Happy Birthday Paresh Rawal: 5 Breakthrough Performances By the Actor

From the comic to the serious and the villanious, veteran actor Paresh Rawal has donned almost every character possible in a career that spans over three decades.

The scheming villain in Roop Ki Rani Choro Ka Raja, the lead hero in Ketan Mehta's Sardar or the hilarious Babu Bhai in Hera Pheri, Rawal effortlessly slips in and out of characters as one would from clothes. As the actor celebrates his 63rd birthday, we take a look at 5 iconic performances by the actor that show acting is, but second nature to him.

Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in Hera Pheri: Priyadarshan starrer Hera Pheri saw Paresh Rawal share screen space with Sunil Shetty and Akshay Kumar. Much of the acclaim for the film' success went to Paresh Rawal, who was hailed for his comic timing and acting. Rawal's portrayal of the Quixote-ish naive fool was much appreciated.

Eunuch in Tamanna: A role which perhaps not many would have chosen to do in 1997, the Mahesh Bhatt directorial saw Rawal essay the role of an eunuch. His nuanced performance along with the depth he brought to a character, which could otherwise, easily fall into stereotypes, was appreciated by the audience and critics alike.

Father in Sir: The actor's portrayal of a criminal but concerned father of a shy, stammering daughter undergoing a believable change of heart following a few twists is considered to be one of the film's biggest draws. He even won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1993 film.

OMG -- Oh My God!: Paresh Rawal played the lead role of Kanji in the superhit OMG -- Oh My God! The satirical comedy-drama film saw Rawal take on God for the injustices he felt God had meted out to him. The actor was supported by Akshay Kumar in the film and both received rave reviews for their performances.

Sanju: The 2018 Rajkumar Hirani film, that is a biopic on the actor Sanjay Dutt's life, saw Rawal essay the role of the late iconic actor and Sanjay Dutt's father Sunil Dutt. The veteran actor's nuanced performance of essaying the mannerisms of the icon was well received by critics and audiences alike.