What Is Danny Denzongpa's Net Worth?
Danny Denzongpa is an Indian actor who has a net worth of $10 million. Danny Denzongpa primarily works in Hindi and occasionally in Bengali, Nepali, and Tamil films but has also starred in some international films, the most famous being "Seven Years in Tibet," in which he appeared alongside Brad Pitt.
When it comes to playing the bad guy, Danny has an extensive gallery that would make any villain jealous. From "Dhund," "36 Ghante," "Bandish," "Jeeo Aur Jeene Do to Pyar Jhukta Nahin," "Aandhi-Toofan," and "Enthiran," he's been giving audiences the creeps for decades. He's equally talented at playing the good guy, charming viewers in flicks like "Chor Machaye Shor," "Fakira," "Kalicharan," "Devata," "Bulundi," "Adhikar," "Aag Hi Aag," and "China Gate." Additionally, he has directed a spine-chilling horror film called "Phir Wahi Raat," which fans consider among the top five best horror suspense films of Hindi Cinema.
Danny has received many awards in recognition of his contributions to the Hindi film industry over a successful career spanning five decades, during which he has appeared in more than 190 films.
Early Life and Education
Tshering Phintso Denzongpa was born on February 25, 1948, in Yuksom, Sikkim. He comes from a Nepali-speaking Bhutia family. Art was in Danny's blood from an early age. His hobbies included horse riding, painting, writing and sculpting. He started his education in Birla Vidya Mandir, Nainital, and later attended St Joseph's College, Darjeeling, graduating in 1964.
After college, Denzongpa initially planned to enlist in the Indian Army but decided to join the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) instead. On recommendation from his then-classmate, he changed his name to a simpler-sounding "Danny," as his original name was difficult for some to pronounce.
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Acting Career
Danny made his acting debut in 1971 in B.R. Ishara's "Zaroorat," which hit the screens the following year. The lanky newcomer was given another taste of the limelight in the 1971 film "Gulzar's Mere Apne," in which he had a positive role. In his third film, he played the antagonist in B.R. Chopra's 1973 thriller "Dhundh."
In the '70s, Danny had established himself as a charming second lead hero, often portraying the good guy in commercially successful and critically acclaimed films such as "Chor Machaye Shor," "36 Ghante," "Fakira," "Kalicharan," "Kaala Sona," and "Devata." However, it was "Devata" that truly ignited his career. After that, Denzongpa was no longer just the dependable sidekick. Directors began seeing him in a new light, and soon, the juicy roles came rolling in, including villainous ones.
In the early 1980s, Danny grew frustrated with the poorly written villainous roles he was offered and considered quitting films. However, the success of his directorial debut, the horror film "Phir Wohi Raat," changed his mind. Following this, he received offers to play the hero in films like "Hum Se Badkar Kaun." Despite these promising opportunities, most of his subsequent films between 1981 and 1983 failed to succeed. Disappointed by these setbacks, Danny started taking up supporting roles, often portraying characters much older than his actual age.
Denzongpa went back to playing the bad guy again in 1984 and through the 1990s, mainly featuring as the villain opposite all the leading actors of that time, like Rajesh Khanna and Sunny Deol. His most applauded villainous portrayals are as Kapil Kumar in "Bandish" (1980) and Ashok in "Phir Wahi Raat" (1980). His ability to breathe life into other characters like SP Kader in "Dharm Aur Qanoon" (1984) and Chatur Singh in "Krantiveer" (1994) has earned him a special place in Bollywood's Hall of Fame. And let's not forget his performances as Bakhtawar in "Hum" (1991) and Abhrush in "Pukar" (2000). But it's not just his acting chops that set him apart. His mastery of Urdu adds a layer of authenticity to his deliveries, making his characters all the more believably terrifying.
After increasingly playing negative lead roles, director Rajkumar Santoshi gave Denzongpa a positive role in "China Gate." This shift led him to take on more positive roles in films such as "Lahu Ke Do Rang" "Bulundi," "Boxer," and "16 December." He has also appeared in several international films, most notably Seven Years in Tibet with Brad Pitt.
In early 2003 the veteran actor decided to take a break from acting due to a hunger for roles that would challenge him regardless of their moral alignment. This self-imposed exile lasted until 2009 with Denzongpa appearing in a mere handful of films during this period. But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, he made a thunderous return to the silver screen in 2010 with the sci-fi spectacle "Enthiran," marking his entry into Tamil cinema. Sharing the frame with the legendary Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai, Denzongpa sank his teeth into the role of Bohra, a brilliant but twisted scientist who transforms Rajinikanth's robotic creation Chitti into a force of destruction.
The success of "Enthiran" reignited Denzongpa's career, particularly in villainy roles. He soon found himself facing off against Bollywood's biggest names in high-octane blockbusters. In 2014, he locked horns with Salman Khan in "Jai Ho" and matched wits with Hrithik Roshan in "Bang Bang."
One of his most recent appearances was in the 2015 hit "Baby," co-starring Akshay Kumar. He played a coordinator, Feroz Khan, and reprised the role in the film's spin-off prequel "Naam Shabana."
Singing
Denzongpa might look like the tough guy onscreen, but he's a sweetheart with an amazing singing voice in real life. He has performed with Indian music legends such as Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, and Asha Bhosle. His musical breakthrough came in 1972 when S.D. Burman recognized his singing abilities and conducted the daring experiment of making him sing his first duet with Lata Mangeshkar in "Yeh Gulistan Hamara" (1972). His popularity as a singer continued rising through to the '90s, especially in Nepal and parts of India like Darjeeling, Sikkim, and Assam.
He has also released Nepalese songs and sung for Nepalese movies. Two of his most famous songs, recorded in the 1970s but still popular today, are "Chiso Chiso Hawama" ("In the Cool Air") and "Manko Kura Lai Bandhi Narakha" ("Do Not Keep the Words of the Heart Tied").
Awards and Nominations
Between 1979 and 1997, Danny Denzongpa was nominated for the Filmfare Awards multiple times in various categories. He won the Best Supporting Actor award twice, first in 1992 for "Sanam Bewafa" and again in 1993 for "Khuda Gawah." He was also nominated for the Best Performance in a Negative Role award for his performances in "Hum," "Krantiveer," "Vijaypath," "Barsaat," and "Ghatak: Lethal."
In 2003, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri – India's fourth highest civilian honor.
