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Factsheet

• Had failed in 11th standard and left home from Jabalpur at age 15 to join Parsi Theatre Company and worked there from 1967 to 1973.
• Worked in the Rangoli Puppet Theatre in Lucknow, India, from 1973 to 1974.
• Worked at National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi, India, from 1977 to 1986.
• Is the first Indian actor to receive the prestigious Silver Peacock Best Actor Award at the 1987 International Film Festival of India.
• Married Purnima, an NSD employee, in 1988, but divorced her in 1996 to live with his girlfriend Roshni Achreja in Mumbai.
• Rose to fame with his titular character in Prakash Jha's cult comedy Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne (1989), which was aired on Doordarshan TV.
• Was one of the ten students chosen by popular Indian theatre director Ebrahim Alkazi to be sent to Film and Television Institute of India (FTTI) to understand film acting.
• Was recommended for the title role of Massey Sahib (1985) by director Pradip Krishen's wife, which became his debut in film.
• Was directed by a trial court to pay a monthly maintenance of 40,000 to his estranged wife Poornima Kharga.
• Composed and sang the MP tourism ad commercial – MP Ajab Hai, Sabse Gajab Hai – in 2010.