ITA Award for Best Actor Drama Popular is an award given by the Indian Television Academy as a part of its annual event to the male actor who receives the highest votes by the public. First awarded in 2001, the award was originally named Desh Ka Sitara but was later renamed to Best Actor Popular.
Superlatives
Harshad Chopda holds the record for the most wins in the category, having won the award six times. Chopda has achieved five consecutive wins from 2021 to 2025.
Ronit Roy, Dheeraj Dhoopar, Karan Mehra, and Nakuul Mehta are next in line, each of whom have won the award twice.
Winners and nominees 2000s Year Photo Actor Character Show Ref2001Amar UpadhyayMihir ViraniKyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu ThiKiran KarmarkarOm AgarwalKahaani Ghar Ghar KiiHarsh ChhayaLalit SharmaJustujooShivaji SatamA.C.P. PradyumanCIDKanwaljit SinghGautam KapoorSaans2002Cezanne KhanAnurag BasuKasautii Zindagii KayKiran KarmarkarOm AgarwalKahaani Ghar Ghar KiiAmar UpadhyayMihir ViraniKyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu ThiVarun BadolaDev MalikDes Mein Niklla Hoga ChandSuresh OberoiDr. Raj PradhanDhadkan2003Ronit RoyMihir ViraniKyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu ThiKiran KarmarkarOm AgarwalKahaani Ghar Ghar KiiCezanne KhanAnurag BasuKasautii Zindagii KayMihir MishraDr. Rahul MishraSanjivani - A Medical Boon2004Ronit RoyMihir ViraniKyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu ThiRajeev KhandelwalSujal GarewalKahiin to HogaVarun BadolaAbhimanyu SaxenaAstitva...Ek Prem KahaniApurva AgnihotriArmaan SuriJassi Jaissi Koi NahinKiran KarmarkarOm AgarwalKahaani Ghar Ghar Kii2005Hiten TejwaniKaran ViraniKyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu ThiRonit RoyRishabh BajajKasautii Zindagii KayApurva AgnihotriArmaan SuriJassi Jaissi Koi NahinRajeev KhandelwalSujal GarewalKahiin to HogaHussain KuwajerwalaSumit WadhwaKumkum – Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan2006 Rohit RoyRahul LambaViraasatRam KapoorJai WaliaKasamh SeEijaz KhanKavya NandaKkavyanjaliSharad KelkarNahar SinghSaat Phere: Saloni Ka SafarHussain KuwajerwalaSumit WadhwaKumkum – Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan2007Rajat TokasPrithviraj ChauhanDharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj ChauhanSharad MalhotraSagar Pratap SinghBanoo Main Teri DulhannRam KapoorJai WaliaKasamh SeRajeev KhandelwalCaptain Rajveer Singh ShekhawatLeft Right LeftRohit RoyRahul LambaViraasat2008Angad HasijaAalekh RajvanshSapna Babul Ka...BidaaiRam KapoorJai WaliaKasamh SeHarshad ChopdaPrem JunejaKis Desh Mein Hai Meraa DilSharad MalhotraSagar Pratap SinghBanoo Main Teri DulhannShabbir AhluwaliaMilind MishraKayamath2009Karan MehraNaitik SinghaniaYeh Rishta Kya Kehlata HaiRonit RoyDharamraj MahiyavanshiBandiniSushant Singh RajputManav DeshmukhPavitra RishtaAvinash SachdevDev PurohitChotti BahuAngad HasijaAlekh RajvanshSapna Babul Ka...Bidaai
2010s Year Photo Actor Character Show Ref2010Sushant Singh RajputManav DeshmukhPavitra RishtaKaran MehraNaitik SinghaniaYeh Rishta Kya Kehlata HaiArhaan BehllKrishna SinghMann Kee Awaaz PratigyaRonit RoyDharamraj MahiyavanshiBandiniNandish SandhuVeer Singh BundelaUttaran2011Arhaan BehllKrishna SinghMann Kee Awaaz PratigyaSushant Singh RajputManav DeshmukhPavitra RishtaHarshad ChopdaAnurag GangulyTere LiyeKaran MehraNaitik SinghaniaYeh Rishta Kya Kehlata HaiNandish SandhuVeer Singh BundelaUttaran2012Barun SobtiArnav Singh RaizadaIss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?Samir SoniKunal ChopraParichayGurmeet ChoudharyMaan Singh KhuranaGeet – Hui Sabse ParayiDilip JoshiJethalal GadaTaarak Mehta Ka Ooltah ChashmahKushal TandonVirat Singh VadheraEk Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai2013Karan Singh GroverAsad Ahmed KhanQubool HaiRam KapoorRam KapoorBade Achhe Lagte HainAnas RashidSooraj RathiDiya Aur Baati HumGurmeet ChoudharyYash SindhiaPunar VivaahVivian DsenaRishabh KundraMadhubala - Ek Ishq Ek Junoon2014Harshad AroraZain AbdullahBeintehaaAnas RashidSooraj RathiDiya Aur Baati HumAshish SharmaRudra Pratap RanawatRangrasiyaShabir AhluwaliaAbhishek MehraKumkum BhagyaShaheer SheikhArjunMahabharat2015Karan MehraNaitik SinghaniaYeh Rishta Kya Kehlata HaiShabir AhluwaliaAbhishek MehraKumkum BhagyaKaran PatelRaman BhallaYeh Hai MohabbateinShakti AroraRanveer VaghelaMeri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi2016Shabir AhluwaliaAbhishek MehraKumkum BhagyaShaheer SheikhDev DixitKuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise BhiKaran PatelRaman BhallaYeh Hai MohabbateinVivian DsenaHarman SinghShakti - Astitva Ke Ehsaas KiShravan ReddyAryan ChimajiKrishnadasi2017Nakuul MehtaShivaay Singh OberoiIshqbaaazVivian DsenaHarman SinghShakti - Astitva Ke Ehsaas KiAasif SheikhVibhuti Narayan MishraBhabiji Ghar Par Hain!Zain ImamNeil KhannaNaamkarannBarun SobtiAdvay Singh RaizadaIss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 32018Harshad ChopdaAditya HoodaBepannahNakuul MehtaShivaay Singh OberoiIshqbaaazRandeep RaiSameer MaheshwariYeh Un Dinon Ki Baat HaiZain ImamNeil KhannaNaamkarannVivian DsenaHarman SinghShakti - Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki2019Dheeraj DhooparKaran Luthra Kundali BhagyaHarshad ChopdaAditya HoodaBepannahRandeep RaiSameer MaheshwariYeh Un Dinon Ki Baat HaiVivian DsenaHarman SinghShakti - Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki
2020s Year Photo Actor Character Show Ref2020Dheeraj DhooparKaran LuthraKundali BhagyaSudhanshu PandeyVanraj ShahAnupamaaRrahul SudhirVansh RaisinghaniaIshq Mein Marjawan 2Sharad MalhotraVeeranshu SinghaniaNaagin 5Sumedh MudgalkarKrishnRadhaKrishn2021Harshad ChopdaAbhimanyu BirlaYeh Rishta Kya Kehlata HaiNakuul MehtaRam KapoorBade Achhe Lagte Hain 2 Gaurav Khanna Anuj Kapadia Anupamaa Abrar Qazi Rudraksh Khurana Yeh Hai ChahateinMohsin Khan Kartik Goenka Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Sumedh Mudgalkar Krishna RadhaKrishn2022Harshad ChopdaAbhimanyu BirlaYeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Gaurav Khanna Anuj Kapadia Anupamaa Sumedh Mudgalkar Krishna RadhaKrishn Karan Wahi Aditya Singh Channa Mereya Karan Kundra Host Dance Deewane Junior Maniesh Paul Host India's Best Dancer2023Harshad ChopdaAbhimanyu BirlaYeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Nakuul MehtaRam KapoorBade Achhe Lagte Hain 2Adnan KhanViaan RaghuvanshiKatha AnkaheeHarshad AroraDr. Satya AdhikariGhum Hai Kisikey Pyaar MeiinSudhanshu PandeyVanraj ShahAnupamaa2024Harshad ChopdaAbhimanyu BirlaYeh Rishta Kya Kehlata HaiKrushal AhujaAniruddh BoseJhanakMahir PandhiDigvijay Mahajan VanshajMishkat VarmaAdhiraj PradhanKavya – Ek Jazbaa, Ek JunoonRohit PurohitArmaan PoddarYeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai2025Harshad ChopdaRishabh KapoorBade Achhe Lagte Hain 4Arjit TanejaVirat Singh AhujaKaise Mujhe Tum Mil GayeRohit PurohitArmaan PoddarYeh Rishta Kya Kehlata HaiKrushal AhujaAniruddha BoseJhanakShagun PandeyVed BirlaSaru
See also ITA Award for Best Actress Drama Popular ITA Award for Best Actor Drama Jury ITA Award for Best Actress Drama Jury
References
External links Indian Television Academy Awards