Discover the fascinating life and career of Kumud Mishra, a celebrated Bollywood and theatre actor renowned for his versatile roles and captivating performances.

Wiki/Biography

Kumud Mishra was born in Chakghat, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. He completed his schooling at the Rashtriya Military School in Belgaum, Karnataka. Afterward, he returned to Bhopal to graduate with a degree in History and Political Science. His academic background provided a solid foundation for his future endeavors in the arts.

Physical Appearance

• Height (approx.): 5’ 7”
• Hair Colour: Black
• Eye Colour: Dark Brown

Family, Caste & Wife

Kumud hails from a Hindu family. His father, also a talented theatre artist, served in the Indian Army and significantly influenced Kumud’s path towards acting. He married Ayesha Raza on February 9, 2008. Ayesha is a Bollywood actress known for her roles in films like Dhoom (2004), Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (2018), and Bharat (2019). The couple has a son named Kabir, also known as Kabbu.

Career

His father’s encouragement led Kumud to join the Bharat Bhavan Culture Centre in Bhopal, where he honed his skills alongside renowned theatre directors such as Sachin Tiwari, John Martin, Alok Nandan, and Bansi Kaul. He even had the opportunity to work with Prabhat Ganguly’s The Little Ballet Theatre and participated in the Festival of India in the USSR in 1989.

In 1990, he enrolled at the prestigious National School of Drama in Delhi, earning a diploma in acting under the tutelage of the celebrated actor and director Satyadev Dubey. While he auditioned for Shyam Benegal’s The Making of the Mahatma (1996), he ultimately didn’t secure the role. However, his time at NSD and his association with the Prithvi Theatre for over two decades greatly shaped his acting career.

His Bollywood debut in Sardari Begum (1996) didn’t bring immediate success, so he continued his theatre work. His breakthrough role came in 2011’s Rockstar, playing Khatana Bhai. His memorable lines from the film, “Shiddat honi chahiye pyar me, dard hona chahiye” and “Toote hue dil se hi sangeet nikalta hai,” became iconic.

Since then, he’s appeared in numerous successful films, including Ranjhanaa (2013), Revolver Rani (2014), Badlapur (2015), Airlift (2016), and many more. He also co-founded the theatre group ‘D for DRAMA’, whose production Dhumrapaan received META awards nominations in 2017.

Favourite Things

• Food: Pani Puri, Tea, and Rasmalai
• Actor: Naseeruddin Shah
• Theatre Artist(s): Satyadev Dubey, Anupam Kher
• Colour: Black

Facts

Kumud’s hobbies include reading and traveling. He successfully passed the Combined Defence Service written examination. He shared in an interview how his grandfather’s emotional recitations of verses deeply impacted him. Interestingly, Nawazuddin Siddiqui was his junior at the National School of Drama. He’s been a devoted admirer of Naseeruddin Shah since his NSD days.

Film Roles Summary