For a lot of people, Jugal Hansraj is still the light-eyed, shy kid of “Masoom,” who captured many hearts with his innocence and charm. Although he can’t relive his childhood success in adult life, he has always remained a beloved figure among movie lovers.
Jugal Hansraj as Child Star
Jugal Hansraj was born on July 26, 1972, in Bombay as the younger son of cricketer Pravin Hansraj. He began his journey in the limelight as a child actor with a heart-touching performance Masoom (1983). Directed by Shekhar Kapur, it was was an adaptation of Erich Segal’s novel “Man, Woman and Child.” The critically acclaimed film has to more child actors – Urmila Matondkar and Anuradha. The film, also starred Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi, received a positive response for its portrayal of complex family dynamics.
After the succes of Masoom, Hansraj went on to do many films. Some of his other films as child actor include “Jhutha Sach (1984),” “Karma (1986),” “Sultanat (1986),” “Loha (1987),” and “Hukumat (1987).” Not just confined to the silver screen, he was also a popular face in advertisements. Some of the famous ad campaigns of Jugal include brands like Vicks Vaporub, Saffola, and Nutramul.
Adult Debut
Hansraj made his adult debut with the 1994 film “Aa Gale Lag Jaa.” In the film he starred opposite his Masoom, co star Urmila Matondkar. His breakthrough role came with Mahesh Bhatt’s “Papa Kahte Hain,” where he played a boy next door who fell in love with a tourist girl who came to his town to find her dad. The iconic songs “Ghar Se Nikalte Hi” and “Yeh Jo Thode Se” were picturized on him.
His next film was the blockbuster “Mohabbatein” in 2000, where he shared the screen with industry stalwarts like Shahrukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. His subsequent appearances included roles in “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” (2001), ” “Hum Pyar Tumhi Se Kar Baithe (2002),” and “Salaam Namaste (2005).”
Later Career
In 2008, Hansraj directed the animated film “Roadside Romeo,” which, despite mixed reviews. The film won the National Film Award for Best Animated Film. He also directed the 2010 romantic comedy, “Pyaar Impossible,” starring Priyanka Chopra, Uday Chopra, and Dino Morea.
In 2017, Hansraj added another feather to his cap by becoming a published author. He wrote the children’s book “Cross Connection: The Big Circus Adventure,” further showcasing his creative versatility.
Recently, Hansraj has been seen in films like Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh (2016), Shiv Shastri Balboa (2023), Lust Stories 2 (2023), and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (2024). He also acted in Netflix’s coming-of-age series, Mismatched (2022).
Hansraj married Jasmine Dhillon, an NRI investment banker from New York, in 2014. Together they have a son named Sidak
Jugal Hansraj on IMDB
