Gufi Paintal (4 October 1944 – 5 June 2023), also known as Sarabjeet Singh Paintal, was an Indian actor and casting director.
Initially trained as an engineer, he joined the Indian Army during the Sino-Indian War in 1962. While on the border, a folk play of Ramlila was conducted in which he performed the role of Sita, from where he became interested in acting. Then he came to Bombay where his younger brother Paintal (who had been trained at the Film and Television Institute of India) was trying his career in acting. Arriving in Bombay in 1969, Gufi took up modelling, worked as an assistant director for movies and acted in various movies and serials. He also directed his brother. His most well-known role is that of Shakuni in Mahabharat (1988 TV series) by B.R. Chopra and his son Ravi Chopra, which Paintal himself recognized as his best role.The other Paintal He was so associated with his Shakuni character in India that Paintal presented a political discussion show on the news channel Sahara Samay in the character of Shakuni.Sahara Samay: banking on youth
Paintal directed the movie Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, which sketches the life of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a 16th-century devotee of Krishna who is recognised as an incarnation of the god by followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. The film was produced by Pawan Kumar with music by Ravindra Jain. In 2010 he was appointed head of facility at the Abbhinnay Acting Academy in Mumbai, a school established by his Mahabharata co-star Pankaj Dheer.
Death Paintal died in a Mumbai hospital on 5 June 2023, at the age of 78.
Filmography Films Year Films Roles 1978 Dillagi Ganesh 1978 Des Pardes 1984Aaj Ki Awaaj1992Kal Ki AwazSrivastav, Bank Manager 1994 Suhaag Akshay kumar's maternal uncle 1995 Maidan-E-Jung Mamaji1997DaavaMangal Singh (One Piece Kathiavadi Ghodo)1998Sham GhanshamChintamani2000 The Revenge: Geeta Mera Naam2006 Ghoom Vijay Dikshit's Boss2008GhatothkachShakuni Mama2010Toofan Pooru Chacha2013Mahabharat Aur BarbareekShakuni 2014 Samrat & Co. Dinesh Das a.k.a. DD Family Lawyer
Television Year Serial Role Notes 1986 Bahadur Shah ZafarCharles Metcalfe1988–1990 Mahabharat Shakunialso casting director1993–1996 Kanoon Justice Raghunath 1992 Sauda 1997-1999 Aahat Raghu, Vijendra 1997–2001 Om Namah Shivay Shakuni1998–1999 Akbar Birbal Mulla Do Pyaza 2001 CID (Indian TV series) Chander 2002 Ssshhhh...Koi Hai Dr. Jarkos 2003 The Magic Make-Up Box Brithari 2011–2012 Dwarkadheesh Bhagwaan Shree KrishnShakuni2012–2013 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein Brijbhushan Bhalla 2013 Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap Humayun 2016–2018 Karmaphal Daata Shani Vishwakarma 2018 Karn Sangini Kripacharya 2019–2023 RadhaKrishn Vishwakarma 2021–2022Jay Kaniya lal KiVishwakarma
References
External links
Article about siblings in Indian television