Piyush Mishra

Piyush Mishra (born as Priyakant Sharma; 13 January 1963) is an Indian actor, singer, lyricist, playwright, musician, and screenwriter. Mishra grew up in Gwalior, and graduated from National School of Drama, Delhi in 1986. Thereafter, he started his career in Hindi theatre in Delhi. Over the next decade, he established himself as a theatre director, actor, lyricist and singer. He moved to Mumbai in 2002, receiving acclaim for his acting in Maqbool and Gangs of Wasseypur (2012).

As a film lyricist and singer, he is noted for his songs "Arre Ruk Ja Re Bandeh" in Black Friday (2004), "Aarambh Hai Prachand" in Gulaal (2009), "Ik Bagal" in Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1 (2012), and "Husna" in Coke Studio (2012). in Gwalior to Kumar Sharma. He grew up as Priyakant Sharma and was adopted by his father's eldest sister, Taradevi Mishra, who had no children. Later, his family moved into his aunt's house to ease the financial burden. His parents admitted him to Carmel Convent School, Gwalior, thinking that his education in a convent would help him excel in academics, but it was activities like singing, painting and acting that appealed to him. Piyush later moved to Gwalior's JC Mills Higher Secondary School. However, living in the authoritative household of his aunt developed a rebellious streak in him, which showed up in his first poem, Zinda ho haan tum koi shak nahin (Yes you are alive; of this there is no doubt), he wrote in class 8th. Later, while studying in class 10th, he even filed an affidavit before the Gwalior district court and changed his name to one his choice to Piyush Mishra.

Career Theater and television

After his graduation from NSD in 1990, Piyush Mishra started his career as a theatre actor in Delhi, and in 1990, helped start the theatre group Act One, with founder-director N. K. Sharma and stage actors like Manoj Bajpai, Gajraj Rao and Ashish Vidyarthi. In the following years he wrote and directed several plays as a part of Act One Theatre Group, including the acclaimed play, Gagan Damama Bajiyo (The Sky Resounds with the Call to Arms), based on revolutionary Bhagat Singh, which was first performed in 1994, and upon publishing, sold its first edition in just seven days. In 1996 he joined Asmita Theatre Group, and performed his popular one-man show An Evening with Piyush Mishra. He wrote the lyrics for Asmita's popular plays. Piyush acted as Maniac in Operation Three Star (an adaptation of Dario Fo's play Accidental Death of an Anarchist). Piyush is also known for his performance in Swadesh Deepak's Court Martial as Suraj Singh, first with Ranjeet Kapoor (1991) and later under the direction of Arvind Gaur (1996).

By then, he had established himself as a theatre director and directed Comedy of Terror play for Shriram Centre Repertory Company, and also presented his solo act play at the National School of Drama's Annual Theatre Festival, Bharat Rang Mahotsav in 1999. Mishra briefly moved to Mumbai, as he acted in a television series, Rajdhani (1989), directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia for Star TV, and Shyam Benegal's Bharat Ek Khoj (1988) and horror TV serial Kile ka Rahasya (1989), though he returned to Delhi thereafter. It won him the Zee Cine Award for Best Dialogue (2003). Meanwhile, he moved to Mumbai in November 2002, He wrote his own dialogues for his performance as Hafeez (Huffy) Bhai in Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007), and delivered them in poetry style.

Mishra again appeared in Anurag Kashyap's 2009 movie Gulaal, a movie based on Indian youth, politics, caste-prejudice, and other such social topics. He played Prithvi, the poet brother of Dukey Bana (played by Kay Kay Menon), in the movie. This was a role he executed with aplomb. He also wrote the lyrics for the songs in the movie, and sang a few of them as well and was also the music director of the film. He lives in Andheri West, Versova, Mumbai with his wife, who is an architect, and two sons: Jai, who is pursuing Physics at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi NCR, and Josh who is currently working at Meraki Sport and Entertainment after completing his master's degree in Sport Management at Coventry University.

Biography

Songwriting credits Title YearArtist Album "Paagal" 2000 Vishal Bhardwaj Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar!! "Bandeh" 2007 Indian Ocean Black Friday "Badshah in Jail" "Opening" "Bomb Planting" "Memon House" "Rdx" "Training" "Chase" "Aaja Nachle" Salim–Sulaiman Aaja Nachle "Soniye Mil Ja" "Is Pal" "Koi Patthar Se Na Maare" "Dil Haara"2008 Vishal–Shekhar Tashan "Tashan Main" "Tum Bhi Dhoondna" 2009 Ilaiyaraaja Chal Chalein "Shehar Hai Khoob Kya Hai" "Jhoom Jhoom So Ja" "Gup Chup Shaam Thi" "Chal Chal Chal Ke" "Uff Are Tu Mirch Hai" "Batladein Koi" "Ranaji" Himself Gulaal "Yaara Maula" "Aarambh" "Aisi Sazaa" "Sheher" "Beedo" "Duniya" "Raat Ke Musafir" "O Re Bande" 2010 M. M. Keeravani Lahore "Ik Bagal"2012 Sneha Khanwalkar Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1 "Keh Ke Lunga" "Loonga Loonga"Himself "Manmauji" "Electric Piya" Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 2 "Bahut Khoob" Sneha Khanwalkar "Tunya" Himself "Bargat Ke Pedo" Kaustubh Tripathi-Deepak Pandit Jalpari: The Desert Mermaid "Daanav" Vishal–Shekhar Arjun The Warrior Prince "Karam Ki Talwar" "Manva" "Kabhi Na Dekhe Hastinapur Mein" "Samay" "Khandav" "Yaad Hai Yaa Bhulte" 2017 Pankaj Awasthi Sameer "Ye Jo, Jo Bhi Mar Gaya" "Yunhi Rastay Mai" 2018 Shuja Haider 7 Din Mohabbat In "Hunkara" 2022 Mithoon Shamshera "Bholasa Mann Tha" 2024 Himself & Vivek Sagar Sheeshmahal "Hota Hai" 2024 Himself Sheeshmahal "Bhatki Raaton Ko" 2024 Indian Ocean & Vivek Sagar Sheeshmahal

Singer "Chhaliya" (Tashan – 2008) "Aarambh Hai Prachand" (Gulaal – 2009) "Duniya" (Gulaal – 2009) "Jab Sheher Hamara" (Gulaal – 2009) "Ik Bagal" (Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1 – 2012) "Ik Bagal" (Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 2 – 2012) "Aabroo" (Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 2 – 2012) "Manva" (Arjun: The Warrior Prince – 2012) "Bargat Ke Pedo Pe Shakhe Purani" (Jalpari: The Desert Mermaid – 2012) "Bas Chal Kapat" (Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster Returns – 2013) "Chanda Ki Katori Hai (Lorie)" (Revolver Rani – 2014) "Chal Lade Re Bhaiya" (Revolver Rani – 2014) "Thaayein Kare Katta" (Revolver Rani – 2014) "Jigarwala Sirf Woh" (Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (Hindi dubbed) – 2020) "Hunkara" (Shamshera – 2022) "Bholasa Mann Tha" (Sheeshmahal – 2024) "Hota Hai" (Sheeshmahal – 2024)

Composer Gulaal (2009) Lahore (2010) (Song: "Oh Re Bande") Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) (Songs: "Manmauji" & "Ik Bagal") Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 2 (2012) (Song: "Ik Bagal") Jalpari: The Desert Mermaid (2012) (Song: "Bargat Ke Pedo") "Hota Hai" ("Sheeshmahal") (2024)

Other Husna Coke Studio (India) Season 2 (2012 – Composer/Singer/Lyrics/Performer) O Re Manvaa (My Heart) (2012 – Composer/Singer/Lyrics) Tom Dick and Harry (The Dewarists) together with Akala (Composer/Singer/Lyrics) Ghar Coke Studio (India) Season 3 (2013 – Composer/Singer/Lyrics/Performer) Reunion (Google India Google Search Advertisement) (2013 – Singer) Parle-G New Ad: Roko Mat Toko Mat (2013 – Composer/Singer/Lyrics)

Filmography Actor +Key Denotes films that have not yet been released

Theatre Work

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Screenplay and dialogues The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002) – Dialogues Yahaan (2005) – Screenplay and dialogues 1971 (2007) – Screenplay Ghajini (2008) – Dialogues Lahore (2010) – Screenplay Chittagong (2011) – Dialogues Agneepath (2012) – Dialogues Shamshera (2022) – Dialogues Mandi House – Screenplay and dialogues (Post Production) Yo Jawaan Yo Kisaan – Dialogues (Post Production)

Awards Zee Cine Awards 2003: Best Dialogue: The Legend of Bhagat Singh (with Ranjit Kapoor and Rajkumar Santoshi)

Stardust Awards 2010: Standout Performance by a Music Director: Gulaal