1986), he acted in about 40 plays in over 2000 shows. He has also contributed to music, sets, costumes and masks.
Film
He was seen in many milestone films in the following decades. Three films that he has acted in have received
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment in ...
nominations for Best Foreign Language Film (''
Salaam Bombay!
''Salaam Bombay!'' is a 1988 Indian Hindi-language drama film, directed, co-written and co-produced by Mira Nair. The screenwriter was Nair's creative collaborator Sooni Taraporevala. This was the first feature film directed by Nair. The film ...
'' ,''
Water
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as ...
'' and ''
Lagaan
''Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India'' () is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language sports drama film written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. The film was produced by Aamir Khan, who stars alongside debutant Gracy Singh and British actors Rachel ...
''). Raghubir Yadav is one of the few
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
n actor to have received the
Silver Peacock Best Actor Award
Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical ...
, at the
International Film Festival of India. His most acclaimed role was as the drug addicted "Chillum" in ''
Salaam Bombay!
''Salaam Bombay!'' is a 1988 Indian Hindi-language drama film, directed, co-written and co-produced by Mira Nair. The screenwriter was Nair's creative collaborator Sooni Taraporevala. This was the first feature film directed by Nair. The film ...
'' (1988). He has acted in ''
Firaaq''. In 2011, he played the lead role in the film ''
Dear Friend Hitler
''Dear Friend Hitler'', released in India as ''Gandhi to Hitler'', is a 2011 Indian war drama film based on letters written by Mahatma Gandhi to the leader of the Nazi Party and Chancellor of Germany and Nazi German dictator Adolf Hitler. ...
'', which takes its name from two letters
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, Anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure ...
wrote
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
, in 1939 immediately before
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
and
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
Eve 1940 after the war had started, to prevent and to stop the war.
Television
Yadav started his television career with the
television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising ...
''
Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne'' (1988), playing the lead character "Mungerilal". ''
Amaravathi ki Kathayein(1994-'95).
Later he played the roles of
Haji Nasruddin in the television program ''Mullah Nasruddin'' (also spelled as ''
Mulla Nasiruddin
''Mulla Nasruddin'' was a television programme on Doordarshan, which aired in 1990. The titular role was played by Raghubir Yadav, who pops up in all sorts of places with his faithful donkey Fidhu.
The episodes were based on stories of Nasredd ...
'') and the lead in ''
Chacha Chaudhary''. He also played the lead role for BI T.V. in ''Arjun Pandit''.
Music
* He composed and sang in films that include ''Maya Memsaab, Massey Sahib, Rudaali, Aasmaan Se Gira, O Darling Yeh Hai India, Samar, Sunday, Darna Mana hai, Ramaji London Waale, Billu '' and ''Dilli 6''. He sang the title song of ''
Chacha Chaudhary''. He sang a song in Amir Khan's ''
Peepli Live
''Peepli Live'' is a 2010 Indian satirical black comedy film that explores the topic of farmer suicides and the subsequent media and political response. It is written and directed by Anusha Rizvi in her directorial debut, and produced by Aamir ...
'' called "Mehngai Dayain" with bhadwai village mandli in which he was later praised by many of Indian film fraternity and public at large.
* He provided singing and voice for ads: Pepsi, Parle, Vim, Kotak Mahindra, Icy Cool Mint, Coke, Midday, Bagh Bakari Chai, Crack cream, Maggie Mania, Britannia etc.
* He also sang and composed the famous MP tourism ad -'MP ajab hai, sabse gajab hai'
* He composed the music for ''Ghasiram Kotwal'', ''Chotte Sayeed Bade Sayeed'', ''Chaupra Kamaal Naukar Jamal'' and ''
Chacha Chaudhary'', ballet for song and drama division. Composed and sang "Maggie Mania", conceived, written and composed by Ramlila for ''Dilli 6''.
* He recently collaborated with Hitesh Sonik to sing 'Lamh Tera' in the second episode of Coke Studio @ MTV, Season 2. The show was aired on MTV India on 14 July and this song was the fifth and last to be shown on the show. The song is a folk song from Madhya Pradesh. In ancient times, the journey from one place to another would take days. People while travelling would then usually sing to ensure everyone is safe. This style of singing was called 'lum tera'. A member/group at the front of the caravan would sing loudly (lambi ter) and the members/groups at the end would sing back as a response, thereby ensuring connectivity.
* He has sung a song, "Bhagan ke Rekhan ki bahangiya" in the movie ''Issaq''. Raghubir has shown his talent again.
Awards
*
Silver Peacock for the Best Actor Award (Male): ''Massey Sahib'' at the
11th International Film Festival of India (1987).
*
FIPRESCI Critic's Award, Venice for Best Actor: ''Massey Sahib'' (1986).
* Best Supporting Actor (Male) (Comedy Series) at
2020 Filmfare OTT Awards for ''
Panchayat
The Panchayat raj is a political system, originating from the Indian subcontinent, found mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. It is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent, and historical menti ...
''.
Filmography
Web series
References
External links
*
Raghubir Yadhavon
Bollywood Hungama
Bollywood Hungama (lit. "Bollywood Madness" in Hindi), previously known as IndiaFM (or IndiaFM.com), is a Bollywood entertainment website, owned by Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, which acquired the website in 2000.
The website provide ...
During the depression, music was my sole respite: Raghubir Yadav
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yadav, Raghubir
Yadav Raghuvir
National School of Drama alumni
IFFI Best Actor (Male) winners
People from Jabalpur
Yadav Raghuvir
Yadav Raghuvir
Yadav Raghuvir
Male actors from Madhya Pradesh
Living people
1957 births
20th-century Indian male actors
21st-century Indian male actors