Suresh Oberoi (born 17 December 1946) is an Indian actor and politician who appeared in Hindi films. He is a recipient of the 1987 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. He started his career in radio shows, modelling and later moving to Bollywood, making him a popular character actor in the 1980s and much of the 1990s. He is the father of actor Vivek Oberoi.
Early life
Oberoi was born to Anand Sarup Oberoi and Kartar Devi on 17 December 1946 in Quetta, then Baluchistan Province of British Raj (currently Balochistan, Pakistan). Within a year due to fall of British Raj, the family along with four brothers and sisters moved to India, and later relocated to Hyderabad where his family established a chain of medical stores. Oberoi was active in sports. He was a tennis and swimming champion, later winning the President's Award as a Boy Scout. After his father's death when he was just out of high school, Oberoi, along with his brother, continued running his pharmacy chain. He is fluent in Punjabi (his mother tongue), Pashto, Hindustani, English, Telugu and Tamil languages.
Career
In the early 1970s, due to his interest in acting and a good voice, he gained entry into radio shows and stage plays, prompting him to attend the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune.
Modelling and radio shows
In his early Mumbai years, his prior radio show experience and his well received voice kept him going and his contacts with advertising agencies led to him being picked up as a model for Charminar cigarettes and Lifebuoy soaps, making him one of the leading models by late 1970s.
Bollywood
In late 1977 he made his debut with Jeevan Mukt. He did lead roles in films like Ek Baar Phir in 1980, but the film was not commercially successful. Later he was part of the radio program Mukaddar Ka Sikandar. Then he accepted character roles in Kartavya, Ek Baar Kaho, Surraksha and Khanjar between 1979 and 80, which were commercially successful.
He gained recognition nationally for his supporting role as a Police Inspector Sharma in the 1980 film Phir Wahi Raat, starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead and directed by Danny Denzongpa, which was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. It also laid the foundation for him being cast as a police inspector in many of his future films.
In 1981, then he got opportunity to do Laawaris, which fetched him a nomination for Filmfare Best Actor in Supporting Role. Some of his performances, as small supporting roles which made a huge impact, came in films like Namak Halal, Kaamchor and Vidhata. After these small roles, he received offer to star in lead role in B. R. Chopra's Mazdoor, co-starring with Dilip Kumar. His best performance as character actor came in Awaaz, a 1984 film directed by Shakti Samanta and starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead, where he played Police Inspector Amit Gupta. He received another nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Ghar Ek Mandir.
Since 1984, he regularly kept getting good character roles in films like Ek Nai Paheli, Kanoon Kya Karega, Sharabi, Aitbaar, Bepanaah and Jawab. He received National Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Mirch Masala in 1985. His performances in films like Palay Khan, Dacait, the Telugu film Marana Mrudangam, Tezaab, Do Qaidi, Parinda, Mujrim, Aaj Ka Arjun, Pyar Ka Devta, Tirangaa, Anari, Vijaypath, Masoom, Raja Hindustani, Soldier, Safari, Gadar Ek Prem Katha, Lajja, Pyar Tune Kya Kiya and 23 March 1931 Shaheed were appreciated by the audience.
Thereafter, till the early 2000s, he appeared on average in four to five films per year. He has made over 135 films. He recited a few couplets in the song "Dil Mein Phir Aaj Teri" with Anuradha Paudwal for the film Yaadon Ka Mausam (1990).
In 2004, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party as a primary member.
Television
Oberoi has acted in the television shows Dhadkan and Kashmeer and hosted the second season of the talk show Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai which was made popular by Farooque Shaikh.
Personal life
Family
Suresh Oberoi married Yashodara, eight years his junior, in Madras on 1 August 1974. The couple has a son, Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi, born in 1976 and a daughter Meghna Oberoi born a few years later. His wife Yashodara is, as he says in a 2002 interview with Times of India, "from a Punjabi business family who had lived in the south."
His nephew, Akshay Oberoi is also a Bollywood actor.
Religion
Suresh Oberoi's father belonged to the Arya Samaj, a Hindu reformist organization, while his mother was a Nanakpanthi, and he considers himself to be religious, having written a spiritual book, Pilgrim of Life.
Poetry
In addition to acting and singing, he writes "romantic and philosophical poetry".
World Psychiatric Association
Together with the motivational speaker BK Sister Shivani Verma, Oberoi is a goodwill ambassador of the World Psychiatric Association.
Politics
He is a member of Bharatiya Janta Party since 2004.
Filmography
Films
Dubbing roles
Live action films
Animated films
Awards and nominations
- Champions of Change Award in 2019, for his work in culture. The award was conferred by Shri Pranab Mukherjee at Vigyan Bhavan New Delhi on 20 January 2020.
References
External links
- Suresh Oberoi at IMDb
