Gufi Paintal (4 October 1944 – 5 June 2023), also known as Sarabjeet Singh Paintal, was an Indian actor and casting director.
Initially trained as an
engineer
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...
, he joined the
Indian Army
The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...
during the
Sino-Indian War
The Sino–Indian War, also known as the China–India War or the Indo–China War, was an armed conflict between China and India that took place from October to November 1962. It was a military escalation of the Sino–Indian border dispu ...
in 1962. While on the border, a folk play of
Ramlila
Ramlila or Ramleela (; literally 'Rama's lila or play') is any dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Rama according to the ancient Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' or secondary literature based on it such as the '' Ramcharitmanas''. It particular ...
was conducted in which he performed the role of Sita, from where he became interested in acting. Then he came to Bombay where his younger brother
Paintal (who had been trained at the
Film and Television Institute of India
The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) is a film institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India and aided by the Central Government of India. ...
) was trying his career in acting. Arriving in
Bombay
Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...
in 1969, Gufi took up modelling, worked as an assistant director for movies and acted in various movies and serials. He also directed his brother. His most well-known role is that of Mama (Maternal Uncle)
Shakuni
Shakuni (, , ) is one of the antagonists of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He was the prince of the kingdom of Gandhara when introduced, later becoming its king after the death of his father, Subala. He was the brother of Gandhari (Mahabharata), ...
in the adaptation of
Mahabharat
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the '' Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kurukshetra War, a war of succes ...
by
B.R. Chopra and his son
Ravi Chopra
Ravi Chopra (27 September 1946 – 12 November 2014) was an Indian filmmaker, best known for directing the television show '' Mahabharat'' (1988–1990).
Life
Chopra was the son of producer and director B.R. Chopra and nephew of Yash Chopra. ...
, which Paintal himself recognized as his best role. He was so associated with his Shakuni character in India that Paintal presented a political discussion show on the news channel
Sahara Samay
Sahara India Pariwar (''pariwar'' being Hindi for "family") is an Indian conglomerate headquartered in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The group operates business sectors such as finance, infrastructure & housing, real estate, sports, power, ma ...
in the character of Shakuni.
Paintal directed the movie ''
Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu'', which sketches the life of
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (; ), born Vishvambhara Mishra () (18 February 1486 – 14 June 1534), was an Indian Hindus, Hindu saint from Bengal and the founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mode of worshipping Krishna with bha ...
, a 16th-century devotee of
Krishna
Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
who is recognised as an incarnation of the god by followers of
Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Gaudiya Vaishnavism (), also known as Chaitanya Vaishnavism, is a Vaishnavism, Vaishnava Hindu denominations, Hindu religious movement inspired by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) in India. "Gaudiya" refers to the Gaura or Gauḍa region o ...
. The film was produced by Pawan Kumar with music by
Ravindra Jain
Ravindra Jain (28 February 1944 – 9 October 2015) was an Indian music composer, lyricist and playback singer. He started his career in the early 1970s by composing for several hit movies. His notable works include '' Chor Machaye Shor'' (19 ...
. In 2010 he was appointed head of facility at the Abbhinnay Acting Academy in
Mumbai
Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
, a school established by his ''Mahabharata'' co-star
Pankaj Dheer
Pankaj Dheer is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi films and TV series. He is known for his role of Karna in TV series ''Mahabharat'' and other roles in '' Chandrakanta'', ''The Great Maratha'', '' Yug'' and '' Badho Bahu''. He appeared in se ...
.
Death
Paintal died in a Mumbai hospital on 5 June 2023, at the age of 78.
Filmography
Films
Television
References
External links
*
Article about siblings in Indian television
1944 births
2023 deaths
Indian male film actors
Indian male television actors
People from Tarn Taran district
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