Dalip Tahil

Dalip Tahil (born Dalip Tahilramani; 30 October 1952) is an Indian film, television and theatre actor. He is best known for his work in Baazigar, Raja (1995), Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993) and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), Pyaar Ki Miss Call (2009) along with actor Gaurav Prateek. In the UK, he appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Dan Ferreira, the head of the Ferreira family, from June to December 2003.

Early life and education Dalip Tahilramani was born on 30 October 1952 in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India into a Sindhi Hindu family which had recently migrated from Sindh during the Partition of India. He studied at Sherwood College in Nainital, India. After attending Aligarh Muslim University for a year, he graduated from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai.

Career

Stage Tahil began to appear on stage while at Sherwood College, Nainital, at the age of 10. His participation over the years in choir, elocution competitions, nativity plays, and formal and informal concerts gave him a platform to be cast in principal parts. During his senior years at school, he won the Kendall Cup for the best actor in two consecutive years, first as Joseph in the play My Three Angels and again as Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth. He was declared the best actor for a record third time in 1969, his final year at Sherwood College.

Tahil moved with his family to Mumbai in 1968, joined the Theatre Group Bombay and trained under its directors, Alyque and Pearl Padamsee. He appeared in some of its major productions, playing John the Baptist and Jesus in Godspell (India's first English theatre musical, directed by Pearl Padamsee), and Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Alyque Padamsee.

He played Galy Gay, in Amal Alana's production of Bertolt Brecht's Man Is a Man.

Tahil is internationally known for starring as Madan Kumar in the A.R Rahman theatre musical Bombay Dreams, which he performed in over 500 times until 2002 at the Apollo Theatre in London.

Films

Director Shyam Benegal noticed Dalip and offered him a part in his first feature film Ankur in 1974. In 1980, Ramesh Sippy offered him the role of a villain in his epic production, Shaan. This was followed by a cameo in Sir Richard Attenborough's,Gandhi, in 1982.

He went on to play principal character roles of a villain or supporting role of a father, police officer, in over 100 Bollywood films from the 1980s to 2013. He appeared in the Merchant Ivory English films The Deceivers and The Perfect Murder (1988).

In 1984, he acted as the father of Baby Sonia in India's first 3-D film, My Dear Kuttichathan, produced by Navodaya. In 2013, he portrayed Jawaharlal Nehru, in Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra's, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, with Farhan Akhtar in the title role of Milkha Singh. In 2007, he starred in the Punjabi movie, Sajna ve Sajna. He is well remembered for his villainous role of Madan Chopra, a wicked businessman in Baazigar (1993). Dalip has also played the role of Rupert Desai in Mission Mangal.

Television On television, Tahil played roles in Sanjay Khan's television serial The Sword of Tipu Sultan and Ramesh Sippy's Buniyaad. Thereafter, Tahil worked in his first British television series, Bombay Blue (TV series).

Tahil gained national recognition across the UK when he won the role of Dan Ferreira, in the iconic BBC One soap opera EastEnders in 2003, appearing in over 60 episodes. He made his last appearance in the episode aired on 30 December 2003. As a result of an insufficient work permit application, Dalip had to exit the series which compelled him to appeal to the Secretary of State in the UK. Dalip was subsequently granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK in 2005.

In 2007, Tahil appeared in the BBC Two mini-series Nuclear Secrets in the episode "Terror Traders", playing Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan. He later played the role of King Dasaratha in the Indian television series, Siya Ke Ram, which premiered on 16 November 2015 through Star Plus and concluded on 4 November 2016.

Music He released an album titled Raaz Ki Baaten.

Selected filmography

Ankur (1974) Shaan (1980) as Kumar Shakti (1982) as Ganpat Rai Gandhi (1982) as Zia Arth (1982) as Dilip My Dear Kuttichathan (Malayalam) (1984) as Laxmi's father, [India's first 3D Film] Aaj Ki Awaz (1984) as Suresh Thakur Trikaal (1985) as Leon Gonsalves Adventures of Tarzan (1985) as D.K. Janbaaz (1986) as Farm Manager Sultanat (1986) as Janna Aakhree Raasta (1986) as Police Inspector / Police Commissioner Roop Kumar Sahay Buniyaad (1987) TV serial on DD National as "Bhushan" Haveli Ram's Eldest Son Jalwa (1987) as D.D.'s Henchman Nazrana as Banke Dance Dance (1987) as Brijmohan "Binjo" Kaash (1987) as Vijay Mere Baad (1988) as Jeevan Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) as Dhanraj Singh The Deceivers (1988) as Daffadar Ganesha The Perfect Murder (1988) as Dilip Lal Ram Lakhan (1989) as Thakur Pratap Singh Tridev (1989) as Don Love Love Love (1989) as Amit's Father The Sword of Tipu Sultan (1989) on DD National Kishen Kanhaiya (1990) as Mahesh Ajooba (1991) as Shah Rukh Ganga Jamuna Ki Lalkar (1991) Dancer (1991) as Brij Bhushan Saudagar (1991) as Gajendra Singh Vishwatma (1992) as DCP Gupta Deewana (1992) as Ramakant Sahay Jungle Queen (1993) King Uncle (1993) as Pradeep Malik Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993) as Mr. Bijlani Darr (1993) as Captain Mehra Baazigar (1993) as Madan Chopra Professor Ki Padosan (1993) as Ranjeet Suhaag (1994) as Dr. Sinha Imtihan (1994) as Dindayal Khanna Aatank Hi Aatank (1995) as Robert Anokha Andaaz (1995) as Mehta Sauda (1995) as Dharamdas Raja (1995) as Vishwa Garewal Jeet (1996) as Ramakant Sahay Shohrat (1996) Judwaa (1997) as SP Malhorta Ishq (1997) as Harbanslal Gupt (1997) as Meghnath Choudhary Soldier (1998) as Veerendra Sinha Ghulam (1998) as Siddharth's Father Mann (1999) as Pratap Singhania Dada (1999) as Trikaal Choudhary Chal Mere Bhai (2000) as Balraj Oberoi Dhai Akshar Prem Ke (2000) as Rai Bahadur Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai (2000) as Mr. Malik Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000) as Mr. Chinoy Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai (2001) as Karan's father Chhupa Rustam: A Musical Thriller (2001) as Diwan Baldev Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001) as Rajeev Malhotra Ajnabee (2001) as Priya's Father Love Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega (2001) as Sapna's Father Maine Dil Tujhko Diya (2002) as Mr. Chopra Talaash (2003) as D.K. Sharma EastEnders (2003) as Dan Ferreira (British soap opera) Paarewari (2004) as Madhu's father (Sindhi language film) Nuclear Secrets (2007) as A.Q Khan Shakalaka Boom Boom (2007) as album producer Partner (2007) as Raja Singh Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal (2007) as Johny Bakshi Race (2008) as Kabir Ahuja Love Story 2050 (2008) as Karan's fad God Tussi Great Ho (2008) as TV station owner, Kewalchandani Rock On!! (2008) as Aditya's boss Zindagi Tere Naam (2008) Sajna Ve Sajna (2008) as Kartar Singh Raat Gayi Baat Gayi (2008) as Saxena Kisaan (2008) Hello (2008) as Subhash Bakshi I Can't Think Straight (2008) as Omar Dil Bole Hadippa (2009) as Liyaqat Ali Khan (Lucky) I Can't Think Straight (2008) as Omar Prince (2010) Ra.One (2011) Loot (2011) as Batliwala London, Paris, New York (2012) as Lalitha's father Ishkq in Paris (2013) as Akash's father Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013) as Jawahar Lal Nehru War Chhod Na Yaar (2013) as Politician Entertainment (2014) as Pannalal Johri Anjaan (Tamil) (2014) as JK Samvidhaan (2014) TV serial on RS TV as Pandit Nehru Phir Se... (2015) Welcome 2 Karachi (2015) as Kedar's father Jaanisaar (2015) as Kunwar Iqbal Hassan Salaam Mumbai (2016) Project Marathwada (2016) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) as Ego (Hindi version) Razia Sultan as Marush Mission Mangal (2019) as Rupert Desai Darbar (Tamil) (2020) as Union Home secretary Toolsidas Junior (2022) as Jimmy Tandon HIT: The First Case (2022) as Ajit Singh Shekhawat Kuberaa (Telugu-Tamil) (2025) Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 (Telugu) (2025) as Abul Hasan Qutb Shah

Web series Parchhayee (2019) as Dadaji The Family Man (2019) web series on Amazon Prime as Kulkarni Hostages (2019) web series on Hotstar as CM Khushwant Lal Handa Guilty (2020) A New Day Will Be Made in Heaven (2019) web series on Amazon Prime as Kishore Khanna

Television English