Raghubir Yadav


Raghubir Yadav is an Indian actor, music composer, singer and set designer who works in Hindi films. He made his film debut with Massey Sahib, 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)]: 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. He was with the Rangoli Puppet Theatre, Lucknow, performing with glove puppets. At the National School of Drama Repertory, 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 nominations for Best Foreign Language Film. Raghubir Yadav is one of the few Indian actor to have received the Silver Peacock Best Actor Award, at the International Film Festival of India. His most acclaimed role was as the drug addicted "Chillum" in Salaam Bombay!. He has acted in Firaaq. In 2011, he played the lead role in the film Dear Friend Hitler, which takes its name from two letters Mahatma Gandhi wrote Adolf Hitler, in 1939 immediately before World War II and Christmas Eve 1940 after the war had started, to prevent and to stop the war.

Television

Yadav started his television career with the television program Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne, playing the lead character "Mungerilal" and in the television series Amaravathi ki Kathayein.
Later, he played the roles of Haji Nasruddin in the television program Mullah Nasruddin 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 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 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

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1985Massey SahibFrancis Massey
1988Salaam Bombay!Chillum
1989In Which Annie Gives It Those OnesEnglish film
1990Disha
1991Kasba
1992Electric MoonBoltuEnglish film
1992Aasman Se Gira
1992Dharavi
1992Suraj Ka Satvan GhodaNarrator — friend of Manik Mulla
1992Kubi Matthu IyalaKannada film
1993RudaaliAdult Budhua
1993Maya Memsaab
1993PapeehaBichhua
1993SardarSardar Patel's Servant
1993Chor Aur ChandHero
1994Bandit QueenMadho
19941942: A Love StoryMunna
1994Udhaar Ki Zindagi
1995DushmaniRaghu
1995NirantharamTelugu film
1996Khamoshi: The MusicalWillie
1996DamuBengali film
1997Saaz
1997Rui Ka Bhoj
1998Dil Se..Shuklaji AIR manager
1998X-ZONE
1999Shaheed-E-MohabbatRamzani
1999Samar
2000TarkiebNainsukh
2000BawandarSohan
2001LagaanBhura, the poultry farmer
2001AsokaMaurya soldier
2002Yatharth
2002Tum Se Achcha Kaun HaiManto
2002Kuch Tum Kaho Kuch Hum KaheinChaturvedi
2002Agni VarshaActor Manager
2003AanchChilkona
2003Darna Mana HaiDayashankar Pandey Story segment: Homework
2003Kahan Ho Tum
2003RaastaTayar Da Bengali film
2004Meenaxi: A Tale of Three CitiesNawab
2004GayabVishnu's Father
2004DeewaarJata
2005WaterGulabi
2006Anthony Kaun Hai?Raghuu
2007Aaja NachleDoctor Saab
2008FiraaqKarim
2009Dilli 6
2009Yeh Khula AasmaanRohit Nayyar
2009Thanks MaaPeon
2010Peepli LiveBudhia
2011Gandhi To HitlerAdolf Hitler
2012Aalaap-
20128:08 Er Bongaon LocalA Rickshaw pullerBengali film-
2012Married 2 AmericaRaghu
2013MinuguruluSurdasTelugu film
2013Club 60Manu Bhai
2015PikuDr. Srivastava
2015The Silence
2015Meinu Ek Ladki Chaahiye
2016BhouriDhanua
2017ShentimentalMarathi film
2017NewtonLoknath
2017MantostaanSirajuddin
2018Sui DhaagaMauji's Father
2018Love per Square FootBhaskar Chaturvedireleased on Netflix
2018Taking the horse to eat JalebisChhadami
2019Romeo Akbar WalterMudassar
2019Aadhaar
2019 Jacqueline I Am ComingKashi Tiwary
2019Make In IndiaMuikhiya
2020GhoomketuDaddaReleased on ZEE5
2020Old Manshort film
2021JamunJamun PrashadEros Now
2021PagglaitPappu GiriNetflix
2021Sandeep Aur Pinky FaraarUnclePrime Video
2021ChehreHariya Jatav
2022Jaggu Ki LaltenJaggu
2023KathalGulab Seth
2023YaatrisPushkar Sharma
2023Minus 31: The Nagpur FilesAnupam Sharma
2025Bhool Chuk MaafRaghunath
2025Hari Ka OmOm