Dino Morea
Dino Morea | |
|---|---|
 Morea in 2023
| |
| Born |
9 December 1975 |
| Other names | Chocolate boy |
| Education |
Bangalore Military School Clarence High School |
| Alma mater | St. Joseph's College |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Works | Full list |
| Awards | Full list |
| Signature | |
 | |
Dino Morea (born 9 December 1975) is an Indian actor, supermodel, film producer known for his work in Bollywood, and has also appeared in several Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu films, considered one of the biggest film stars in the world and is referred to in the media as "Chocolate Boy". Through his career spanning over two decades, Morea has won several accolades and acted in over 50 films, ranging from romance to horror genres, though usually in action genres, thus proving himself one of the most popular Hindi film actors since the 2000s.
Morea pursued a successful career as a fashion model. He then began receiving offers for film roles. He made his debut in the film Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi (1999). He got his big break with Raaz in 2002, when he got recognised by the audience.
He gained success with the action film Gunaah (2002), Plan (2004), Acid Factory (2008), Bandra (2023). He had successes in the ensemble films Holiday (2006), Dus Kahaniyaan (2007) Bhram (2008), Happy New Year (2014). Morea subsequently had his biggest commercial successes as a leading man in the Agent (2023).
He is also the co-producer and actor in the film Jism 2 (2012) and Helmet (2021).
Additionally, he acted in web series across various OTT platforms, including Mentalhood (2020), Hostages (2020) and Tandav (2021), Kaun Banegi Shikharwati (2022). Morea gained widespread acclaim for playing The Empire (2021), his most iconic role, and his biggest sole commercial success ever. His critically acclaimed performance in the web series won him the Indian Television Academy Awards.
Early life and background
Dino Morea was born in Bangalore to an Italian father and an Indian mother. His mother hails from Kalamassery in Kochi. He has spent the first 11 years of his life in Italy. He is the second of three brothers, Nicolo Morea is his older brother and Santino Morea his younger brother. He initially attended Bangalore Military School, graduated from St. Joseph's College in Bangalore and also went to Clarence High School. He was first noticed while modelling for a fashion company and soon received his first film offer.
Career
Modeling career
He started his career as model. He modelled for various fashion company. In 1995, he won the Gladrags Manhunt Contest and went to the Philippines for Manhunt International, where he won second place. He won the Gladrags supermodel contest in 1999.
1998-2001:Early appearance and debut
Morea made his acting debut in the TV series Captain Vyom in which he appeared as "Sonic". His movie debut was in Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi opposite Rinke Khanna which was a moving romantic movie among the teens. The movie earned him a nomination for Zee Cine Award for Best Male Debut which was won by Mukesh Tiwari for China Gate.
2002-2006: Breakthrough and rise to stardom
He had breakthrough roles in Rajiv Menon's Tamil film Kandukondain Kandukondain, which adapts with finesse the reason and feelings of Jane Austen.
In 2002, Morea starred in the year's most successful horror thriller, Raaz. Directed by Vikram Bhatt, it established Morea in the Hindi film industry. His portrayal of Aditya Dhanraj received positive reviews from the critics. Shah Rukh Khan also praised Morea's performance and said "Your film is really doing well". He won Zee Cine Award in the category of Dynamic Duo-with Bipasha Basu. Only Raaz both a commercial and critical success becoming the best film of his career ever.
Amol Shetge's thriller Gunaah which was released that year was a flop, but Morea was praised for his performance.
Morea performed the lead role in three films in 2003. He starred in the psychological thriller film Baaz: A Bird in Danger, which was produced by Tinu Verma. However, the film performed average at the box office. His next release Chal:The Game of Death, failed to make impact among audiences. Later that yeat, he starred in the horror thriller Sssshhh..., for which he was nominated in the Stardust Awards 2004.
In 2004, He starred in four films. His first film in the year Ishq Hai Tumse (2004) directed by G. Krishna, which is the remake of the Telugu film Sampangii in the year 2004. The following year he featured in Sanjay Gupta's action thriller Plan, was a rage and did exceptionally well at the single screens of India whilst performing well at the multiplex cinemas overall the film was given a verdict of average. His portrayal Bobby who wishes to become an actor was praised by the audiences. He next appeared in action drama Insaaf: The Justice opposite Namrata Shirodkar. Although the film did not succeed at the box office, his portrayal of Abhimanyu Singh (a IPS officer) was generally well received. He then appeared as Sunny Trehan in Mahesh V Manjrekar's supernatural horror film Rakt. He teamed up with Bipasha Basu, Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Amrita Arora and Neha Dhupia in the film. His performance in the film was appreciated by critics. Shruti Bashin from Planet Bollywood described him "a new avatar is a revelation" and praised his performances . Rediff.com stated that, "Dino as abusive husband has done a good job". His only film in 2005 was Chehraa, directed by Saurabh Shukla. Co-starring alongside Bipasha Basu, Preeti Jhangiani, and Irrfan Khan. He was cast as Akash Mehta, a medical student.
His first film in 2006 was Anant Mahadevan's thriller Aksar with Udita Goswami and Emraan Hashmi. The film was a profitable production, but met with negative reviews from critics. He then appeared in Pooja Bhatt's romantic dance film Holiday which is the remake of the 1987 American film Dirty Dancing. The following year, Morea featured in Sohail Khan's period action-drama Fight Club – Members Only with an ensemble cast including Suniel Shetty, Zayed Khan, Sohail Khan, Ritesh Deshmukh, Aashish Chaudhary, Rahul Dev, Dia Mirza and Amrita Arora while Ashmit Patel, Yash Tonk, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Neha Dhupia are featured in crucial roles. The picture, which depicted the rise of organised crime in Mumbai, saw Morea play Karan Chopra as a gangster. For his performance, Morea earned positive reviews from critics. His next release in the year, Tom, Dick, and Harry which was directed by Deepak Tijori. He teamed up with Jimmy Sheirgill, Anuj Sawhney, Celina Jaitly, Kim Sharma, Gulshan Grover and Shakti Kapoor. The screenplay is actually a mixture of two different plots taken from two different films with similar titles: the 1941 American classic Tom, Dick and Harry and the 1993 Hong Kong hit Tom, Dick and Hairy. The film contains multiple references to older films and has a number of unforgettable Bollywood characters from earlier movies. The following year he made his Kannada debut with Julie opposite Ramya. It was a remake of the 1975 Hindi-language film, but it failed to attract audiences. Morea's final film release that year was Dharmesh Darshan's romantic comedy Aap Ki Khatir alongside Priyanka Chopra, Ameesha Patel and Akshaye Khanna. It proved to be one of the year's biggest flops.
2007-2010: Further acclaim and roles
He had four releases in 2007, all of which performed moderately and drew mixed reviews. His first film of the year, Life Mein Kabhie Kabhiee failed to do well in box office. He also teamed up with Aftab Shivdasani, Nauheed Cyrusi, Anjori Alagh, Nikita Anand, Rajat Bedi and Mohnish Bahl. He appeared as Rajeev Arora, an aspiring CEO and is eager to become billionaire. In the year, he made a special appearance in Farah Khan's film Om Shanti Om, in the song "Deewangi Deewangi" with Malaika Arora and Salman Khan. He was featured in a segment of the anthology film Dus Kahaniyaan, which was a box office hit. His final release of the year, Deha, was a flop. In 2008, he has appeared in record nine films. His first release suspense thriller, Bhram performed well in the box office. Morea appeared as Shantanu Rawal, a supermodel. He then acted in Anant Mahadevan's unreleased film Meeting Se Meeting Tak. The film didn't release yet.
His other prominent films include Aksar and Acid Factory.
He was a contestant on the reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi in 2010.
Off-screen work
Philanthropy
In addition to acting, Morea is a football and basketball enthusiast and supports charities and organisations. Morea and Lara Dutta make a trip to watch the Los Angeles Lakers in action, and on 8 April 2009, saw the NBA inaugurate a refurbished basketball court in a Mumbai suburb. In 2022, He saw FIFA World Cup final in Qatar. He is the captain and midfielder of the All Stars Football Club, a celebrity football club that raises money for charity. In March 2013, he played the game to raise funds for the Magic Funds Organisation, an NGO for underprivileged children. In 2016, he officially joined hands with Pet Fed as he was on board as an investor.
Brand endorsement
Morea has also been engaged as a brand ambassador to represent sport leagues, charity organizations, and Indian states. He has endorsed prominent brands including Bisleri Vedica, 7 Up, Close up, Monte Bianco, Colgate Fresh, Live (in), Close-up, Polo, Calida, Lakmé, Siyaram, Hero Honda CBZ, Monte Carlo, Oscar Underwear, Yepme, Chronotech. In May 2008, Dino Morea signed up as the brand ambassador for Bangalore Marathon. In September 2009, He became the brand ambassador of Goa Pro Soccer League. He is a brand ambassador and investor of Pet Fed in India.
Backstage performances
Morea is a frequent stage performer and has participated in several world tours and concerts. In 2010, He teamed up with Priyanka Chopra and performed a concert in Suva, Fiji. He along with Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Dia Mirza performed in Airtel-Bindass concert in 2011. In 2014, He performed with Snoop Dogg in Pune.
Business
Morea is a successful businessman in India. In 2012, he along with cricketer MS Dhoni launched a merchandising company called Cool Maal. In 2013, he launched hisown production company called Clockwise Films. He made an investment in Nihar Manwatkar’s Unlaze, a networking app which helps like-minded people bond over common interests. He also invested in another startup called Vertuals. It is an audio-video advertising agency. He has partnership with a photo sharing application called Vebbler. Morea along with Nandita Mahtani, run a company called Playground. He is a key investor for LivePools.com, a sports-tech venture in games of skill within the fantasy space that is fairly new in India. He owns a restaurants named Crepe Station Café in Mumbai. It is well-known for the best European cuisines. Crepe Station Café is one of the fastest developing chains in India. The place offers most delicious pancakes, waffles and eggs benedict. He owns DM Fitness Pvt Limited. In 2013, He started several fitness stations in Wadala and Bandra. This were inaugurated by Hrithik Roshan and Aditya Thackeray.
Personal life
Morea resides in Casa-morea, Bandra, Mumbai. He also has a 100-acre plot in Wadala which has 2 bungalows, a swimming pool and a gym. He is a huge fitness enthusiast and maintains a strict regimen. He is a Roman Catholic. He is fluent in English, Hindi, Italian, Urdu, Kannada, French and Portuguse.
Relationship
In 1996, he began dating Bipasha Basu. They were also featured in many films together. In 1998, an ad for the Swiss undergarment manufacturer Calida, featuring him and Bipasha, caused controversy because it featured him biting the former's underwear. It was eventually taken down. He broke up with her after the release of their successful film Raaz in 2003. In 2008, He briefly dated Lara Dutta, but they broke up in 2009. Then he dated Nandita Mahtani from 2010 to 2017.
In the media
Legacy
He is one of the most decorated actor in Bollywood film industry. In Indian media, he is often referred to as "Chocolate Boy" for his pretty and handsome looking. He was first to flaunt with his eight-pack abs in Bollywood. He is well known for his devotion to his work and his ability to commit heavily to each role. He is well-known for his versatile acting skills and heartthrob status. Onkar Kulkarni from Times of India described Morea as stylish superhero with prettiest looking. In February 1999, He has appeared as cover models on the World edition of Elle magazine. In Times' 50 Most Desirable Men list, Morea ranked 13th in 2009, 30th in 2010, 45th in 2011, 42nd in 2012, 35th in 2013, 34th in 2014. He was also ranked 13th in Top 100 Handsome Men of All Time in India. In 2023, he was placed 19th in 30 All Time Famous Bollywood Actors of All Time . He was featured in GQ Best Dressed Men in 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2017. Morea was inducted into the Gladrags Hall of Fame.
Wealth and assets
In 2023, his net worth was estimated at over US$10 million. He owns several properties in India and abroad.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award Show | Award | Film | Won | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Zee Cine Award | Best Male Debut | Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi | Nominated | |
| 2003 | Star Screen Award | Jodi No. 1 (along with Bipasha Basu) | Raaz | Won | |
| Zee Cine Award | Dynamic Duo-with Bipasha Basu | Raaz | Won | ||
| 2004 | Stardust Awards | Superstar of Tomorrow – Male | Sssshhh... | Nominated | |
| 2007 | Youth Icon of the Year | Best Youth Icon of the year | Face 2 Face | Won | |
| 2022 | Indian Television Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actor Drama OTT | The Empire | Yes | |
| IWM Buzz Award | Most Popular Negative Character in a Web Series | Won |
Filmography
Films
| † | Denotes films, series that have not yet been released |
| Year | Film | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi | Siddhant | ||
| 2000 | Kandukondain Kandukondain | Captain Vinod | Tamil film | |
| 2002 | Raaz | Aditya Dhanraj | ||
| Gunaah | Aditya Srivastava | |||
| 2003 | Baaz: A Bird in Danger | Raj Singh | ||
| Chhal: Game of Death | Hrithik | |||
| Sssshhh... | Rocky | |||
| 2004 | Ishq Hai Tumse | Arjun Batra | ||
| Plan | Bobby | |||
| Insaaf: The Justice | IPS Officer Abhimanyu Singh | |||
| Rakht: What If You Can See the Future | Sunny | |||
| 2005 | Chehraa | Akash Mehta | ||
| 2006 | Aksar | Rajveer Singh (Raj) | ||
| Holiday | Dino Angel | |||
| Fight Club – Members Only | Karan Chopra | |||
| Tom, Dick, and Harry | Tom | |||
| Julie | Shashi Kumar | Kannada film | ||
| Aap Ki Khatir | Danny Grover | |||
| 2007 | Life Mein Kabhie Kabhiee | Rajeev Arora | ||
| Om Shanti Om | Himself | Special appearance in song "Deewangi Deewangi" | ||
| Dus Kahaniyaan | Dino | |||
| Deha | Rocky | |||
| 2008 | Bhram | Shantanu | ||
| Meeting Se Meeting Tak | Rahul Bose | |||
| Anamika | Vikram Singh Sisodiya | |||
| Kabhi Bhi Kahin Bhi | Raj | |||
| Har Pal | Ambi | Special appearance | ||
| Heroes | Sahil Naqvi | |||
| Karzzzz | Ravi Verma | Special Appearance | ||
| Gumnaam – The Mystery | Dev | |||
| Sargna | Johnny | |||
| 2009 | Acid Factory | JD | ||
| Main Aurr Mrs Khanna | Sanjay | Special appearance | ||
| 2010 | Pyaar Impossible! | Varun Sanghvi / Siddharth Sidhu | ||
| 2012 | Jism 2 | (as a Producer) | ||
| Hungama Ho Gaya | Kevin | Short film | ||
| 2014 | Happy New Year | Himself | Special appearance | |
| 2015 | Alone | Kabir | Special appearance | |
| 2017 | Solo | Raunaq Sachdeva | Tamil / Malayalam film | |
| 2021 | Helmet | Biker | Also producer | |
| 2023 | Agent | Dharma "The God" | Telugu film | |
| Bandra | Raghavendra Desai | Malayalam film | ||
| 2024 | Meri Patni Ki remake † | TBA | filming |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Captain Vyom | Sonic - The Lord of soundwaves | ||
| 2003 | Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai | Guest | Along with Bipasha Basu | |
| 2005 | Remix | Karan Barua | Guest | |
| 2010 | Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi (season 3) | Contestant | 3rd place | |
| 2015 | I Can Do That | Contestant | ||
| Femina Miss India 2015 | as a Judge | |||
| 2016 | Comedy Nights Bachao | Guest | Along with Minissha Lamba | |
| Spices & Secret with Zareen | Guest | along with Dia Mirza | ||
| 2018 | India's Next Top Model season 4 | Guest | Along with Karan Kundra | |
| 2019 | Myntra Fashion Superstar | Sub-judges | ||
| Pyaar Actually (Real is Rare) | Jason Daniel | |||
| 2022 | Femina Miss India 2022 | as a Judge |
Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Network | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Mentalhood | Akash | Zee5 | |
| Hostages | Ranbir | Hotstar | ||
| 2021 | Tandav | Professor Jigar Sampath | Amazon Prime Video | |
| The Empire | Muhammad Shaybani Khan | Hotstar | ||
| 2022 | Kaun Banegi Shikharwati | Rudro | Zee5 |