Omkar Das Manikpuri
Encyclopedia
Omkar Das Manikpuri is an India
stage and film actor, native of Brindanagar in Bhilai
, of Chhattisgarh
state, in Central India, who has been a member of folk-theatre doyen Habib Tanvir
's, the Naya Theatre company for several years. He made his Hindi film debut as a male lead in Aamir Khan
productions' Peepli Live
(2010).
Chhattisgarh
, where he studied till fifth class in school, when the death of his father, forced him to join a village folk-theatre troupe, mandali. He shifted to Brindanagar (Ward No. 20) in Bhilai
in 1981.
in Bhopal. With them he has performed, in India and abroad, such timeless classics as Agra Bazaar, Charandas Chor
, and Kamdev ka Apna Basant Ritu ka Sapna and Sadak
. It was during a performance of the popular play Charandas Chor in Bhopal, that he was spotted by Rizvi and Mahmood Farooqui, the co-director of the film, which led to him auditioning for the film in Bhopal.
Subsequently, he made his film debut in Bollywood with Aamir Khan
productions' Peepli Live
(2010), where he played the main lead. Initially he had auditioned for a minor role of Machua, but later he was given the lead of Natha, which was till then reportedly to be played by Aamir Khan himself. His upcoming projects include two Chhattisgarhi films and a Chhattisgarhi folk music album.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
stage and film actor, native of Brindanagar in Bhilai
Bhilai
Bhilai or Bhilai Nagar is a city in the Durg district of Chhattisgarh, in eastern central India. As of 2001, it had a population of 753,837. The city is located west of the capital Raipur, on the main Howrah–Mumbai rail line, and National Highway 6...
, of Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh is a state in Central India, formed when the 16 Chhattisgarhi-speaking South-Eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh gained separate statehood on 1 November 2000....
state, in Central India, who has been a member of folk-theatre doyen Habib Tanvir
Habib Tanvir
Habib Tanvir was one of the most popular Indian Urdu, Hindi playwrights, a theatre director, poet and actor. He is the writer of plays such as, Agra Bazar and Charandas Chor...
's, the Naya Theatre company for several years. He made his Hindi film debut as a male lead in Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan
Aamir Hussain Khan is an Indian film actor, director and producer who has established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema....
productions' Peepli Live
Peepli Live
Peepli Live is a 2010 Indian comic satire that explores the topic of "farmer suicides" and the subsequent media and political response. It is written and directed by Anusha Rizvi in her directorial debut, and produced by Aamir Khan Productions...
(2010).
Early life
Omkar Das Manikpuri was born and brought up in village near Bhilai in Durg districtDurg District
Durg District is situated in Chattisgarh state of India. Until 2000 it formed part of Madhya Pradesh. District headquarters is Durg. The district covers an area of 8,537 km². The population in 1991 was 2, 397,134 of which 12.4% were members of scheduled tribes...
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh is a state in Central India, formed when the 16 Chhattisgarhi-speaking South-Eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh gained separate statehood on 1 November 2000....
, where he studied till fifth class in school, when the death of his father, forced him to join a village folk-theatre troupe, mandali. He shifted to Brindanagar (Ward No. 20) in Bhilai
Bhilai
Bhilai or Bhilai Nagar is a city in the Durg district of Chhattisgarh, in eastern central India. As of 2001, it had a population of 753,837. The city is located west of the capital Raipur, on the main Howrah–Mumbai rail line, and National Highway 6...
in 1981.
Career
Omkar Das started his career at the age of 17, as a performer in the local form of folk theatre called Nacha and joined an itinerant village theatre group. Performing often in makeshift and open air stages he honed his skills as a singer, dancer, mimic and a stand-up comic. Afterwards he joined Naya Theatre as an actor, founded by Habib TanvirHabib Tanvir
Habib Tanvir was one of the most popular Indian Urdu, Hindi playwrights, a theatre director, poet and actor. He is the writer of plays such as, Agra Bazar and Charandas Chor...
in Bhopal. With them he has performed, in India and abroad, such timeless classics as Agra Bazaar, Charandas Chor
Charandas Chor
Charandas Chor is 1975 children's film made by noted director Shyam Benegal, based on the famous play by Habib Tanvir, which itself was an adaptation of a classical Rajasthani folktale by Vijaydan Detha...
, and Kamdev ka Apna Basant Ritu ka Sapna and Sadak
Sadak
Sadak is a 1991 Bollywood film directed by Mahesh Bhatt.-Plot:The film was made famous by the excellent portrayal of a eunuch - Maharani by [Sadashiv Amrapurkar] who is an evil madam running a brothel that employs many girls including the characters of Pooja Bhatt and Neelima Azim. Sanjay Dutt's...
. It was during a performance of the popular play Charandas Chor in Bhopal, that he was spotted by Rizvi and Mahmood Farooqui, the co-director of the film, which led to him auditioning for the film in Bhopal.
Subsequently, he made his film debut in Bollywood with Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan
Aamir Hussain Khan is an Indian film actor, director and producer who has established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema....
productions' Peepli Live
Peepli Live
Peepli Live is a 2010 Indian comic satire that explores the topic of "farmer suicides" and the subsequent media and political response. It is written and directed by Anusha Rizvi in her directorial debut, and produced by Aamir Khan Productions...
(2010), where he played the main lead. Initially he had auditioned for a minor role of Machua, but later he was given the lead of Natha, which was till then reportedly to be played by Aamir Khan himself. His upcoming projects include two Chhattisgarhi films and a Chhattisgarhi folk music album.