Arshad Warsi

Biography

A gifted actor who could effortlessly segue between characters of various shades, Arshad Warsi`s film career spans well over two decades. He first rose to prominence in showbiz as a prodigiously talented dancer in the early 1990s, and his Bollywood debut came with the romantic drama Tere Mere Sapne in 1996.

Since then, Arshad has steadily risen through the ranks to establish himself as one of the most dynamic performers in the industry.

Arshad married Maria Goretti, an MTV VJ and dance enthusiast. She was also a contestant in a dance reality show for which the actor was a judge. They fell in love instantly and after dating for a brief period, the duo decided to get married on 14th February 1999.

The couple has two children, Zeke Warsi and Zene Zoe Warsi both of whom made a special appearance in the film Salaam Namaste.

Arshad started his career in 1996 with Tere Mere Sapne, which was the maiden production under the Amitabh Bachchan Corporation banner. The film received a positive response and helped Arshad gain recognition in the entertainment industry.

This was followed by several films that failed to make an impact at the box office. In 2003, the actor landed his breakout role with Rajkumar Hirani`s comedy film Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.

His brilliant performance as Munna Bhai`s (Sanjay Dutt) loyal friend and sidekick Circuit not only won over the audience but went on to become one of the most iconic comedic characters in Bollywood history. Arshad also won the Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role for his performance in the film.

In 2013, Arshad played the lead role in the courtroom black comedy-drama, Jolly LLB, which was written and directed by Subhash Kapoor. The film revolves around a small-time advocate who goes head-to-head with a high-profile advocate when the former re-opens a controversial case.

The film also stars Boman Irani and Amrita Rao in the lead roles. A critical and commercial success, Jolly LLB (2013) went on to win the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi that year.

In his solitary release in 2016, the actor starred in The Legend of Michael Mishra, which turned out to be a disappointment both critically and commercially. Among the celebrated actor`s other notable film credits in recent times are the thriller Irada (2017) and the supernatural comedy Golmaal Again (2017).

In 2019, Arshad starred in the comedy Fraud Saiyaan, where he essayed the role of a seasoned con artist who makes a living by scamming women into marrying him. His 2020 release includes Durgamati.

Arshad was the co-host of a dance show Razzmatazz (2001), Karishma The Miracles of Destiny from 2003 to 2004. He also hosted Sabse Favourite Kaun (2004) and Bigg Boss season 1 (2006), the Indian version of the reality television series Big Brother.