# Puneet Issar
**Puneet Issar** (born 1959 in [Punjab, India](https://www.edgepedia.org/punjab-india)) is an Indian actor, director, writer, and producer who works in Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam films and television. He is best known for playing Duryodhan in B.R. Chopra's television series *Mahabharat* (1988–1990), a role that has defined his public image for more than three decades.[1](https://indianexpress.com/about/puneet-issar/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1959, Punjab, India[1](https://indianexpress.com/about/puneet-issar/) |
| Signature role | Duryodhan in B.R. Chopra's *Mahabharat* (1988–1990); also played Parshuram in the 2013 Star Plus remake[1](https://indianexpress.com/about/puneet-issar/) • [2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/puneet-issar-on-playing-duryodhan-mahabharat-6438693/) |
| Film debut | Villain in Manmohan Desai's *Coolie* (1983), opposite Amitabh Bachchan[1](https://indianexpress.com/about/puneet-issar/) |
| Directing | First directorial film *Garv* (2004), starring Salman Khan as a cop[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/puneet-issar) |
| Notable films | *Border* (1997), *Refugee* (2000), *Krrish* (2006), *Ready* (2011), *Son of Sardaar* (2012), *The Kashmir Files* (2022)[1](https://indianexpress.com/about/puneet-issar/) |
| Television | *Param Vir Chakra* (1987), *Bharat Ek Khoj* (1988), *Junoon* (1993–1998), *Noorjahan* (1999–2000), *Mahabharat* (2013), *Parchhayee: Ghost Stories by Ruskin Bond* (2019), *Choti Sarrdaarni* (2021)[4](https://cinemaazi.com/public/people/puneet-issrar) |
| Family | Spouse Deepali Issar; son Siddhant Issar; father, film director Sudesh Issar[1](https://indianexpress.com/about/puneet-issar/) • [4](https://cinemaazi.com/public/people/puneet-issrar) |
## Early career and the Coolie accident
Issar began his career in 1983 as the villain in [Manmohan Desai](https://www.edgepedia.org/manmohan-desai)'s film *[Coolie](https://www.edgepedia.org/coolie-1983-hindi-film)*, starring [Amitabh Bachchan](https://www.edgepedia.org/amitabh-bachchan).[1](https://indianexpress.com/about/puneet-issar/) During a staged fight sequence on that film, a punch from Issar left Bachchan battling for his life, an accident Issar has discussed in later interviews.[5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/puneet-issar-on-playing-duryodhan-in-mahabharat-my-body-turned-black-and-blue-after-climax-fight-scene-with-bheem/story-clVOooyjbmBmQV6mDxaz9K_amp.html) He has described the years after the accident as a struggling period, which he used to work on his body, voice, and acting.[5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/puneet-issar-on-playing-duryodhan-in-mahabharat-my-body-turned-black-and-blue-after-climax-fight-scene-with-bheem/story-clVOooyjbmBmQV6mDxaz9K_amp.html) He also worked for nearly three years as a speech and diction lecturer in an acting studio, and later worked as a dialect coach at acting institutes.[6](https://pynr.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SUNDAY-MAGAZINE-30-06-2024-16-PAGES-PDF.compressed.pdf) • [3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/puneet-issar)
## Mahabharat and the Duryodhan role
B.R. Chopra initially wanted Issar, who stood 6 feet 3 inches with a well-built body, to play Bheem. Issar, who had read the *Mahabharat* and wanted the antagonist's part, agreed to play Duryodhan on one condition: the makers had to find an actor with a bigger body for Bheem. He recommended Praveen Kumar, a two-time [Asian Games](https://www.edgepedia.org/asian-games) gold medallist discus thrower who stood 6 feet 8 inches, and Kumar was cast.[5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/puneet-issar-on-playing-duryodhan-in-mahabharat-my-body-turned-black-and-blue-after-climax-fight-scene-with-bheem/story-clVOooyjbmBmQV6mDxaz9K_amp.html) He had convinced Chopra by reciting the [Jayadrath Vadh](https://www.edgepedia.org/jayadrath-vadh) passage from memory.[5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/puneet-issar-on-playing-duryodhan-in-mahabharat-my-body-turned-black-and-blue-after-climax-fight-scene-with-bheem/story-clVOooyjbmBmQV6mDxaz9K_amp.html) He has said he gained 18 kg of muscle for the role.[7](https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/fitness/puneet-issar-gained-18-kg-muscle-mahabharat-expert-10919432/lite/)
The serial became one of the most popular serials in Indian television, and Issar's Duryodhana became his lasting identification.[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/puneet-issar) The physical production was demanding: the climax fight alone was shot over 15 to 25 days, the maces were heavy rather than foam, and actors performed their own stunts without cable work; Issar said his body turned black and blue after the fight scenes with Kumar.[5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/puneet-issar-on-playing-duryodhan-in-mahabharat-my-body-turned-black-and-blue-after-climax-fight-scene-with-bheem/story-clVOooyjbmBmQV6mDxaz9K_amp.html) He has said he took audiences' hatred of the character as a compliment, and that he knew the Duryodhan tag would stay with him for life.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/puneet-issar-on-playing-duryodhan-mahabharat-6438693/) • [8](https://www.broadwayworld.com/india/article/BWW-Interview-PUNEET-ISSAR-ON-PLAYING-Duryodhan-the-Biggest-Mythological-Character-On-Indian-Stage-20191031)
When the epic was remade as *[Mahabharat](https://www.edgepedia.org/mahabharat-2013-tv-series)* on Star Plus (2013–2014), created by Siddharth Kumar Tewary, Issar played Parshuram, making him the only actor to appear in both versions of the television epic.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/puneet-issar-on-playing-duryodhan-mahabharat-6438693/) • [9](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/television/celebrity/story/mahabharat-actor-puneet-issar-br-chopra-wanted-me-to-play-bheem-i-chose-duryodhan-1671740-2020-04-27)
## Film career
After *Mahabharat*, Issar appeared in films including *[Chandra Mukhi](https://www.edgepedia.org/chandra-mukhi)* (1993), *Prem Shakti* (1994), *[Ram Jaane](https://www.edgepedia.org/ram-jaane)* (1995), *Border* (1997), *Refugee* (2000), *Krrish* (2006), *Bachna Ae Haseeno* (2008), *Ready* (2011), *Son of Sardaar* (2012), and *The Kashmir Files* (2022), in which he played DGP Hari Narain.[1](https://indianexpress.com/about/puneet-issar/) • [10](https://fmdb.mov/en/people/110144-puneet-issar) He has worked across Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, and [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema), including Telugu films such as *iSmart Shankar* (2019).[1](https://indianexpress.com/about/puneet-issar/) • [11](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/puneet-issar/1742/filmography) In 2026 he was scheduled to appear as Duryodhan again in *Welcome to the Jungle* and as Subedar Ratan Singh in *Border 2*.[10](https://fmdb.mov/en/people/110144-puneet-issar)
## Directing and theater
Issar's first film as director was *Garv* (2004), starring [Salman Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/salman-khan) as a cop.[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/puneet-issar) In theater, he played the demon king Ravan in the play *Raavan ki Ramayan*, and in November 2018 he opened his own stage production of the *Mahabharat* in Delhi, playing Duryodhan and telling the epic from the antagonist's point of view. He described the production as repaying a debt to the serial that made his career.[12](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/it-was-time-i-paid-my-debt-to-the-mahabharata-actor-puneet-issar-5448635/) • [6](https://pynr.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SUNDAY-MAGAZINE-30-06-2024-16-PAGES-PDF.compressed.pdf)
## Television beyond Mahabharat
His television credits include *Param Vir Chakra* (1987), *Bharat Ek Khoj* (1988), *Junoon* (1993–1998), *Noorjahan* (1999–2000), *Mahabharat* (2013), *Parchhayee: Ghost Stories by Ruskin Bond* (2019), and *Choti Sarrdaarni* (2021).[4](https://cinemaazi.com/public/people/puneet-issrar) He was a contestant on the reality show *Bigg Boss 8* in 2014 and 2015, hosted by Salman Khan.[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/puneet-issar) In 2023–2024 he played Bhanu Pratap Mahajan in the series *Vanshaj* over 341 episodes.[13](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0411539/)
## References
1. [Puneet Issar: News, Movies, Photos, Videos & Updates, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/about/puneet-issar/)
2. [Puneet Issar on playing Duryodhan in Mahabharat: I took people's hatred as a compliment, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/puneet-issar-on-playing-duryodhan-mahabharat-6438693/)
3. [Puneet Issar — Filmography & Biography, Indian Film History](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/puneet-issar)
4. [Puneet Issar — Artists | Biography, Films, Legacy, Cinemaazi](https://cinemaazi.com/public/people/puneet-issrar)
5. [Puneet Issar on playing Duryodhan in Mahabharat: 'My body turned black and blue after climax fight scene with Bheem', Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/puneet-issar-on-playing-duryodhan-in-mahabharat-my-body-turned-black-and-blue-after-climax-fight-scene-with-bheem/story-clVOooyjbmBmQV6mDxaz9K_amp.html)
6. [Baddie on Screen, Buddy Elsewhere, The Pioneer Sunday Magazine](https://pynr.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SUNDAY-MAGAZINE-30-06-2024-16-PAGES-PDF.compressed.pdf)
7. [How actor Puneet Issar gained weight, 18 kg muscle to play Duryodhana in BR Chopra's Mahabharat, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/fitness/puneet-issar-gained-18-kg-muscle-mahabharat-expert-10919432/lite/)
8. [BWW Interview: Puneet Issar on Playing Duryodhan, BroadwayWorld India](https://www.broadwayworld.com/india/article/BWW-Interview-PUNEET-ISSAR-ON-PLAYING-Duryodhan-the-Biggest-Mythological-Character-On-Indian-Stage-20191031)
9. [Mahabharat actor Puneet Issar: BR Chopra wanted me to play Bheem, I chose Duryodhan, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/television/celebrity/story/mahabharat-actor-puneet-issar-br-chopra-wanted-me-to-play-bheem-i-chose-duryodhan-1671740-2020-04-27)
10. [Puneet Issar, FMDb](https://fmdb.mov/en/people/110144-puneet-issar)
11. [Puneet Issar — Movies, Biography, BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/puneet-issar/1742/filmography)
12. [It was time I paid my debt to the Mahabharata: Puneet Issar, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/it-was-time-i-paid-my-debt-to-the-mahabharata-actor-puneet-issar-5448635/)
13. [Puneet Issar, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0411539/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Hindi film actors, 1970s–1980s › Surnames symbols to K*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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