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 (1985), 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 (1967–1973). He was with the Rangoli Puppet Theatre, Lucknow (1973–1974), performing with glove puppets. At the National School of Drama Repertory (1977–1986), 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. He has starred in three films that have received Academy Award nominations for Best Foreign Language Film namely, Salaam Bombay!, Water and Lagaan. Raghubir Yadav is one of the few Indian actors 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! (1988). He has acted in Firaaq. In 2011, he played the lead role in the film Dear Friend Hitler, which derives its name from the two letters Mahatma Gandhi wrote Adolf Hitler, in 1939, immediately before World War II, and on Christmas Eve in 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 (1989), playing the lead character "Mungerilal" and in the television series Amaravathi ki Kathayein (1994-1995).

Later, he played the roles of Haji Nasruddin in the television program Mullah Nasruddin (also spelled as Mulla Nasiruddin) and the lead in Chacha Chaudhary. He also played the lead role 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 (lambi ter) 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 Silver Peacock for the Best Actor Award (Male): Massey Sahib at the 11th International Film Festival of India (1987). FIPRESCI Critic's Award, Venice for Best Actor: Massey Sahib (1986). Best Supporting Actor (Male) (Comedy Series) at 2020 Filmfare OTT Awards for Panchayat.

Filmography

+ List of Raghubir Yadav film credits Year Title Role Notes 1985 Massey SahibFrancis Massey 1988 Salaam Bombay!Chillum1989 In Which Annie Gives It Those OnesEnglish film 1990 Disha 1991 Kasba 1992 Electric MoonBoltuEnglish film Aasman Se Gira Dharavi Suraj Ka Satvan GhodaNarrator — friend of Manik Mulla Kubi Matthu Iyala Kannada film 1993 RudaaliAdult Budhua Maya Memsaab PapeehaBichhua SardarSardar Patel's Servant Chor Aur ChandHero 1994 Bandit QueenMadho 1942: A Love StoryMunna Udhaar Ki Zindagi 1995 DushmaniRaghuNirantharamTelugu film 1996 Khamoshi: The MusicalWillie Damu Bengali film1997 Saaz Rui Ka Bhoj1998 Dil Se..Shuklaji AIR managerX-ZONE 1999 Shaheed-E-MohabbatRamzani (mentally challenged)Samar 2000 TarkiebNainsukh (Blind shopkeeper) BawandarSohan (Saanvri's husband) 2001 LagaanBhura (seamer), the poultry farmer Asoka Maurya soldier 2002 Yatharth Tum Se Achcha Kaun Hai Manto Kuch Tum Kaho Kuch Hum Kahein Chaturvedi Agni Varsha Actor Manager (Sutradhar) 2003 AanchChilkona Darna Mana HaiDayashankar Pandey (teacher)Story segment: Homework Kahan Ho TumRaastaTayar Da (Neel's Friend)Bengali film 2004 Meenaxi: A Tale of Three CitiesNawab GayabVishnu's Father DeewaarJata 2005 WaterGulabi2006 Anthony Kaun Hai?Raghuu2007Aaja NachleDoctor Saab2008FiraaqKarim 2009 Dilli 6 Yeh Khula Aasmaan Rohit Nayyar Thanks Maa Peon2010 Peepli LiveBudhia 2011 Gandhi To HitlerAdolf Hitler 2012 Aalaap 8:08 Er Bongaon Local A Rickshaw puller Bengali filmMarried 2 AmericaRaghu 2013 MinuguruluSurdasTelugu filmClub 60Manu Bhai 2015PikuDr. SrivastavaThe Silence(Marathi, Hindi) Meinu Ek Ladki Chaahiye2016BhouriDhanua 2017ShentimentalMarathi filmNewtonLoknathMantostaan Sirajuddin 2018Sui DhaagaMauji's FatherLove per Square Foot Bhaskar Chaturvedireleased on NetflixTaking the horse to eat JalebisChhadami2019Romeo Akbar WalterMudassar Aadhaar Jacqueline I Am Coming Kashi Tiwary Make In IndiaMuikhiya 2020GhoomketuDaddaReleased on ZEE5Aajkal Ki Aurtein!Old Manshort film2021 Jamun Jamun Prashad Eros Now PagglaitPappu GiriNetflix Sandeep Aur Pinky FaraarUnclePrime VideoChehre Hariya Jatav 2022Jaggu Ki LaltenJaggu 2023Kathal Gulab Seth Yaatris Pushkar Sharma Minus 31: The Nagpur FilesAnupam Sharma2025Bhool Chuk Maaf Raghunath Hari Ka Om Om

Web series + List of Raghubir Yadav web series credits Year Title Role Platform Notes 2020–present Panchayat Brij Bhushan Dubey Amazon Prime Video 4 seasons 2021 Ray Hakim Sahab (Doctor) Netflix Episode; Hungama Kyon Hai Barpa 2022 Kaun Banegi Shikharwati Mishra Ji ZEE5 2022 The Great Indian Murder Mohan Kumar Disney+ Hotstar 2023 The Railway Men Railway Guard Netflix2025 Mandala Murders Kaivalya ShastriNetflix2026Hunkkaar: The RoarSunil Chakosi (Baapji)Disney + Hotstar

References

External links

Raghubir Yadhav on Bollywood Hungama During the depression, music was my sole respite: Raghubir Yadav