Danny Denzongpa

His best known villainous roles are in Dhund, 36 Ghante, Bandish, Jeeo Aur Jeene Do, Pyar Jhukta Nahin, Aandhi-Toofan, Agneepath, Hum, Krantiveer, Indian and Enthiran whereas his best known positive roles were in Chor Machaye Shor, Fakira, Kalicharan, Devata, Bulundi, Adhikar, Aag Hi Aag and China Gate.

His directorial venture Phir Wahi Raat was considered among the top five best horror suspense films of Hindi Cinema.

He had an ambition to join the Indian Army and won the Best Cadet award from West Bengal and participated in the Republic Day parade.

[5] He decided to change his name to a simpler sounding "Danny", on recommendation from his then-classmate Jaya Bhaduri, as his original name of Tshering Phintso Denzongpa was considered difficult for some to pronounce.

He played the second lead hero and had more positive roles in commercially successful critically acclaimed films in the seventies, such as Chor Machaye Shor, 36 Ghante, Fakira, Kalicharan, Kaala Sona and Devata.

He was simultaneously part of big budget films such as Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka, Paapi, Bandish, The Burning Train and Chunoti in negative roles.

Those days every villain was a dacoit and I remember going on the sets where an actor called Tiwari was my henchmen and my den was a cave with lanterns.

He was disappointed with the failure of his recently released film Abhi Toh Jee Ley, which had popular songs such as "Tu Laali Hai Saveriwali".

Hence, Danny started accepting supporting roles, often playing a character quite older than his real age.

His most applauded negative characters are in Bandish (1980) as Kapil Kumar, Phir Wahi Raat as "Ashok", Dharm Aur Qanoon (1984), as SP "Kader", Kanoon Kya Karega (1984), as "Raghuvir Singh", Andar Baahar (1984), as "Shera", Oonche Log (1985), as "Thakur Maan Singh", Aandhi Toofan (1986), as "Balbir" Bhagwaan Dada (1986), as "Gangwaa", Agneepath (1990), as "Kancha Cheena", Hum (1991), as "Bakhtawar", Ghatak: Lethal, as "Kaatya", Krantiveer (1994), as "Chatur Singh", Pukar, (2000) as "Abhrush" and Indian, as "Shankar Singhania".

He was pitted against Pran in the film Sanam Bewafa, Paap Ki Duniya, Gurudev and 1942: A Love Story.

His command over the Urdu language came in handy in films such as Sawan Kumar's Sanam Bewafa and Mukul Anand's Khuda Gawah.

He did positive roles in Lahu Ke Do Rang, Bulundi, Boxer, Humse Badkar Kaun, Khuda Gawah, 16 December and China Gate.

He is an accomplished singer, having sung with Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle, the stalwarts of Indian music.

He sang the duet "Suno Suno Kasam Se" in Kaala Sona with Asha Bhosle and sang "Mujhe Doston Tum Gale Lagaa Lo" with Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle and the duet song "Botal Khaali Hone To Do" with Kishore Kumar in the 1978 film Naya Daur – all of which were composed by R.D.

"Hiun vanda chiso, Aago vanda taato..." ("Colder than snow, hotter than fire..."), "Naachana hoi maichyan hau nachana", ("Dance o lovely girl"), "Jhimkai deu pareli manma bajchha mitho murali...", ("Please blink your eyes and sweet sound of flute plays in the heart), "Raatko rani phulay jhain sanjhama", "Pani Hai Paryo Jhyaure" etc.

Later, this film was made in Hindi as Bandhu (1992) by Chopel himself and loosely adapted as the Indian television series Ajnabi for Doordarshan by Denzongpa.