Guwahati: Vinay Pathak is an Indian actor who is best known for his work in Bollywood. In career spanning over two decades, he has appeared in over 50 Hindi films, mostly in comedic and character roles.
Born on July 12, 1968, in Bhojpur District, Bihar, Pathak made his mark in the film industry mostly through his comedy and character roles. It is said that Pathak began to get acting offers while he was pursuing his higher studies at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Some of his best work has come in offbeat comedies like Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006), Bheja Fry (2007) and Dasvidaniya (2008), though Vinay has also appeared in mainstream Bollywood films like Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008), My Name is Khan (2010) and Badlapur (2015). For his performance in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Vinay was nominated for a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2009.
On his 52nd birthday today, we remember his some of his best work :
Bheja Fry: The 2007 off-beat comedy thriller Bheja Fry got actor Pathak his first big break and nomination for IIFA Award for his stellar performance as Bharat Bhusan – the confused tax inspector. Pathak also bagged a Producers Guild Film Award for Best Actor in a Comic role in the comedy gold.
Johnny Gaddar: 2007 was a one-off year for actor Pathak’s fans as they also got to see his nasty streak when he essayed the role of a gangster in the neo-noir thriller flick Johnny Gaddar, which came in for much appreciation of the audience and the critics alike.
Chalo Dilli: The unusual pair of Lara Dutta and Pathak in the 2011 comedy flick Chalo Dilli was well appreciated by the audience and critics alike. Vinay alongside Lara left us awe-struck with their heart-warming performances.
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi: The Shah Rukh Khan-Starrer Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi earned Vinay Pathak his first Filmfare Award nomination and his second IIFA Award nomination as he pulled off his role of Balwinder ‘Bobby’ Khosla in the film with great elan.
Gour Hari Dastaan: Among the most memorable performances of Pathak’s acting career, his titular character in the 2015 Anant Mahadevan directorial Gour Hari Dastaan is here to last an eternity in the category of biographical dramas. The film, however, remained unsuccessful at the box office.
Vinay made his television debut in the 1997 Zee TV series Margarita, and rose to prominence when he was cast in the role of Vinnie sir in the popular teen comedy series Hip Hip Hurray. Since then, he has appeared in shows like Kyun Hota Hai Pyarrr, CID and Murder Unveiled. Between 2004 and 2007, Vinay was a part of the popular stand-up and sketch comedy show The Great Indian Comedy Show. He has also co-hosted the talk show Ranvir Vinay Aur Kaun?, with his friend and frequent collaborator Ranvir Shorey.
