Rajpal Yadav goes Hollywood with 'Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain' Actor Rajpal Yadav best known for his comedy roles has stunned film critics with a strong emotional role in the Hollywood film Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain that reinvents the tragic Bhopal gas disaster that occurred in 1984 which killed 5000 innocent people. In the film Rajpal Yadav plays the protagonist, a poor rickshaw driver around whom the story revolves. Yadav shares space with top Hollywood actors like Martin Sheen, Kal Penn and Mischa Barton. Directed by London-based Indian director Ravi Kumar, Rajpal yadav portrays an emotional role like the one he did films Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon and Main Meri Patni Aur Woh. The film was screened at many film festivals like Cannes, France, Pan Asia Film Festival in London, Dingle Film Festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival and won rave reviews both for outstanding film and Rajpal Yadav’s excellent performance. After this film, Rajpal Yadav has received many offers from Hollywood but is not revealing details.
Rajpal Yadav as a child displayed his acting genius in village Nautanki Rajpal Yadav was born in a small hamlet Kulra in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. As a child he displayed his inclination towards acting by participating in village Nautanki, a conservative style of theater which is even today prevalent in interiors of many villages in India. However his parents disliked his acting and wanted him to be a doctor. Hence after class X he joined Science stream but he was not interested in Science and hated Maths. During college he participated in theater and did plays. When he failed in Science he switched to Arts and completed his graduation. Soon he joined local theatre and won rave reviews for his acts. His act in the play Andher Nagari Chaupat Raja won him so much appreciation that he finally decided to take up acting as his career. Rajpal Yadav decided to learn profession acting After having made up his mind to make acting as his profession, Rajpal Yadav decided to sharpen his skill and learn profession acting. He first joined at Bharatendu Natya Academy in Lucknow in 1992 and did a two years Diploma in Acting. However unsatisfied, he decided to join NSD (National School of Drama) for further three years and acquired a degree in Acting in 1997. Yadav in an interview admitted that before training he was a raw actor but after investing five years in learning the pros and con of acting he learned the technical aspects of acting and gained immense confidence to do any kind of character on stage or cinema.
Rajpal Yadav’s marriage to Canadian girl Radha is a fairy tale Rajpal Yadav’s love affair and his subsequent marriage to a Canadian girl look like a dream sequel to his own TV serial Mungerilal Ke Haseen, season 2, where he kept dreaming. Rajpal Yadav was in Canada shooting for his film The Hero: Love Story of a Spy staring Sunny Deol and Preity Zinda. Through a common friend he met a beautiful and gorgeous Canadian girl Radha. During the 10 days shooting Yadav came in close contact with Radha, incidentally, Radha though born in Canada was at heart an Indian and loved Indian traditions. The love affair of Rajpal Yadav to Radha, a Canadian resident is strange combination. He is black and she is fair, he is short, she is tall, he is ordinary looking, she is gorgeous, she is highly educated, he is an Arts graduate in third grade! But despite all the difference Rajpal Yadav and Radha gelled a bound and after dating for over many years and understanding each other the two tied the nuptial knot on June 10, 2003. The couple is blessed with a girl. Radha has shifted to India and lives with Yadav in India.
After acquiring mastery in acting Rajpal Yadav decided to move to Mumbai After obtaining a graduation from NSD in 1997, Rajpal Yadav moved to Mumbai the same year as he was confident of making it big in films. In Mumbai Rajpal and his friends all from NSD shared a small room and struggled to find work. Among his friends included Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Anurag Kashyap, who had made a little impact after his story in Ram Gopal Verma’s Satya was a hit. In his initial days of struggle Rajpal Yadav got a break in TV in the hit serial Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne (season 2) but he could make much sensation. Rajpal Yadav’s association with Ram Gopal Verma turned fruitful When Rajpal was still struggling to make his presence felt in Mumbai he faced several rejection. He would be thrown out from the studio gate due to his short height and ordinary appearances. Eventually Rajpal’s NSD friend Anurag Kashyap, who had won trust of Ram Gopal Verma (Ramu) after the success of Satya, introduced Rajpal Yadav to him. Ramu was impressed and gave Rajpal a small cameo in Shool. Later he also gave him a small role in his film Mast. After Mast, Ramu was so overwhelmed by Rajpal Yadav that he gave him a key role in his film Jungle as a terrorist. Interestingly in the dreaded role of Sippa, an evil terrorist, Rajpal Yadav outscored the lead villain Sushant Singh, who played the bandit gang leader Durga Narayan Chaudhary in the film. Rajpal Yadav won the prestigious Screen Award for his negative role. The award brought him into limelight and he was flooded with roles. Ram Gopal Verma made Rajpal Yadav a hero in his next film With the success of Jungle, Ram Gopal Verma took a challenge and made Rajpal Yadav hero in his next film Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon opposite an upcoming actress Antara Mali. Once again Rajpal Yadav gave his best performance and won Yash Bharati Award and Janpad Ratna Award for his brilliant act. But alas the film flopped and Ramu’s idea of making Rajpal hero misfired. After this Rajpal Yadav could never cherish his dream of becoming hero in his future films. Rajpal Yadav won fame as a comedian Though Rajpal Yadav won critical appreciation for his roles in Jungle and Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon but he won stardom and fame with comedy. Incidentally it was again Ram Gopal Verma to exploit the comedian in Rajpal Yadav in his film Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya. The movie was hit and Yadav gave a string of hit films as comedian like Chup Chup Ke, Garam Masala, Hungama, Waqt: The Race Against Time, Phir Hera Pheri, Dhol, Malamaal Weekly, Bhool Bhulaiyaa etc. Welcome Back, Kick 2, Krrish 3. Main Tera Hero etc
# | Released Date | Type | Credited As | Movie |
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1 | 31 Dec 2025 | Film | Supporting Actor | Phir Se Bumper Draw |
2 | 31 Dec 2025 | Film | Supporting Actor | Secret Pocketmaar |
3 | 31 Dec 2025 | Film | Supporting Actor | Superdhamaal.com |
4 | 26 Dec 2025 | Film | Supporting Actor | Awara Paagal Deewana 2 |
5 | 25 Dec 2025 | Film | Supporting Actor | Welcome To The Jungle |
6 | 31 Dec 2024 | Film | Actor | Hum Tum Maktoob |
7 | 25 Dec 2024 | Film | Supporting Actor | Baby John |
8 | 20 Dec 2024 | Film | Supporting Actor | Vanvaas |
9 | 22 Nov 2024 | Film | Supporting Actor | Naam |
10 | 01 Nov 2024 | Film | Supporting Actor | Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 |
11 | 30 Aug 2024 | Film | Supporting Actor | Pad Gaye Pange |
12 | 14 Jun 2024 | Film | Supporting Actor | Chandu Champion |