Mostly remembered as the dashing villain of “Fareb,” singing “Ye Teri Annkhen Jhuki Jhuki,” and the lecherous Kali Babu of “Devdas,” Milind Gunaji is a versatile actor, model, television presenter, and author. Some of his notable films include Papeeha, Virasat, Godmother, and many more.
Early Life and Career
Milind Gunaji was born on July 23, 1961, in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra.. He grew up in a middle-class family. Not much in known abput his family as he has kept family details private. Milind completed his schooling in Mumbai. He pursued a degree in mechanical engineering. He later explored modeling, which paved the way for his entertainment career. Know for his etraordinary good looks and a strong personality, Milind soon became the top model in the fashion circuit.
Milind Gunaji’ss journey in the film industry began with his debut in Govid Nihlani‘s 1993 film “Droh Kaal.” He followed it with Sai Paranjpe’s critically acclaimed “Papeeha” the same year.
Milind’s breakthrough, however, came with Vikram Bhatt’s 1996 thriller “Fareb,” starring Faraaz Khan, and Suman Ranganathan with him. In the film he played Inspector Indrajeet Saxena, an obsessive lover. His performance earned him a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Performance in a Negative Role.
He was again nominated for the Filmfare Best Villain Award for Priytadarshan’s “Virasat (1997).” In Virasat he starred alongwith Amrish Puri, Anil Kapoor, and Tabu. His character Bali Thakur from the film became quite popular.
Milind Gunaji A Sesoned Actor
Gunaji’s performances are not confined to a single genre or language; he has showcased his acting prowess in both Marathi and Hindi cinema. Over the years, he has been part of many notable films like Sarkarnama (1998), Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa (1998), Zor (1998), Trishakti (1999), Godmother (1999), Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hain (2000), Aalavandhan (2001), Abhay (2001), and Ansh (2002).
In 2002, he acted as Kali Babu in “Devdas,” in a small but important and memorable role. Some of his other notable films include LOC Kargil (2003), Aan (2004), Dev (2004), Asambhav (2004), Phir Hera Pheri (2006), Black & White (2008), Khatta Meeta (2010), Lek Ladki (2013), Rab Tonne Sohna Ishq (2013), Kaul Manacha (2016), Gautamiputra Satakarni (2017), Goshta Eka Paithanichi (2022), Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022), and many more.
Gunaji also worked in many TV serials like Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan (2006), Kulvadhu (2010), Veer Shivaji (2011), Hum Ne Li Hai… Shapath (2012), Everest (2014), Khwabo Ke Darmiyan (2013), and many more. He was also seen in the 2022 Hotstar series, Rudra: The Edge of Darkness.
A Multifaced Personality
Beyond the silver screen, Milind has been the face of travel and exploration through his hosting of the Zed Marathi channel travel show ‘Bhatkanti’. His passion for travel is also evident in his role as a travel writer and his weekly column in the Lokprabha supplement of the Marathi daily Loksatta.
As an author, Milind Gunaji has penned 12 books, with his first publication, ‘Majhi Mulukhgiri’, being a compilation of his columns from Lokprabha, released in 1998. His other books include Bhatkanti (2001), Chala Mazya Govyala (2003), Offbeat Tracks in Maharashtra (2003), Chanderi Bhatkanti (2005), Gudha Ramya Maharashtra (2007), Mystical Magical Maharastra (2009), A Travel Guide to Offbeat Tracks in Maharashtra (2009), Anwat (2011), Meri Avismarniya Yatra (2011), Gad Killyanchi Bhatkanti (2011), and Hawai Mulukhgiri (2013).
Milind’s contributions to the arts extend to photography, where he has held many solo photo exhibitions, showcasing his keen eye for beauty and detail. His exhibitions have been held in prestigious venues such as Balgandharva Pune, Kalidas Hall in Nashik, and Prabodhankar Thackeray Hall in Vile Parle.
His commitment to social causes is evident through his service as the Government of Maharashtra’s brand ambassador for forests and wildlife. Currently, he also represents the hill station of Mahabaleshwar as its brand ambassador.
Milind married Marathi actress Rani Gunaji in 1990, meeting her on the set of Kalpantar. They have a son, Abhishek Gunaji, who entered filmmaking. The family resides in Mumbai, with Rani supporting his diverse pursuits. His son Abhishek debuted as a director with Ravan Calling.
Milind Gunaji on IMDB
