Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1950-11-25
- Born Place: Belfast - Northern Ireland
Also Known As:
Harsh Patil
Harish Patel
Harish Patel is an Indian actor renowned for his work in both Bollywood and Hollywood, with a career spanning over four decades. Born on July 5, 1953, in India, Patel began his acting journey in the early 1980s. He made his Bollywood debut in 1983 with Shyam Benegal's Mandi, portraying a policeman. Patel gained widespread recognition for his role as Ibu Hatela in the cult classic Gunda (1998), delivering the memorable line “Ma meri chudail ki beti, baap mera shaitan ka chela” . Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Patel appeared in several notable Bollywood films, including Mr. India (1987), Maine Pyaar Kiya (1989), Andaz Apna Apna (1994), and Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998). In addition to his film work, he was featured in popular television shows such as Malgudi Days, Yatra, Bharat Ek Khoj, and Wagle Ki Duniya . In the 2000s, Patel expanded his horizons to international cinema and television. He appeared in the British film Run Fatboy Run (2007), directed by David Schwimmer, and had roles in The Buddha of Suburbia (1993), Keith Lemon: The Film (2012), and All in Good Time (2012). He also portrayed a father figure in the film Today's Special (2009), starring Aasif Mandvi and Naseeruddin Shah . Patel's international breakthrough came in 2021 when he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Karun Patel in Eternals, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao. In the film, he played the role of Bollywood superstar Kumail Nanjiani's manager, a character who is also an Eternal superhero named Kingo. Patel's inclusion in the MCU marked a significant milestone in his career, bringing him recognition from a global audience . Despite his success in international projects, Patel has expressed frustration with the current generation of Bollywood filmmakers, describing them as "badtameez" (ill-mannered) and lamenting the lack of respect and time given to veteran actors like himself. In 2024, Patel appeared in the film A Nice Indian Boy, portraying the character Archit Gavaskar.
