Pankaj Dheer: The Immortal Karna of 'Mahabharat' - Biography & Definitive Filmography!

Veteran Indian actor Pankaj Dheer (born November 9, 1956) remains an iconic figure in Indian entertainment, permanently etched in the cultural consciousness as the noble and tragic warrior Karna from B.R. Chopra's legendary television series, Mahabharat (1988).

His powerful and dignified portrayal of the Suryaputra has achieved a level of public reverence rarely seen in television history, with his image even being used in school textbooks as a reference for the character. Dheer's impactful career spanned television, film, direction, and acting mentorship, leaving an unforgettable legacy.

The Role That Defined a Career: Karna

Pankaj Dheer's journey to becoming Karna is a celebrated piece of Bollywood folklore.

• Destiny’s Turn: Dheer was initially cast as Arjuna in the Mahabharat series. However, he was reluctant to shave his signature moustache for Arjuna's Brihannala disguise, leading to the cancellation of his contract.
• The Iconic Casting: A few months later, B.R. Chopra called him back to offer him the role of Karna, a character that required a majestic, bearded look. Dheer accepted, and the rest is history. His intense and emotionally resonant performance transformed Karna from a supporting character into one of the most beloved and sympathetic figures of the epic.
• Worshipped Legacy: The public's devotion to his performance is profound; statues modeled after his appearance as Karna are reportedly worshipped in temples in places like Karnal and Bastar, a rare tribute to an actor.

Pankaj Dheer: Biography and Personal Life

Born in Punjab, India, Pankaj Dheer's life was closely connected to the film industry. He is the son of director C.L. Dheer.

• Family: He was married to Anita Dheer and is the father of a successful Bollywood and television actor, Nikitin Dheer, who is known for playing imposing antagonist roles in films like Chennai Express and Shershaah. His daughter-in-law is television actress Kratika Sengar.
• Entrepreneurship and Mentorship: Beyond acting, Dheer was an active figure in the industry infrastructure. In 2006, he co-founded Visage Studioz, a production and shooting facility in Mumbai, and later launched the Abbhinnay Acting Academy in 2010.
• Directorial Debut: He stepped into direction with the 2014 film, My Father Godfather.

Select Filmography and Television Roles

Pankaj Dheer demonstrated remarkable versatility across films and serials.

Notable Television Roles

Year	Serial	Role	Notes
1988–1990	Mahabharat	Karna	The role that earned him eternal fame.
1994–1996	Chandrakanta	Raja Shivdutt	A popular antagonist role.
1993	Zee Horror Show	Monty / Other Leads	Lead in the debut episode Dastak.
1993	Kanoon	Vijay Saxena	Lead as a defence lawyer.
1994	The Great Maratha	Sadashivrao Bhau
2011–2012	Sasural Simar Ka	Jamnalal Dwivedi	Popular family drama role.
2012–2014	Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev	Himavat (Parvati's father)	Mythological series.
2016–2018	Badho Bahu	Thakur Raghuvir Singh Ahlawat

Key Film Appearances (Actor)

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1991	Sanam Bewafa	Supporting Role
1991	Sadak
1993	Aashik Awara	Ranveer
1998	Soldier	Vijay Malhotra
1999	Baadshah	Chief Security Officer Khanna	With Shah Rukh Khan.
2002	Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge	Shivpratap Singh	With Salman Khan.
2003	Andaaz	Professor Rohit Malhotra
2004	Taarzan: The Wonder Car	Rakesh Kapoor
2013	Gippi	Papaji

Pankaj Dheer’s career, highlighted by his majestic portrayal of Karna, cemented his place as one of the most respected and recognized actors in the history of Indian television.