Yashpal Sharma is an Indian actor primarily working in Hindi-language films and theatre. He is best known for his role as Randhir Singh in Sudhir Mishra's 2003 Hindi movie Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, apart from Lagaan (2001), Gangaajal (2003), Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), Apaharan (2005), Lakshyam (2007), Singh Is Kinng (2008), Aarakshan (2011), Rowdy Rathore (2012), and Ayothi (2023), Kudi Haryane Val Di (2024).
He also played the role as Don Rana in sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (2008–present) on Sony SAB. He played Kuwar Singh in Zee TV's Mera Naam Karegi Roshan. Yashpal is also a stage actor and appears in live plays. He formerly starred in Zee's Neeli Chhatri Waale. His Haryanvi film Pagdi: The Honour was awarded at the 62nd National Film Awards.
Early life and education Sharma was born and brought up in a lower-middle-class family in Hisar in the state of Haryana. Since childhood, he was interested in acting and used to actively organise and participate in Ramlila during Dasara festivals.
He graduated from the National School of Drama, Mandi House, New Delhi in 1994, the lead role of his theatre play franchise (Koi Baat Chale) with writer and director Ramji Bali.
Career
After his graduation he joined the National School of Drama Repertory Company in Delhi, where he worked for about two years before moving to Mumbai in 1997.
His first big break was Govind Nihlani's film, Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa (1998), which gave him a chance to act alongside Jaya Bachchan and Nandita Das. He also started appearing in commercial films, like Shool and Arjun Pandit. However, it was the Academy Award-nominated Lagaan (2001) which brought him to the limelight, and thereafter he appeared in Gangajal (2003) and Ab Tak Chhappan. He has been a regular in films of Shyam Benegal and Prakash Jha and continues to work as a stage actor in Mumbai.
In 2010, he acted in Rage productions' bilingual play, One on One and the play Lakeerein, written by Gulzar and directed by Salim Arif, opposite actor, Lubna Salim.A play'ful' eve for Lucknow 2010, 1 December. The Times of India
He made his television debut with Mera Naam Karegi Roshan on Zee TV in 2010. Then he played a cameo role in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah on SAB TV in 2011. The same year, he appeared in a significant role in Dev Anand's Chargesheet, which turned out to be the veteran actor's last film before his death.
Sharma returned on television in a lead role as Bhagwandas with Neeli Chhatri Waale on Zee TV in 2014. His 2020 film as lead is Das Capital, directed by Rajen Kothari.
He briefly appeared in a short documentary The Facebook Generation, produced by Blue Strike Productions and Dev Samaj Modern School and directed by Sahil Bhardwaj. The film competed in the Reel to Real film making competition at Harmony 2012 organised by The Global Education and Leadership Foundation and was among the top 10 finalists.
He turned to film direction with a biopic on Haryanvi poet Pandit Lakhmi Chand, which he wrote as well.
Filmography
Hindi films Year FilmRoleNotes1998Hazaar Chaurasi Ki MaaLaltu (Brati's comrade)Shool Lalan SinghArjun Pandit Shiva1999 SamarRamesh Singh2000Pukar Major Katar SinghBawandar Sarju2001Abhay The Kashmiri terroristBilingual filmMujhe Kucch Kehna Hai Batsman/gang leaderLagaan: Once Upon a Time in India Lakha2002Gunaah Parshuram2003Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost Rudra Pratap SinghChameli DCP K.P. SinghDhoop Inspector Ram Singh MalikAmma RaghunathDum Babu KasaiGangaajal Sunder YadavNominated, Filmfare Best Villain AwardHazaaron Khwaishein Aisi Randhir Singh2004Asambhav Pandit ParmarAb Tak Chhappan Sub-Inspector Imtiaz Siiddiqui2005Kisna: The Warrior Poet Shankar SinghD ShabbirYahaan Shakil AhmedAmu GobindApaharan Gaya SinghDhadkanein 2006Bas Ek Pal Swamy2007Khanna & Iyer Benaam Aaja Nachle Inspector SahibAnwarS.P. TiwariRisk Arbaaz Bin Jamal2008Tashan ACP Kuldeep Singh HoodaDeshdrohi Baba QadumWelcome to Sajjanpur RamsinghSingh Is Kinng Pankaj Udaas2009Sankat City PachisiaWell Done Abba! Ramiyya - Police constable2010Mumbai Cutting Lamhaa RaufRivaaz Inspector Sadanand PathakRoad, Movie WaterlordYeh Sunday Kyun Aata Hai2011Yeh Saali Zindagi BadeyAarakshan Shambhu KakaSahi Dhandhe Galat Bande MalikMonicaPublic Prosecutor MathurChargesheetSuraj2012Jal RamkhiladiChakradhaarYogiraj ChaudharyRowdy Rathore Inspector Vishal SharmaSooper Se Ooper BhairuGangs of Wasseypur Singer in a bandJeena Hai Toh Thok Daal MahkooOass John2013Singh Saab The GreatLallan Singh2014Manjunath Golu Goyal2015Aisa Yeh Jahaan Nalia KaiHai Golmaal in White HouseBin Phere Free Me Ttere2016Chinese Bhassad TT BhaiyyaVoot Originals2017TubelightMajor Rajbir TokasGame OverInspector Pandurang KadamPanchlaitSarpanch Naginaa MahtoBabuji Ek Ticket BambaiJourney of Bhangover2018S. P. ChauhanJai Singh2019Family of ThakurganjSajjan Singh2020Das Capital: Gulamon Ki RajdhaniPurushottam RamStreaming on Cinemapreneur2021Bunty Aur Babli 2 Chutwa Chaubey2023The Great Indian FamilyPandit Jagannath MishraThe Rise of Sudarshan ChakraChandgi Ram 2024Bastar: The Naxal StoryUtpal TrivediChandu Champion Uttam Singh2025 Raid 2Devinder GehlotInterrogationYusufZEE5 FilmKis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2Engineer Baba(cameo) 2026Welcome to the Jungle JagwaVibeRawalVishesh
Other language films Year FilmRoleLanguageNotes2001Aalavandhan The Kashmiri terrorist TamilAvgat Inspector A. TadlapurkarMarathi2007 Lakshyam Section ShankarTelugu 2010 Don SeenuBaiju2013Ajoba MarathiGeetiyanDogri2014Jatt James Bond Bant MistriPunjabiPagdi The HonourPolice OfficerHaryanvi2015Mukhtiar Chadha Chidi HussainPunjabi2016Sardaar Ji 2 TejaBahniman Assamese2017HameerHameerGujaratiToofan Singh Arvind RamPunjabi 2018Bharat Ane Nenu Manohar RaoTelugu 2019Fagun HawayZamsedBengali2021Dada Lakhmi Pandit Lakhmi ChandHaryanvi Also director68th National Film Awards in Best Feature Film category in Haryanvi Language 2023AyothiBalramTamil
Short films YearFilmRoleNotes2016SanyogMokshaAsif security guardWWI Films2017Carbon YakubLong Short FilmsMuktiGeneral Amir Abdullah Khan NiaziSonyLIV2018KaagpanthIqbal2020Khayali PulaoHandball coachYouTube - Mostly Sane
Television YearNameRoleNetworkNotes1996AahatPolice inspectorSony Entertainment Television Season 1 Episode 55 "Jaal"2001Ssshhhh...Koi HaiJaspalStar Plus, Star One Episode: "Vidyut"2005CIDBabaSony Entertainment TelevisionEpisode 3592010Mera Naam Karegi RoshanKunwar Kuldeep SinghZee TV2011Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah ChashmahDon Kuldeep Singh RanaSony SAB2014–2015Neeli Chhatri WaaleBhagwan Das ChaubeyZee TV2020Your HonorPanditSony LIVPariWar Mahipal NarayanHotstarA Simple Murder PanditSony LIV ChitthiRavi AsthanaDhaivat Records & Productions2023Kaalkoot Sattu YadavJioCinema2024Maamla Legal Hai Adv. Mahendra PhoreyNetflixIC 814: The Kandahar Hijack Sanjay MehtaNetflix2025DupahiyaMithlesh KushwahaAmazon Prime Video2026Psycho SaiyaanKartik's LawyerAmazon MX PlayerSpecial AppearanceGlorySarpanchNetflix 2026–present Bareilly Ke Bacchan Ajab Singh BacchanColors TV2026Waiting HaiBhoora BhaiyaAmazon MX Player
Awards and nominations
2004: Nominated: Filmfare Best Villain Award for Gangaajal 2004: Nominated: IIFA Best Performance in a Negative Role for Gangaajal 2004: Nominated: Screen Weekly Awards for Gangaajal 2004: Nominated: Zee Cine Awards for Gangaajal 2022: Won: 68th National Film Awards for Dada Lakhmi in Best Feature Film in Haryanvi
References
External links