Sandeep Kulkarni

Sandeep Kulkarni
Born
Occupation Actor
Years active 1994–present
Spouse
Kanchan Naik
(m. 1999)
Parent
  • Shrikant Kulkarni (father)

Sandeep Kulkarni is an Indian actor who works in Hindi and Marathi films.

Early life and background

Kulkarni was born in Pune, Maharashtra to Shrikant and Lata Kulkarni. He was raised in a middle-class Marathi Deshastha Brahmin family. He attended the J. J. School of Arts in Mumbai.

Career

After working in theatre for four years in English, Marathi and Hindi productions, he started to work in television. He played varied roles including a young Muslim lawyer in the TV Serial 9 Malabar Hill, which aired on Zee TV, a press reporter in Farz, which aired on DD Metro, an underworld don in the Doordarshan channel Swabhimaan and a counselor in Nyay. He also played the role of a cop who solves the mystery behind an old couple refusing to accept the dead body of their son in the one-hour suspense thriller First Kill directed by Sriram Raghavan. He also played a small role in CID.

His first film role was in the 1994 film Mammo, directed by Shyam Benegal, set against the backdrop of the India-Pakistan partition (1947). He played the role of an immigration officer who tries to help the protagonist Mammo. In 1999, he acted in the film Shool.

He played the role of a gangster, Shankar in the 1996 film Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin, directed by Sudhir Mishra. In 1998, he played a naxalite turned activist in the film Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa, directed by Govind Nihalani. In 2004, he acted in the critically acclaimed Shwaas, which earned him recognition. He played the role of a oncologist who convinces the grandfather of a child suffering from eye cancer to agree to a life saving surgery although he is faced with the possibility that the child may become permanently blind. The film earned numerous awards such as the National Award for Best Film, as well as being India's official entry to the Oscars. Actress Shabana Azmi praised the actor's performance.

In 2005, he acted in the film Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, directed by Sudhir Mishra, where he played a Naxalite leader, involved in spreading the Naxalite Movement from Bangladesh to India. The same year he acted in the critically acclaimed Dombivli Fast, directed by Nishikant Kamat, which won the National Award for Best Film. He also played the role of Pandurang Sadashiv Sane, an Indian freedom fighter in his biopic.

In 2006, he acted in the film Traffic Signal, directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, where he played the role of a NGO volunteer helping street children. In 2009, he acted in the Marathi film Made In China where he played the role of a farmer. That same year he won the Best Actor Award at the Nigerian International Film Awards for his role in the film Ek Daav Sansaracha. In the film he played the role of a husband whose failing marriage causes problems in his personal life.

In 2010, he acted in the thriller The Waiting Room. In 2013, he acted in the film D-Day,

Filmography

Year Film Role Language Notes References
1994 Mammo Inspector Apte Hindi
1996 Is Raat ki Subah Nahin Shankar Hindi
1998 Hazaar Chowrasi ki Maa Ritu Hindi
1999 Shool Gopalji Hindi
2002 Aadharstambh Iqbal Marathi
2004 Shwaas Dr. Sane Marathi
2005 Dombivali Fast Madhav Apte Marathi
Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi Probir (Naxalite) Hindi
Adhantari Marathi
2006 Sane Guruji Sane Guruji Marathi
2007 Traffic Signal Khadi (social worker) Hindi
Rajkaran Marathi
2008 Maay Baap Vishvanath Marathi
Bedhund Army Major Marathi
Ek Daav Sansaracha Ajit Sawant Marathi
2009 Ladies Special Shivam Shinde Marathi Television Show
Made in China Mohit Jagdale Marathi
Gaiir Sameer Shroff Marathi
2010 The Waiting Room Ghanshyam Hindi
Pratisaad - The Response Dr. Aditya Deshmukh Marathi
Ankganit Anandache Anand Marathi
Khel Saat-Baaracha Khobragade Marathi
2011 Nirvana 13 Naseer Hindi
Fakira Hindi
Paranoia
2013 D-Day Atul Mishra Hindi
Duniyadari M.K.(Shreyas) Marathi
Ajinkya Anant Dharmadhikari Marathi
Premsutra Anand Joshi Marathi
2018 Dhaad Pranjivan Gujarati Delayed Release
2019 Krutant Marathi
2023 Tiger 3 Pakistan PM's secretary Hindi
2024 Satyashodhak Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Marathi

Television

Awards and honors

International awards

  • 2004 - Official entry for the Oscars: Shwaas
  • 2008 - Nigerian International Film Festival Awards - Best Actor, Ek Daav Sansaracha

National awards

State awards

Other awards

  • 2004 - Maharashtra State Awards – Best Actor, Shwaas
  • 2005 - Maharashtra State Awards – Best Actor, Dombivali Fast