Happy birthday to the versatile artist of Hindi cinema, Piyush Mishra—actor, screenwriter, lyricist, singer, composer, and more!
Celebrating his 62nd birthday today, Piyush Mishra, renowned for his role in 'Maqbool,' has had an illustrious journey. Hailing from Sambhal and a graduate of the National School of Drama, Delhi (Class of 1986), Mishra began his artistic career in Delhi’s theatre scene. In 1990, he co-founded the Act One Theatre Group, where he wrote and directed numerous plays. His talents soon drew him to Mumbai, where he appeared in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s TV series ‘Rajdhani’ on Star TV. Mishra's film debut came in 1998 with Mani Ratnam’s ‘Dil Se..,’ where he played a CBI Investigation Officer. From theatre actor to director, from playwright to screenwriter, and from singer to lyricist, Piyush Mishra has done it all!
As a key member of the Act One Theatre Group, Piyush Mishra wrote and directed several plays, including the acclaimed ‘Gagan Damama Bajiyo’ (The Sky Resounds with the Call to Arms). In 1996, he joined the Asmita Theatre Group, where he was admired for his one-man show ‘An Evening with Piyush Mishra.’ He also portrayed the Maniac in ‘Operation Three Star,’ and delivered a memorable performance as Suraj Singh in Swadesh Deepak's ‘Court Martial,’ under the direction of Ranjeet Kapoor and later Arvind Gaur. By then, Mishra had firmly established himself as a theatre director, directing the ‘Comedy of Terror’ for Shriram Centre Repertory Company and presenting a solo act at the National School of Drama's Bharat Rang Mahotsav in 1999.
Following his film debut in ‘Dil Se..,’ Mishra earned widespread acclaim for his role as Kaka in Vishal Bhardwaj's ‘Maqbool’. He wrote his own poetic dialogues for his portrayal of Hafeez (Huffy) Bhai in ‘Jhoom Barabar Jhoom’. His impressive filmography includes roles in ‘The Shaukeens,’ ‘Gangs of Wasseypur,’ ‘Sanju,’ ‘Pink,’ and many more.
Piyush Mishra's transition from playwright to screenwriter began with his dialogue writing for Rajkumar Santoshi's 2001 film ‘The Legend of Bhagat Singh,’ which earned him the Zee Cine Award for Best Dialogue. He went on to write dialogues for films such as ‘Agneepath’, ‘Shamshera’, and ‘Ghajini’, and contributed screenplays for movies like ‘1971’, ‘Lahore’, and ‘Mandi House’, among others. He ventured into lyric writing with the 2002 film ‘Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar’ and continued with acclaimed films such as ‘Black Friday’, ‘Aaja Nachle’, and ‘Tashan’. Mishra not only acted but also penned lyrics for several songs in ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’. His lyrics, known for their rich poetic quality, have been widely praised by audiences and critics alike. As a renowned lyricist, his songwriting credits include popular tracks like ‘Tashan Mein’, ‘Hunkara’, ‘Raat Ke Musafir’, and more.
Piyush Mishra is a renowned singer, composer, and lyricist. His most iconic song, ‘Aarambh Hai Prachand,’ has become synonymous with his name. Alongside writing the lyrics, Mishra lent his voice to several tracks in ‘Gangs of Wasseypur.’ His work on the albums for ‘Revolver Rani’ and ‘Sheeshmahal’ has also garnered critical acclaim. Beyond singing and writing, he showcased his composing talent in the songs for ‘Gulaal’, ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Lahore’ and many more, making him a multifaceted contributor to Indian music and cinema.
