Actor, who worked with Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi, was not at peace with fame and left the industry at the peak of his career

Indian Express

2 days ago

Whenever Mangal Dhillon appeared on screen, the first thing audiences noticed was his commanding baritone voice. A prominent figure in Indian television and film during the 1980s and 1990s, Mangal worked alongside legendary actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, Sunny Deol, and Anil Kapoor. Yet, despite his remarkable body of work, it's disheartening that today, few in the industry seem to remember the late actor.
Born on June 18, 1957, in the village of Wander Jatana, Punjab, Mangal was a bright student. His father envisioned a future for him in law enforcement or the legal profession. But Mangal was drawn to the arts from an early age, regularly participating in school plays and honing his love for performance.
He studied at Panj Graayin Kalan Government School until the fourth standard before moving to Lakhimpur, Uttar Pradesh, near his father's farm, where he completed his SSC. He later returned to Punjab for his higher secondary education and graduated from Muktsar Government College.
His passion for acting eventually led him to the Indian Theatre Department at Panjab University, Chandigarh. There, he completed a post-graduate diploma course in acting in 1980 and was awarded a Gold Medal for his exceptional performance by the university's drama department.
It is also believed by some that during this period, Mangal Dhillon was engaged to actress Mita Vashisht, though the engagement was eventually called off. He later moved to Delhi, where he became active in the city's thriving theatre circuit and also took on voice work in commercials. His rich, powerful voice quickly gained attention, and soon, he was recruited by Doordarshan as a newsreader.
Mangal's first acting break on television came in the form of the serial Katha Sagar, where he appeared in two episodes. But his big breakthrough came when he was cast in Ramesh Sippy's iconic television drama Buniyaad. His portrayal of Lubhaya Ram became immensely popular, marking a turning point in his career. Offers began pouring in, and Mangal went on to star in several acclaimed TV shows, including Junoon, where his role as Sumer Rajvansh made a strong impression.
Mangal Dhillon also appeared in The Great Maratha, directed by the legendary Feroz Khan, and played the titular role in the 1996 serial Panther. As his popularity on television soared, it was only a matter of time before the film industry came calling. He made his silver screen debut in Rakesh Roshan's Khoon Bhari Maang, co-starring Rekha and Kabir Bedi. That same year, he starred opposite Dimple Kapadia in Zakhmi Aurat, a performance that was widely appreciated. In 1989, he appeared in Kumar Shahani's art-house film Khayal Gatha, alongside Mita Vashisht. He was also part of the 1992 commercial blockbuster Vishwatma, directed by Rajiv Rai.
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In addition to acting, Mangal also ventured into writing. He penned the script for Heer Ranjha, which starred Anil Kapoor and Sridevi. Unfortunately, the film did not fare well at the box office. Despite such occasional setbacks, Mangal continued to grow as an actor and became one of the highest-paid television stars of his time. However, even with fame and success, he felt a deep sense of spiritual restlessness. Wanting to contribute to society and his faith, he directed a documentary in 1999 titled Khalsa, based on the life and teachings of Guru Gobind Singh. The overwhelming response to the project prompted him to leave the glamorous world of cinema behind.
His final television appearance came in 2000 in the series Noorjahan, where he portrayed Emperor Akbar. His last film role was in 2003's Janasheen. After stepping away from the entertainment industry, Mangal dedicated himself to humanitarian and religious work. He directed numerous documentaries focused on Sikhism and launched a YouTube channel in 2009, where he shared motivational talks and life guidance. Later in life, Mangal was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away in 2023. Following his passing, Dr. Balbir Shah, a retired pathologist from DMCH, Ludhiana, shared his memories of Mangal in a heartfelt statement to The Indian Express: 'He used to bring many patients to our nursing home as he was concerned about the health of people around him. During such meetings we used to discuss day-to-day problems like how to rid the society of drug abuse. He was aware of the problems of farmers and had concern for them. He used to talk about corruption and deteriorating ethical values in society. Perhaps he had plans to work on these subjects as well, but life is short, you never know what is going to happen next moment. Many a time he used to deliver his film dialogues and entertained us. I was highly impressed with his simplicity.'