Raghubir Yadav is an Indian actor, music composer, singer and set designer who works in Hindi films. He made his film debut with Massey Sahib (1985), in which he played the title role. He has won two International Awards as Best Actor for Massey Sahib, FIPRESCI Critic’s Award, Venice Film Festival, 1986 and the IFFI Best Actor Award (Male): Silver Peacock Award at the 11th International Film Festival of India, 1987. The film also featured writer and social activist in National School of Drama, New Delhi until 1977.
Theatre
Yadav has performed as an actor and singer in over 70 plays and about 2500 shows, travelling in caravans, living in tents and performing on makeshift stages in villages, towns and cities of India with the Parsi Theatre Company (1967–1973). He was with the Rangoli Puppet Theatre, Lucknow (1973–1974), performing with glove puppets. At the National School of Drama Repertory (1977–1986), he acted in about 40 plays in over 2000 shows. He has also contributed to music, sets, costumes and masks.
Film
He was seen in many milestone films in the following decades. Three films that he has acted in have received Academy Award nominations for Best Foreign Language Film (Salaam Bombay! ,Water and Lagaan). Raghubir Yadav is one of the few Indian actor to have received the Silver Peacock Best Actor Award, at the International Film Festival of India. His most acclaimed role was as the drug addicted “Chillum” in Salaam Bombay! (1988). He has acted in Firaaq. In 2011, he played the lead role in the film Dear Friend Hitler, which takes its name from two letters Mahatma Gandhi wrote Adolf Hitler, in 1939 immediately before World War II and Christmas Eve 1940 after the war had started, to prevent and to stop the war
Television
Yadav started his television career with the television program Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne (1988), playing the lead character “Mungerilal”. Amaravathi ki Kathayein (1994-’95).
Later he played the roles of Haji Nasruddin in the television program Mullah Nasruddin (also spelled as Mulla Nasiruddin) and the lead in Chacha Chaudhary. He also played the lead role for BI T.V. in Arjun Pandit.
Later he played the roles of Haji Nasruddin in the television program Mullah Nasruddin (also spelled as Mulla Nasiruddin) and the lead in Chacha Chaudhary. He also played the lead role for BI T.V. in Arjun Pandit.
