
Born on April 19, 1968, Arshad Hussain Warsi is an Indian actor who works in Hindi movies. He is renowned for his performance in a variety of cinema genres and has won multiple accolades, including a Filmfare Award from five nominations.
He also worked as an associate director for Mahesh Bhatt and Ayam Bhardwaj’s films in Kaash (1987) and choreographed a song for Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993) prior to making his acting debut. In 1996, Warsi made his acting debut in the box office hit Tere Mere Sapne. He earned the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role for his depiction of Circuit in the comedy Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003) and Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), which marked a turning point in his career.
In addition to starring in a number of commercially successful comedies, such as Hogi Pyaar Ki Jeet (1999), F.A.L.T.U (2011), Hulchul (2004), Total Dhamaal (2019), Salaam Namaste (2005), Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006), Dhamaal (2007), Double Dhamaal (2011), Golmaal Returns (2008), Ishqiya (2010), Golmaal 3 (2010), Dedh Ishqiya (2014), Jolly LLB (2013), Golmaal Again (2017), and Krazzy 4 (2008). He was also praised by critics for his roles in Sehar (2005),M aine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? (2005) Kabul Express (2006), and Guddu Rangeela (2015). The Hindi cinema industry considers him to be one of its most underappreciated actors.
Aside from his work in movies, Warsi has hosted the dance show Razzmatazz in 2001, Sabse Favorite Kaun in 2004, and the first season of the reality TV series Bigg Boss, for which he received the Indian Television Academy Award for Best Anchor – Game/Quiz Show. The TV series Karishma: The Miracles of Destiny (2003) starred him opposite Karisma Kapoor, and in 2010 he served as a judge for Zara Nachke Dikha. Since 1999, Warsi and Maria Goretti have been wed, and the couple has two kids together.
Early life and education:
Warsi was born in Mumbai into a Muslim household. After becoming a devotee of the Sufi saint Waris Ali Shah, his father, Ahmed Ali Khan (Ashiq Hussain), who was a poet and musician in Hindi movies, took the name Warsi. Due to his father’s first marriage to actress Ranjana Sachdev, Arshad is the half-brother of musician Anwar Hussain and actress Asha Sachdev.
Warsi grew up speaking both Punjabi and Urdu, as his father was a Punjabi from Lahore. He attended Barnes School, a boarding school in Deolali, Nashik district, Maharashtra, for his education. In his early years, he struggled to make ends meet in Bombay after becoming an orphan at the age of 14.
Due to financial difficulties, Warsi began selling cosmetics door-to-door at the age of 17. He subsequently worked at a picture lab. He became very interested in dancing in the interim, and he was offered a position with Akbar Sami’s dance troupe in Mumbai. He began dancing and choreographing in Thikana (1987) and Kaash (1987). Then, at the age of 21, he placed fourth in the Modern Jazz category of the 1992 World Dance championship in London after winning the dance competition. With that money, he quickly established his own dance studio, Awesome, and a dance company.
His future wife, Maria Goretti, who was a student at St. Andrew’s College before she became a VJ, joined him here. He was also involved with an English theater group in Mumbai, where he choreographed performances for Bharat Dabholkar and was given the chance to choreograph the title tune for the Bollywood Film Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja. Jaya Bachchan offered him a part in Tere Mere Sapne around this period.
Movie career:
In 1996, he received his first offer to appear in Tere Mere Sapne, the debut production of Amitabh Bachchan’s production firm, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation. He had previously appeared briefly in Aag Se Khelenge as a dancer in a song. He went on to play parts in movies like Hero Hindustani (1998), Mere Do Anmol Ratan (1997), and Betaabi (1997). Rediff.com’s Suparn Verma appreciated his performance in P Vasu’s Hogi Pyaar Ki Jeet (1999). Trishakti (1999), directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, was Warsi’s next release. The picture, which took three years to complete, did not do well at the box office. Ghaath, Mujhe Meri Biwi Se Bachaao (2001), and Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani (2002) were his only feature appearances in 2001. The majority of these were box office failures. He portrayed a regular man who saves the life of a goon who is shot and killed in Shashanka Ghosh’s Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II. According to Ronjita Kulkarni, he performed well.
When he played Circuit to Munna Bhai (Sanjay Dutt) in Rajkumar Hirani’s comedy Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. in 2003, he became well-known. The film was a box office hit, received positive reviews from critics, and earned him a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. The same was the reason Arshad was awarded the Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role. Warsi stated in an interview that his career would have ended if the movie had failed. He received nominated for the Screen Award for Best Actor, Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role, and IIFA Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role for his sole 2004 release, the comedy Hulchul, which also garnered him the GIFA Best Comedian Award.
Kuchh Meetha Ho Jaye (2005), directed by Samar Khan, starred Warsi opposite Mahima Chaudhry as an airport manager. Critics praised his performance in Sehar, and Rediff.com’s Sanhita Paradkar wrote: At last [he is] in a much-deserved starring part. He made appearances in the romantic comedies Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? and Salaam Namaste that same year as a supporting actor. He received a nomination for the Best Supporting Actor Filmfare Award for the latter. He portrayed a computer hacker in the suspense thriller Chocolate, which was directed by Vivek Agnihotri. Rediff.com’s Indrani Roy Mitra praised Warsi’s performance in Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi! (2005).
Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006), the first film in the Golmaal franchise, was a joint project between Warsi and Rohit Shetty. The comedy thriller Anthony Kaun Hai? which was directed by Raj Kaushal, was his subsequent release. Many Hollywood and Bollywood movies were referenced in the movie, and Warsi’s portrayal of a con artist was praised by reviewers. Raj Lalwani described himself as “one of the most underrated actors around” and said that the movie was “his.”He collaborated with Rajkumar Hirani and Sanjay Dutt once more on Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), which earned him the Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role, the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor, the Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor, and his first Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role.
His performance of a cameraman abducted by the Taliban in Kabir Khan’s counter-terrorism drama Kabul Express (2006) received praise. Warsi is the main attraction, according to H S Bunty. Warsi starred in the popular comedy Dhamaal (2007). He portrayed a Pakistani football player in the 2007 sports drama Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal who lived in London. Warsi, a character in the comedy Krazzy 4, directed by Jaideep Sen, has intermittent explosive disorder. There were no positive reviews for the movie.
Ameeta Gupta gave Warsi’s acting in Mr. Black Mr. White (2008), a comedy directed by Deepak Shivdasani, high marks. For the comedy Golmaal Returns, he got back again with Rohit. Kisse Pyaar Karoon, his debut album of 2009, was followed by Ek Se Bure Do. He portrayed the lead in the comedy Shortkut, which was directed by Neeraj Vora and was a remake of the Malayalam film Udayananu Tharam (2005).
In 2010, Warsi was nominated for both the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for the black comedy Ishqiya. He also won the Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was accompanied by Vidya Balan and Naseeruddin Shah. He acted in Hum Tum Aur Ghost and produced it. The movie did not do well monetarily and was given bad reviews. For the comedy Golmaal 3, he once more worked with Rohit Shetty. The business was successful. Raja Sen believed that by going beyond, Warsi was ruining all the streetside credibility he had gained through his bhai-sidekick roles. His 2011 releases were the above-average grossing comedies Double Dhamaal and F.A.L.T.U. The former, which was helmed by Remo D’Souza, drew inspiration from Steve Pink’s 2006 comedy Accepted. According to Preeti Arora, the latter was a major letdown.
In 2012, he made a cameo in Ajab Gazabb Love, which was his only movie role. “Warsi was good and effective,” CNN-IBN wrote. In the action-thriller Zila Ghaziabad, his debut release of 2013, he portrayed a mobster. While praising Warsi’s performance, Charu Thakur offered criticism of the movie. His first solo hit was Jolly LLB, directed by Subhash Kapoor, in which he played a lawyer. He was really sincere, according to Raja Sen’s writing.
Arshad received the Apsara Movie Producers Guild Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role, the IIFA Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role, and the BIG Star Entertainment Award for Most Entertaining Actor in a Comedy Film (Male) for his role in the comedy-drama. For Best Feature Film in Hindi, the movie took home the National Film Award. Rabba Main Kya Karoon (2013), a sex comedy directed by Amrit Sagar Chopra, featured Warsi in a significant part. He co-starred with Soha Ali Khan in Samir Tewari’s comedy Mr. Joe B. Carvalho as the title investigator.
The movie was poorly received by reviewers and did not do well at the box office. He acted in the 2014 film Dedh Ishqiya, directed by Abhishek Chaubey. While filming an action sequence for Manish Jha’s comedy The Legend of Michael Mishra, he sustained a brain injury. Warsi costarred with Jackky Bhagnani and Lauren Gottlieb in Ashish R. Mohan’s 2015 comedy Welcome to Karachi. Warsi’s comic timing and performance were praised by Rohit Vats and Shubha Shetty-Saha.Warsi’s subsequent blockbuster, Golmaal Again (2017), starred him again as Madhav from earlier Golmaal movies. Tusshar Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Parineeti Chopra, Shreyas Talpade, and Kunal Khemu also starred.
It was a box office success and went on to rank among the greatest grossers of the year. He starred in Bhaiyyaji Superhitt, Fraud Saiyaan, Total Dhamaal, and Pagalpanti after Golmaal Again, while S Ramanathan’s courtroom drama Zamaanat is still for release. Bachchan Pandey, starring Akshay Kumar and Kriti Sanon, was Arshad Warsi’s most recent release, which came out in March 2022.
Television career:
In 2001, Warsi co-hosted the dance program Razzmatazz on Zed TV. In the television series Karishma: The Miracles of Destiny, he costarred with Karisma Kapoor from 2003 to 2004. Sahara One carried it. For STAR Gold, he hosted the well-liked award show Sabse Favorite Kaun (2004). Bigg Boss 1 (2006), the Indian adaptation of the reality TV show Big Brother, which was broadcast by Sony Entertainment, was hosted by him. For this, Warsi was awarded the Indian Television Academy Award for Best Anchor—Game/Quiz Show. He also made a brief appearance on the 2010 Disney Channel television series Ishaan: Sapno Ko Awaaz De.
Personal life:
Maria Goretti and Arshad Warsi were married on February 15, 1996. Their daughter, Zene Zoe Warsi, was born in 2007, and their son, Zeke Warsi, was born in 2005. Zeke also appeared in Salaam Namaste in a unique capacity. Warsi was a gymnast at the national level when he was in school. In March 2023, India’s securities watchdog SEBI accused Arshad Warsi of being involved in a stock market scam. However, he did not profit from the transaction.
Reception:
Warsi believes that he is a more serious actor than a comedian. In school, he was a member of a biker’s gang and is an enthusiastic biker himself. Naseeruddin Shah, an actor, stated that Warsi is the best all-around actor of this generation. Vidya Balan, on the other hand, said of Warsi: He reminds me of the great European performers who can play any role. He is, however, utterly underutilized. According to Ashok Raj’s book Hero Vol. 2, he is one of the most gifted actors of our time. Warsi is a well-known actor who dislikes auditioning. He is regarded as one of the top three dancers in the Hindi cinema business by Bhawana Somaaya. He is “the most underrated and unutilized actor,” according to director Samir Tewari.
Arshad Warsi All Movie List:
Movie | Cast | Year |
Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja Raja” | 1993 | |
Tere Mere Sapne | Balu | 1996 |
Betaabi | Vicky/Chetan | 1997 |
Mere Do Anmol Ratan Hero Hindustani | Narinder (Naren) Romi | 1998 |
Hogi Pyaar Ki Jeet Trishakti | Kishan Sagar Malhotra | 1999 |
Ghaath | Diwakar | 2000 |
Mujhe Meri Biwi Se Bachaao | Rocky | 2001 |
Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani | Abdul | 2002 |
Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. | Puneet Syal Circuit | 2003 |
Hulchul | Lucky | 2004 |
Kuchh Meetha Ho Jaye Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? Sehar Salaam Namaste Ranjan Mathur Chocolate Tubby | Manager S.R. Khan Vicky SSP Ajay Kumar Ranjan Mathur Fakira B.P.C.M. | 2005 |
Golmaal: Fun Unlimited Anthony Kaun Hai? Lage Raho Munna Bhai Kabul Express | Madhav Singh Ghai Champak ‘Champ’ Chaudhari Circuit Jai | 2006 |
Dhamaal Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal | Aditya ‘Adi’ Shrivastava Shaan | 2007 |
Halla Bol Sunday Krazzy 4 Mr. Black Mr. White Golmaal Returns | Himself Ballu Raja Kishen ACP Madhav | 2008 |
Kisse Pyaar Karoon Ek Se Bure Do Shortkut | Siddharth Toti Raju | 2009 |
Ishqiya Hum Tum Aur Ghost Golmaal 3 | Razzak Hussain/Babban Armaan Suri Madhav | 2010 |
F.A.L.T.U Double Dhamaal Love Breakups Zindagi | Adi | 2011 |
Ajab Gazabb Love | Businessman | 2012 |
Zila Ghaziabad Jolly LLB Rabba Main Kya Karoon | Mahender Fauji Bainsla Gujjar Advocate Jagdish “Jolly” Tyagi Shravan | 2013 |
Mr Joe B. Carvalho Dedh Ishqiya | Joe B. Carvalho Babban | 2014 |
Welcome 2 Karachi Guddu Rangeela | Shammi Thakur Rangeela | 2015 |
The Legend of Michael Mishra | Michael Mishra | 2016 |
Irada Golmaal Again | Arjun Mishra Madhav | 2017 |
Bhaiaji Superhit | Goldie Kapoor | 2018 |
Fraud Saiyaan Total Dhamaal Pagalpanti | Bhola Prasad Tripathi Adi Junky | 2019 |
Durgamati | Ishwar Prasad | 2020 |
Bachchhan Paandey | Vishu Kant Mhatre | 2022 |
Bandaa Singh Chaudhary | Bandaa Singh Chaudhary | 2024 |
Jolly LLB 3 | Advocate Jagdish “Jolly” Tyagi Filming | 2025 |
Television Shows :
Title | Role | Year |
Razzmatazz | Host | 2001 |
Karishma – The Miracles of Destiny | Pakiya | 2003 |
Sabse Favourite Kaun | Host | 2004 |
Bigg Boss Season 1 | Host | 2006 |
Zara Nachke Dikha | Judge | 2010 |
Comedy Nights with Kapil | Host | 2015 |
Asur | Dhananjay Rajpoot “DJ” | 2020–2023 |
Modern Love: Mumbai | Daniel | 2022 |
Choona | Narrator | 2023 |
Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 11 | Judge | 2023–2024 |
Awards and nominations :
Award | Result | Year |
Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor Apsara Film Producers Guild Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Won Nominated Nominated Nominated Nominated Nominated | 2004 |
GIFA Award for Best Comedian Filmfare Award for Best Comic Role IIFA Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role Screen Award for Best Comedian | Won Nominated Nominated Nominated | 2005 |
Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor GIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor | Nominated Nominated | 2006 |
Filmfare Award for Best Comic Role IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor Indian Television Academy Award for Best Anchor | Won Won Won Won | 2007 |
Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor Stardust Award for Best Actor BIG Star Entertainment Award for Most Entertaining Actor | Nominated Nominated Nominated Nominated Won | 2011 |
IIFA Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role Apsara Film Producers Guild Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role BIG Star Entertainment Award for Most Entertaining Actor in a Thriller Film (Male) | Won Won Nominated | 2014 |