Quick Facts
- Full Name
- Kulbhushan Kharbanda
- Born
- October 21, 1944
- Birthplace
- Hasan Abdal
- Age
- 81 years
- Zodiac Sign
- Libra
- Height
- —
- Weight
- —
- Nationality
- 🇮🇳 India
- Religion
- —
- Ethnicity
- —
- Eye Color
- —
- Hair Color
- —
- Profession
- Actor
- Net Worth
- —
- Education
- Kirori Mal College; Delhi University; Aligarh Muslim University; University of Delhi; Minto Circle
- Spouse
- —
- Children
- 1 (Kriti Kharbanda)
Last reviewed: Jul 20, 2026 · How we verify facts
Biography
Kulbhushan Kharbanda is 81 years old, an actor, from India.
After his studies he and a few of his college friends formed a theatre group called "Abhiyaan", and then joined Delhi-based "Yatrik", a bilingual theatre repertory founded by director Joy Michael in 1964; he became its first paid artiste, though after a few years Yatrik collapsed as the director was lecturing in US universities. That is when he moved to Kolkata in 1972 and started working with the theatre group "Padatik" which did Hindi theatre, under director Shyamanand Jalan .
Here he worked for a while before moving on to Mumbai and films. He first got noticed in Nishaant (1974) by Shyam Benegal , with whom he went on to work in several more films including Manthan (1976), Bhumika: The Role (1977), Junoon (1978), and Kalyug (1980). Soon he was a regular with parallel cinema directors, like in Godhuli (1977) with B. V. Karanth . Playing the bald villain Shakaal in Shaan (1980) directed by Ramesh Sippy , he saw his transition into mainstream cinema.
Kharbanda went on to appear in Shakti (1982), Ghayal (1990), Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) , Gupt (1997), Border (1997), Yes Boss (1997) and Refugee (2000).
However, he continued appearing in art films such as Chakra (1981), with Smita Patil and Naseeruddin Shah , Arth (1982), with Shabana Azmi, Andhi Gali (1984), the first Hindi film of Buddhadeb Dasgupta , Ek Chadar Maili Si (1986), with Hema Malini, Utsav (1984), by Girish Karnad , Mandi (1983), Trikal (1985), Susman (1987), by Shyam Benegal, Naseem (1995), by Saeed Akhtar Mirza and Monsoon Wedding (2001) directed by Mira Nair .
Career & Filmography
Movies(75)
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Ardh |
| 2022 | Guilty Minds |
| 2018 | Mirzapur |
| 2016 | Aatishbazi Ishq |
| 2014 | Haider |
| 2012 | Midnight's Children |
| 2011 | Junction Point |
| 2009 | Aloo Chaat |
| 2008 | Jodhaa Akbar |
| 2006 | Fight Club – Members Only |
Family
Relationships
Family
Then vs. Now
Debut in Nishant
Kulbhushan Kharbanda's debut was Nishant (1975).
51
yrs
Career Timeline
Kulbhushan Kharbanda's debut was Nishant (1975).
21 October 1944 (age 81)
Kulbhushan Kharbanda was born on 1944-10-21 in Hasan Abdal.
Interesting Facts
- Kulbhushan Kharbanda (born 21 October 1944) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi and Punjabi films.
- He is best known for his role as the antagonist Shakaal in Shaan (1980), Starting off with the Delhi-based theatre group borkh in 1974.
- Kulbhushan Kharbanda studied at Kirori Mal College, Delhi University, Aligarh Muslim University.
- He worked in several parallel cinema films before working in the mainstream Hindi film industry.
- He appeared in Mahesh Bhatt's classic Arth (1982), Ek Chadar Maili Si (1986), Waaris (1988), and in all three parts of Deepa Mehta's Elements trilogy: Fire (1996), Earth (1998), and Water (2005).
- After nearly two decades he was seen on the theatre stage at the Padatik Theatre in Kolkata in the production of Atmakatha, directed by Vinay Sharma.
- After his studies he and a few of his college friends formed a theatre group called "Abhiyaan", and then joined Delhi-based "Yatrik", a bilingual theatre repertory founded by director Joy Michael in 1964; he became its first paid artiste, though after a few years Yatrik collapsed as the director was lecturing in US universities.
- That is when he moved to Kolkata in 1972 and started working with the theatre group "Padatik" which did Hindi theatre, under director Shyamanand Jalan.<ref>
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Filmography
75 works
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