Rajendra Gupta


Rajendra Gupta is an Indian film, television and theatre actor and director who is known for his television roles of Adina Beg Khan Sahib e Azam in 2010 series of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Pandit Jagannath in the 1990s Doordarshan fantasy television series Chandrakanta and Sudha's father – Jagat Narayan – in the 1998–2001 Sony TV drama Saaya.
An alumnus of the National School of Drama, Gupta has worked in numerous television serials and films. He played the role of the Mukhiya of Champaner in the Oscar-nominated 2001 film Lagaan. He also played the role of Kesri Narayan in the TV serial Chidiya Ghar, that aired on Sab TV. He is also a part of Hindi haryanvi big budget film Rukke Padge with actor Gaurav Prateek. Currently, he is portraying the role of Pandit Jagannath Mishra in Jagannath Aur Purvi Ki Dosti Anokhi at Sony TV.

Life

Gupta was born in a business family in Panipat and did his graduation from the Kurukshetra University. His father known as Master Ji ran a woolen textiles business but Gupta had no interest in the business; his interests lay, instead, in dramatics and theatre. Gupta met wife-to-be, Veena, a Christian, in Indore when he went there to take part in a college play. Since Veena's parents did not agree to their marriage, the couple eloped to Bhopal, got married, and then returned home.
In 1972, Gupta enrolled himself at the New Delhi-based National School of Drama and completed his post-graduation in direction.
Gupta's daughter, Ravee Gupta, is a television actress who is married to television actor Manoj Bidwai.

Career

Gupta and his family moved to Bombay in 1985 and he started working in television serials; three years later he entered into the Hindi film industry. Gupta has acted in innumerable television serials and films; so much so that in 1990, his name was included in the Limca Book of Records for appearing in the highest number of television serials – over 40 of them.
In a 2001 interview with the Times of India, he mentioned that of all the films that he has done, he is proud of his work in Lagaan and Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro. Since then he has gone on to work in critically acclaimed films such as Amu, Sehar and Guru. In the same interview, he said that among his television roles, his work in the Syed Mirza-Kundan Shah serial Intezaar, the fantasy series Chandrakanta and Saaya were among his best.
In 2025, Gupta starred in A Life Inside Me, an Indian feature film directed by Jackie R. Bala. The film also stars Inayat Qazi and Sonali Sharmishtha and was produced by Mahi Kumar and Ajitesh Gupta. Set against a queer narrative lens, the story explores themes of identity, loss, and resilience. The film premiered at the KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival and went on to win Best Indian Feature Film and Best of Out & Loud at the Out & Loud Pune International Queer Film Festival.

Stage

In spite of having played meaty parts in many films and television serials, theatre is Gupta's first love – his ultimate destination. He has acted in numerous plays and has directed at least twenty of his own.
Gupta is the actor-director of plays such as Sarphire and Jaheez Hatyare, both based on writer-philosopher Albert Camus' French play The Just Assassins, and Sooraj Ki Antim Kiran Se Sooraj Ke Pehle Kiran Tak, based on Surendra Verma's 1965 Hindi play.
Gupta has acted in many Hindi plays, but Chanakyashastra and Kanyadaan, a play by noted playwright Vijay Tendulkar, are two plays he did in English.
Rajendra Gupta and noted actress Neena Gupta run a theatre production company – Sahaj Productions.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

As director
  • Sarphire / Jaheez Hatyare
  • Sooraj Ki Antim Kiran Se Sooraj Ke Pehle Kiran Tak
  • Dikhti..Khoob Ho!
As actor
  • Sarphire
  • Sar Sar Sarla
  • Sooraj Ki Antim Kiran Se Sooraj Ke Pehle Kiran Tak
  • Chanakyashastra
  • Kanyadaan
  • ''Dikhti..Khoob Ho!''

Awards

  • Gupta won a RAPA Award in 2000 for his performance in Saaya.