Monday, January 12, 2026

What is the background of Bollywood actor Danny Denzongpa? How did he enter the film industry?

 Danny Denzongpa is a famous actor and owner of Yuksom Breweries

He was born in 25 of February 1948 in a Buddhist family

Danny Denzongpa completed his schooling from Birla Vidya Mandir in Nainital

& Then proceeded to complete his university education from St Joseph's College Darjeeling

He then did a Diploma in acting from FTII

Danny Denzongpa the first movie he saw Naya Daur of BR Chopra

He wanted to be an army man but his mother didn't want to lose him hence he tried his hands in the movies

Struggle Br Chopra met him in Ftii he was there as an examiner and was impressed by Danny Denzongpa and told him to come to Bombay when the course is completed

His real name is Tshering Phintso Denzongpa which was difficult to pronounce hence his classmate Jaya Bachchan changed it to Danny Denzongpa.

Danny Denzongpa started with Mere Apne

in which he played a college kid disillusioned by the politics prevailing in the country

His big break was Dhund

where he played a wheelchair bound sad and sadistic husband in a movie made by BR Chopra

Shatrughan Sinha and Amitabh Bachchan were the original choices but Danny Denzongpa ended up doing it Full story down below

Danny Denzongpa didn't look like any of the other main land actors of the era hence bollywood had a problem of where to place him, Feroz Khan came to his rescue first in Khotte Sikkay

And then in Dharmatma Danny Denzongpa established himself as a villain

Inspite of being a north eastern person Danny Denzongpa regularly played afghans in movies

Danny Denzongpa left Sholay for Dharmatma and it didn't hurt him one bit he was supposed to play Gabbar

Danny Denzongpa kept acting as the stock villain in the 1970s and 80s in Multiple movies such as Chandi Sona

Fakira

Aakhiri Dao

The Burning Train

Love story etc

In between all this Danny Denzongpa with Rajesh Khanna directed

a Horror movie Phir Wohi Raat

He also did playback singing

Danny Denzongpa was such an in demand villain that Manmohan Desai on many occasions requested his presence in movies

Agneepath where he played the villain Kancha Cheena

Hum which became the last hit of Amitabh Bachchan as a main lead

Khuda Gawah which was Bachchan's last movie before a huge break

Danny Denzongpa was a regular part in Dharmendra

And Amitabh Bachchan action movies of the era

Danny Denzongpa tried to establish Sunil Shetty by reasoning with action director to lift him up in Shetty's debut Balwaan

More on that here

'I owe my image of action star to Danny Denzongpa'
Actor-producer Suniel Shetty is all set to pay a tribute to his friend, philosopher and guide Danny Denzongpa by making a film for him.

Danny Denzongpa later did an unofficial remake of Sholay called Army

Where he shared screen with modern superstar Shah Rukh Khan

Danny Denzongpa endeared himself to the 1990s audience by playing villain opposite Sunny Deol in Ghatak

Danny Denzongpa again did an unofficial remake of Sholay with China Gate where he played a photo role

His roles in movies like Pukar

And Asoka were appreciated by Fans and press alike

His postive role in Luck was also liked by everyone

With his Villainous role in Bang Bang Danny Denzongpa proved to be the only villain who acted with multiple generations of stars

Danny Denzongpa regularly played postive roles also in movies with Akshay Kumar like Baby

And Boss

Such was Akshay Kumar's admiration for Denzongpa he said he wants to be just like him

Danny Denzongpa had a very publicized relationship with Praveen Babi

Inspite of having a thick head of hair

Danny Denzongpa regularly shaved his head for multiple movies

Danny Denzongpa owns Yuksom Breweries

And refuses to work in the summer months as he cannot stand Mumbai's weather