Atul Kulkarni (born 10 September 1965) is an Indian actor, producer and screenwriter who works in Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, English, Odia and Telugu language films. Kulkarni won the National Award for the Best Supporting Actor for the films Hey Ram and Chandni Bar.[1][2] He is also the president of Quest, a research-action organization concentrating on enhancing quality of education. He left his study in engineering at College of Engineering, Pune while he was in his first year. He is known for his performances in films like Hey Ram, Chandni Bar, Rang De Basanti (2006), Natarang (2010) among others. He has also written the screenplay of Laal Singh Chadda, the official remake of Forrest Gump.[3]

Atul Kulkarni
Atul at the screening of Sonata
Born (1965-09-10) 10 September 1965 (age 59)
Alma materNational School of Drama, New Delhi
Occupations
  • Actor
  • screenwriter
  • film producer
Spouse
(m. 1996)
Websitewww.atulkulkarni.com

Early life and career

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Kulkarni received his diploma in acting from the National School of Drama, New Delhi in 1995.[4] He is married to theater actress Geetanjali Kulkarni, whom he met at the National School of Drama.[5]

Kulkarni's first stint on stage was during his high school days. He participated in the Maharashtra State Drama Competition regularly. Between 1989 and 1992, he won awards for Acting and also for Drama-Direction.[6] Atul enacted in Gandhi Viruddh Gandhi, the play made later famous by Dilip Prabhavalkar in Marathi professional theatre circuit until mid-90s.[7] Later during his college days he actively participated in cultural gatherings. While studying, Atul joined Natya Aradhana, an amateur theatre group from Solapur. Atul Kulkarni holds a postgraduate diploma in dramatic arts from National School of Drama, New Delhi. Atul Kulkarni, a national-award winner and a fine actor, expresses his belief of art being a product of social, political and economic changes in the society.[8]

Other works

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Philanthropy

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Kulkarni has been serving as President of Quest Education Support Trust.[9] Quest Trust invests in running workshops and enabling Teachers, to support education for children of marginalized communities between 3–14 years. All this activity is mainly in State of Maharashtra. It conducts its activities in Marathi language.[10]

Atul Kulkarni has been active in sharing his knowledge on running NGO with other NGO's. He does visit Maharashtra based NGO's like Snehalaya regularly.[11] Kulkarni has been involved in an environmental project, making a 24-acre barren land in Satara District into Green area.[12]

Filmography

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As actor

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Year Film Role Language
1997 Bhoomi Geetha Kannada
2000 Kairee Marathi
Jayam Manade Raa Basavayah Telugu
Hey Ram Shriram Abhyankar Hindi/Tamil
2001 Chandni Bar Potya Sawant[13] Hindi
2002 Run Bhaskar Tamil
Bhet Prabhakar Marathi
Bibhatsa Hindi
Dahavi Fa Ganesh Deshmukh Marathi
2003 Mango Soufflé Edwin 'Ed' Prakash English
88 Antop Hill Pratyush Shelar Hindi
Satta Yashwant Varde Hindi
Dum 'Encounter' Shankar Hindi
Vaastupurush Nishikant Dada Marathi
2004 Andhrawala Bade Mia's sidekick Telugu
Chanti MLA Sarvarayudu Telugu
Gowri Sarkar Telugu
Mansarovar Malayalam
Vajram Malayalam
Khakee Dr. Iqbal Ansari Hindi
Devrai Shesh Marathi
Manmadhan ACP Deva Tamil
Leela Mahal Center GK Telugu
Chakwa Tushar Khot Marathi
2005 Page 3 Vinayak Mane Hindi
2006 Kedi Minister Pughazhenthy Tamil
Raam Telugu
Rang De Basanti Laxman Pandey Hindi
Corporate Narrator Hindi
2007 Aa Dinagalu Agni Shridhar Kannada
Maati Maay Narsu Marathi
Gauri: The Unborn Sandeep Hindi
2008 Valu Swanand Gaddamwar Marathi
Talappavu Krishnadeva Saivar Malayalam
Kurukshetra Malayalam
D-17 Malayalam
2009 Yeh Mera India Raj Hindi
Delhi 6 Gobar Hindi
Padikathavan Kasi Anandan Tamil
Vandae Maatharam Malayalam / Tamil
Jail Lawyer Hindi
2010 Yaksha Machendranath Poonja Kannada
Sukhaant Marathi
Natarang Guna Kagalkar Marathi
Allah Ke Banday School Teacher Hindi
Bumm Bumm Bole Hindi
2011 Panjaa Kulkarni Telugu
Koffi Bar Business man Telugu
Aagaah: The Warning Aazan Khan Hindi
Chaalis Chauraasi Bobby Hindi
2012 Suzhal Tamil
Edegarike Agni Shridhar Kannada
2013 Nimidangal Business man Tamil
Aarambam JCP Milind Virekar Tamil
The Attacks of 26/11 Inspector Shinde Hindi
Popat Janya Marathi
Vallinam Basketball Coach[14] Tamil
Premachi Goshta Ram Marathi
Zanjeer Jayadev Hindi
The Lovers Raoji English
2014 @Andheri Rajan Pilla Malayalam
Ugramm Dhiraj Shivrudralingaiah Kannada
Veeram Aadalarasu Tamil
Abhinetri Kannada
Burma Bothra Seth Tamil
Happy Journey Niranjan Marathi
2015 Dirty Politics Police Insceptor Hindi
Mythri Raviprakash Kannada / Malayalam
Jazbaa Lawyer Hindi
Nellikka Satheesh Malayalam
Kanal Kuruvila Mathew Malayalam
Rajwade and Sons Shubhankar Rajwade Marathi
2016 Pranam Hindi
Akira Akira's father Hindi
2017 Raees Jairaj Hindi
The Ghazi Attack Lieutenant Commander Santosh Devraj Hindi/Telugu
Bongu Subash, assistant commissioner Tamil
Aval/The House Next Door Paul, Jenny's Father Tamil/Hindi[15]
Koode Coach Ashraf Malayalam
2018 Black Bud Mehmood Khan Hindi
Patnagarh IG Arun Agnihotri Odia/Telugu
2019 Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi Tatya Tope Hindi
706 Shekhawat Hindi
Mere Pyare Prime Minister In PMO Hindi
Junglee Keshav Kotian Hindi
Majili Anshu's Father Telugu
Athiran Dr. Benjamin Diaz Malayalam
Valiyaperunnal Shivaji Malayalam
Alidu Ulidavaru Police Inspector Kannada
2020 Wild Dog[16] DIG Hemanth Telugu
2021 Koi Jaane Na Dr. Rao Hindi
2022 A Thursday Javed Khan Hindi
Manasmita Panchakshari Kannada
Anya Panchakshari Marathi
2023 Khufiya Shashank Mehra, KM's ex-husband Hindi
Mindgame Odia

As screenwriter

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Year Film Language
2022 Laal Singh Chaddha Hindi

Television/web series

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Year Series Role Notes
2017–18 The Test Case Colonel Ajinkya Sathe
2019–2023 City of Dreams Ameya Rao Gaikwad
2020 The Raikar Case Yashwant Naik Raikar
Bandish Bandits Digvijay Rathore
Sandwiched Forever VK Sarnaik [17]
2021–present Faraar - Kab Tak? Host
2022 Rudra: The Edge Of Darkness DCP Gautam Navlakha
2023 Happy Family: Conditions Apply Ramesh Mansukhlal Dholakia

Awards and nominations

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Year Film Category Result Ref.
2000 Hey Ram Best Supporting Actor Won [18]
2003 Chandni Bar Won [19]
Asia Pacific Screen Awards
VIFF Vienna Independent Film Festival

References

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  1. ^ "47th National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  2. ^ "49th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 34–35. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  3. ^ "Atul Kulkarni Movies: Latest and Upcoming Films of Atul Kulkarni | eTimes". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  4. ^ "NSD-GRADUATES1" (PDF). nsd.gov.in. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Theatre actor Geetanjali Kulkarni gets 'stamp' for film journey". The Times of India. 5 April 2015. Archived from the original on 9 November 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  6. ^ "www.atulkulkarni.com/". atulkulkarni.com. 3 April 2018. Archived from the original on 5 June 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  7. ^ "19970630-gandhi-virudh-gandhi-to-be-staged-at-tejpal-auditorium-mumbai-832641-1997-06-30". indiatoday.in. 3 April 2018. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Actor Atul Kulkarni shares his thoughts on evolving subjects in cinema and throws light on his NGO, Quest". 14 May 2020. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020.
  9. ^ "genesis". quest.org.in. 3 April 2018. Archived from the original on 31 May 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  10. ^ "ganeet_lekh". quest.org.in. 3 April 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  11. ^ "Actor-Atul-Kulkarni-visits". snehalaya.org. 3 April 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  12. ^ "article17430551.ece". thehindu. 3 April 2018. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  13. ^ "Happy Birthday Tabu: From Andhadhun, Astitva, Chandni Bar to Cheeni Kum, Drishyam, Haider; actor's best roles till date | Latest News & Updates at DNAIndia.com". DNA India.
  14. ^ G Dhananjayan (2014). Pride Of Tamil Cinema: 1931 To 2013. Blue Ocean Publishers. p. 546.
  15. ^ "Mani Ratnam isn't a fan of horror films: Milind Rau". 5 October 2017.
  16. ^ K., Janani (29 August 2020). "Nagarjuna turns 61: Wild Dog team unveils new poster on actor's birthday". India Today. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  17. ^ "Sandwiched Forever Review: Kunaal and Aahana show is a feel-good Christmas watch". India Today. 25 December 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  18. ^ "47th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  19. ^ "49th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  20. ^ Sharanya CR (21 July 2013). "Atul Kulkarni wears a Kannada attire for his Filmfare award". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
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