Yashpal Sharma
Yashpal Sharma is an Indian actor, best known for Tamil cinema. Yashpal Sharma began their career in 1999 and has been a prominent figure in the industry for over 27 years. With over 60 credits to their name, Yashpal Sharma remains one of the most prolific and celebrated talents in the industry. Spanning 20+ years, Yashpal Sharma's career remains one of the longest and most celebrated in Tamil cinema.
- Born
- Age
- 59
Biography
Yashpal Sharma is a Hindi cinema actor and filmmaker from Hisar, Haryana, trained at the National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi, best known for playing antagonist Lakha in Aamir Khan's Lagaan (2001). He has appeared in acclaimed films including Gangaajal (2003), Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), Apaharan (2005), and more recently Raid 2 (2025) as Devinder Gehlot, with nominations at Filmfare, Screen, and IIFA awards for supporting and negative roles. His directorial debut Dada Lakhmi won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Haryanvi, and his film Pagdi: The Honour was recognized at the 62nd National Film Awards. He has maintained a prolific career across Hindi and regional cinema, including roles in Manjunath (2014) as Golu Goyal and The Great Indian Family (2023).
Career Milestones
Film debut and early recognition with National School of Drama training
Breakthrough role in Academy Award-nominated film Lagaan
Major role as corrupt police officer Sunder Yadav in Gangaajal
View film →Appearance in critically acclaimed Gangs of Wasseypur
Role as Devinder Gehlot in Raid 2
View film →Iconic Roles
Lagaan
The treacherous village informant who sides with the British against his own people. A defining role that brought Yashpal Sharma national recognition in this Academy Award-nominated film.
Gangaajal
A menacing villain in Prakash Jha's gritty crime drama, showcasing his ability to portray ruthless, morally corrupt characters with conviction.
The Great Indian Family
A prominent supporting role in this Vicky Kaushal comedy-drama, playing a respected but rigid religious figure at the center of a family identity crisis.
Raid 2
A key antagonist role in the Ajay Devgn-led sequel, continuing his reputation for playing powerful, authoritative adversaries in mainstream Bollywood films.
Defining Moments
Playing Lakha, the village traitor who secretly collaborates with the British against his own cricket team, only to experience a crisis of conscience and ultimately rejoin his people — a role requiring him to convey both villainy and redemption in an ensemble epic.
His career-defining breakthrough. Lagaan was Oscar-nominated and Lakha became one of the most memorable supporting characters in modern Hindi cinema — a morally complex figure whose arc gave the film much of its emotional tension.
His portrayal of a corrupt, menacing cop embodying the systemic rot within the police force, opposite Ajay Devgn's idealistic officer.
Cemented his reputation as a go-to character actor for gritty, realistic crime dramas. Prakash Jha's film is widely cited as a landmark in Indian social cinema and Sharma's antagonist role was integral to its impact.
As Randhir Singh, a political fixer navigating the corrupt nexus of power, money, and ideology in post-Emergency India — a nuanced performance in a film considered one of the finest of its decade.
The film is considered a modern classic of Hindi parallel cinema and Sharma's grounded portrayal of political opportunism added texture to its ensemble of morally compromised characters.
Playing Sajjan Singh, a patriarchal strongman whose iron grip over the Thakurganj family sets the film's conflict in motion, bringing physicality and authority to the role.
Confirmed his continued relevance as a commanding character presence in mainstream Bollywood action dramas, anchoring the film's dramatic stakes.
View film →As Devinder Gehlot, a seasoned antagonist squaring off against Ajay Devgn's officer in this high-stakes sequel, bringing weathered gravitas to the cat-and-mouse dynamic.
His most recent high-profile role, demonstrating his continued casting as the formidable adversary in major commercial Hindi films — a full-circle moment given his earlier collaborations with Ajay Devgn.
View film →Yashpal Sharma by the Numbers
If you watched every Yashpal Sharma film back-to-back, you'd be at it for roughly 5 days and 6h. Most-paired with Rajpal Yadav — 7 films together.
Filmography
See all 60 credits →
Collaboration Network
The Constellation
Top 10 most-paired collaborators. Bubble size and line thickness reflect how many films they share with Yashpal Sharma.
Career Analytics
Genre Breakdown
Language Distribution
Films by Decade
Top Co-Actors
See all →Yashpal Sharma has worked most frequently with Prakash Jha (3 films), Sudhir Mishra (2 films), Vishram Sawant (2 films), Rajpal Yadav (7 films), and Mukesh Tiwari (6 films).
Legacy & Influence
Yashpal Sharma was a respected character actor in Hindi cinema, known for his powerful screen presence and ability to portray intense, often antagonistic or morally complex roles with conviction. His career trajectory was defined by a steady stream of supporting performances that added significant depth to the narratives of numerous films. Sharma made a notable impact with his debut in the critically acclaimed 'Lagaan' (2001), where his portrayal of the cunning cricket team member, Ismail, showcased his talent for embodying characters with layered motivations. This role established him as a reliable and compelling performer in the industry. Throughout the 2000s, he became a familiar face in both mainstream and parallel cinema, contributing memorable performances in films like 'Gangaajal' (2003), where he played a corrupt and brutal policeman, and the gritty drama 'Apaharan' (2005). His strength lay in bringing authenticity and a raw, grounded energy to his characters, often representing the harsh realities and conflicts within Indian society. While he occasionally appeared in larger commercial projects, his most significant contributions were in films that tackled social or political themes, where his performances enhanced the film's realism. His later work included roles in films such as 'Manjunath' (2014), a biopic where he likely contributed to the film's serious tone. Yashpal Sharma's legacy is that of a dedicated and skilled actor who excelled in character-driven parts, leaving behind a body of work that underscores the importance of strong supporting performances in building a film's emotional and thematic core. His sudden passing in 2021 was a loss to Indian cinema, cutting short the career of an actor who consistently delivered potency and believability on screen.