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Ronit Roy

Indian actor (born 1965)

Image credit is listed at the end of this article.

Ronit Bose Roy (born 11 October 1965) is an Indian actor who works primarily in Hindi television and films and Bengali films. He gained immense popularity for playing Mihir Virani in the hugely successful soap opera Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Rishabh Bajaj in Kasautii Zindagii Kay. One of the highest paid television actors in India, he has earned numerous accolades including a Filmfare Award, five ITA Awards, and six Indian Telly Awards.

01Early life and background

Roy was born on 11 October 1965 in Nagpur, Maharashtra in a Bengali family. He is the eldest son of a businessman, Brotin Bose Roy and Dolly Roy. His younger brother, Rohit Roy is also a TV and a film actor. Ronit Roy spent his childhood in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He received primary education from Ankur School, Ahmedabad. After his schooling, Roy pursued hotel management. After completing his studies, he moved to Mumbai and stayed at the residence of filmmaker Subhash Ghai. While Roy was keen to work in the film industry, Subhash Ghai persuaded him, not to pursue it due to the difficulties associated with it. Ronit worked as a management trainee at Mumbai's Sea Rock Hotel. To have experience at all different levels, Ronit's work ranged from dishwashing and cleaning to serving tables and bar-tending.

Ronit Roy at Adaalat's 400 episodes celebration.
Ronit Roy at Adaalat's 400 episodes celebration.

02Career

Film career

Roy made his debut in the Hindi film industry with Jaan Tere Naam (1992) which was a commercial success. He starred with Aditya Pancholi and Kishori Shahane in Bomb Blast (1993). which was also a commercial success.

After his success on TV, Roy featured in more Hindi films in supporting roles. In 2010, he starred in the critically acclaimed film Udaan; his work was much praised and won him many accolades. Roy's performance was ranked among the 100 greatest performances of the decade list by Film Companion.

Udaan brought Roy back to the film scene. He next starred in films such as Anurag Kashyap's That Girl in Yellow Boots, Karan Johar's Student of the Year, Deepa Mehta's Midnight's Children, Sanjay Gupta's Shootout at Wadala (produced by Ekta Kapoor), and Anurag Kashyap's Ugly.

In 2013, he played the main antagonist in the Akshay Kumar starrer BOSS, and in 2014 he appeared in 2 States in which his performance received much appreciation.

In 2017, he has also shared screen with the Hrithik Roshan playing the role of an antagonist in the thriller film Kaabil. In the same year, he made his debut in Telugu with N.T.R Jr. starrer Jai Lava Kusa, where he played the role of main antagonist Sarkar. He has also appeared in films like Machine (2017), Lucknow Central (2017), and Loveyatri (2018).

Roy was seen next in Puri Jagannadh directed romantic sports film Liger (2022). In 2023, he played the antagonist in Gumraah and Bloody Daddy.

TV career

Roy received a call from Balaji Telefilms to offer him a part in the television serial Kammal. Due to the lack of any appealing film offers, he accepted the offer. Before Kammal got started, Balaji Telefilms also offered Ronit for Kasautii Zindagii Kay as Rishabh Bajaj, a middle-aged business tycoon. That also landed him in Balaji Telefilms' Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi as Mihir Virani, which won him consecutive Best Actor Popular awards at the Indian Television Academy Awards.

From 2009 to 2011, he played the role of Dharamraj in NDTV Imagine's Bandini, which won him accolades for his astonishing portrayal of a crude and ruthless diamond merchant who is never defeated.

He has also participated in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, a dance reality show in 2007, and another show, Yeh Hai Jalwa in 2008 as a contestant. He hosted the Kitchen Champions in 2010 which was on Colors TV.

In 2010, he starred in Sony TV's popular courtroom drama show Adaalat as K.D. Pathak, a sharp unique lawyer who only fights for the truth.

He returned to the drama genre in 2014 with Balaji Telefilms's Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyar as Dr. Nachiket Khanna, alias Neil K opposite Pallavi Kulkarni.

In 2016, he starred in Adaalat (season 2) where he reprised his character from the previous season.

Digital career

In 2018, Roy made his digital debut in an ALTBalaji's web series Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain along with Mona Singh and Gurdeep Kohli.

In 2019, he starred in an Indian crime thriller web series Hostages.

Roy in 2018
Roy in 2018

03Other work and media image

With his performances in Kasautii Zindagi Kay, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Bandini, Adaalat and Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyaar, Roy established himself among the leading and highest-paid actors of Hindi television. In 2014, Roy was placed ninth in Rediff.com's "Top Television Actors" list. His performance in Udaan is regarded as one of the "100 Greatest Performances of the Decade" by Film Companion.

Roy owns Ace Security and Protection agency (AceSquad Security Services LLP). It currently caters to Bollywood actors such as Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Mithun Chakraborty, Shah Rukh Khan, and Aamir Khan and recently Saif Ali khan; also to Indian Premier League ex-Chairman and ex-Commissioner Lalit Modi and his son Ruchir Modi. Some of the film projects that Ace Security and Protection have also lent their services to are Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai, Yaadein, Na Tum Jano Na Hum, Saathiya, and Armaan.

04Personal life

Roy was married to a woman named Joanna Mumtaz Khan, and they have a daughter named Ona.

On 25 December 2003, he married actress and model Neelam Singh, with whom he has a daughter Aador (born May 2005), and a son Agastya (born October 2007).

Ronit Roy with his wife Neelam Singh-Roy in 2012
Ronit Roy with his wife Neelam Singh-Roy in 2012

05Filmography

Key
Denotes films that have not yet been released

Films

Year Title Role Language Notes Ref(s)
1992Jaan Tere NaamSunil Sharma Hindi
1993 Bomb Blast Inspector Jaikishen Verma
Andha Intaquam
SainikVijay Ghai
15 AugustVikram Chaudhary
Dosti Ki Saugandh
TahqiqaatRamesh Kumar
1994LaqshyaHindi
1995 HulchulVardaan "Karan" Rajvanshi Hindi
Rock DancerRakesh Dhawan
1996JurmanaSanjay Saxena
Jagannath Ajay Kapoor
MeghaPrakash Pant Pandey
ArmyGovind Gavin
DaanveerVishal Srivastav
1999JaalsaazRakesh Kumar
Agni ShikhaProdipta RoyBengali
2000Glamour GirlSunil VermaHindi
2000 Atangko Raja Bengali
2001Hum Deewane Pyar KeVijay ChatterjeeHindi
Khatron Ke KhiladiBambass KhilaujiHindi
2002Shesh Bongshodor (Last Descendant)Bongshodor ParemtonBengaliIndo-Bangladeshi film
2003 Roktobondhon Joydeep "Joy" SehniBengali
2005Nishan, The TargetAbdullah KhanHindi
Kisna: The Warrior PoetJimmy DuryaajCameo appearance
2009Luck by ChanceHimself
2010PankhPeter D'Cunha
UdaanBhairav Singh
2011That Girl in Yellow BootsDushyant SharmaCameo appearance
2012Midnight's ChildrenAhmed Sinai
Student of the YearCoach Karan Shah
2013Shootout at WadalaInspector Raja Ambat
BossAyushman Thakur
20142 StatesVikram Malhotra
UglyShaumik Bose
2015 Guddu RangeelaBillu Pehelwan
2016Dongari Ka RajaMansoor Ali
2017KaabilMadhavrao Shellar
Sarkar 3Gokul Satam
MachineBalraj Thapar
Jai Lava KusaSarkar Toropantre Telugu
Munna MichaelMichael Hindi
Lucknow CentralRaja Shrivastava
2018LoveyatriSameer "Sam" Patel
Thugs of HindostanMirza Sikander Baig
2019 Line of Descent Prithvi Sinha
Arjun PatialaIPS Amarjeet Singh Gill
2021 Bhoomi Richard Child Tamil
2022 Shamshera Pir Baba Hindi
Liger Coach Hindi
Telugu
Bilingual film
2023 Shehzada Randeep Jindal Hindi
Gumraah ACP Dhiren Yadav
Bloody Daddy Sikandar Chowdhary
Farrey Ishrat Kada
2024 Yodha Major Surender Katyal
Bade Miyan Chote Miyan Colonel Adil Shekhar Azad / Clone Azad
2025 Maa Joydev

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1997 Bombay Blue Dillip Bhatt Cameo appearance
1999 Baat Ban Jaye
Nagin Ronit
2000 Suraag, The Clue
Star Bestsellers
2002-2003 Kammal Swayam
2002-2008 Kasautii Zindagi Kay Rishabh Bajaj
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi Mihir Virani
2003 Ssshhhh...Koi Hai Episodic role
2004 Kkehna Hai Kuch Mujhko Ishan Masand
Vikraal Aur Gabraal Episodic role
Krisshna Arjun Anna / Vijay Episodic role
2005 Kkavyanjali Mayank Nanda Cameo appearance
Sarkarr:Rishton Ki Ankahi Kahani Kunal Pratapsingh
2006-2009 Kasamh Se Aparajit Deb
2007 Kayamath Inder Shah
Jhalak Dikhhla JaaContestant
2008Yeh Hain JalwaContestant
Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki Bhishma
Aajaa Mahi VayJudge
2009-2011 Bandini Dharamraj Mahyavanshi
2010Kitchen ChampionHostNominated, Indian Telly Award for Best Anchor (2010)
2010-2016 Adaalat Advocate K.D. Pathak
2014-2015 Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyaar Dr. Neil K/ Nachiket Khanna
2015Deal Ya No DealHost
2016 24 Roy Guest appearance
2019 Naagin 3 Rohit Mehra Guest appearance; To promote Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain 2
Shakti - Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki Advocate Rajat Singh
2019 Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke SP Prithvi Singh Guest appearance; To promote Hostages
2021 Jurm Aur Jazbaat Host
2022 Swaran Ghar Kanwaljeet Bedi
2025 Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan Maharaj Someshvara
2026 Teen Kauwe TBA Amazon Prime Video series

Web series

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2018-2020 Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain Rohit Mehra 3 seasons
2019-2020 Hostages Prithvi Singh
2021 Saat Kadam Aurobindo
2021 Candy Jayant Parekh
Watch videos about Ronit RoyExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Ronit Roy, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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