26 Actors Who Nailed It By Playing Triple Or More Roles In A Movie
Posted On: 20 Sep 2021 | Last Updated : 17 Dec 2022 | Views : 8.4k
Playing a double role in Bollywood movies is very common, how many times have we seen the hero playing twin siblings or father and son or lookalikes in the same or different births. To play a triple role in Bollywood films is a rare phenomenon which not every actor gets the distinction or opportunity to play in his/her career. As viewers, it makes an interesting watch but what an actor undergoes preparing to play multiple characters goes to show his/her acting prowess. Triple roles in Bollywood movies have often ended up as ‘comedy of errors’ adding to the confusion by making the proceedings funnier for the audiences. But come to think of it the actors/actresses who put in a lot of effort to play different get-ups and different characters are soon forgotten if the story fails to engage the audiences. So, here we have compiled a list of actors/actresses who had played identical triplets or triple roles in Hindi films that lead to confusion on-screen.
(Note: We haven’t considered reincarnation roles in the list but those movies where an actor/actress has played three or more roles in a life on-screen.)
1. Priyanka Chopra - What’s your Raashee? (2009) (12 Roles)
Priyanka Chopra is not just one of the top actress who played multiple roles in a movie but the female actress who played the most roles in a Bollywood movie. She has entered the Guinness Book of Records for essaying 12 roles in director Ashutosh Gowariker’s What's Your Raashee?. Each of the 12 characters that Priyanka Chopra played in the film depicted a zodiac sign with traits related to their respective astrological sign. The movie which was based on the Gujarati novel ‘Kimball Ravenswood’ by Madhu Rye also starred Harman Baweja fared rather averagely at the box-office.
2. Sanjeev Kumar - Naya Din Nayi Raat (1974) (9 Roles)
Sanjeev Kumar is not just one of the top actors who played multiple roles in one movie but the only Bollywood male actor to have played nine roles in a movie. In director A. Bhimsingh’s Naya Din Nai Raat Sanjeev Kumar reprised nine roles with each role depicting the ‘Navrasa’s which mean the nine emotional states of a human. The central character was played by Jaya Bhaduri who runs away from her house and encounters nine different people (all played by Sanjeev Kumar) possessing different traits. The film was a remake of Sivaji Ganesan’s Tamil hit film Navarathri (1964).
3. Govinda - Hadd Kardi Aapne (2000) (6 Roles)
Govinda is also one of the top actors who played multiple roles in a movie. Many of us might remember Hadd Kardi Aapne, director Manoj Agarwal’s musical comedy also featuring Rani Mukerji where Govinda played six roles including Raj Malhotra the son, his grandparents, uncle, mother & sister in the movie. The film also had Johnny Lever playing a double role that of father and son as lawyers.
4. Kader Khan - The Don (1995) (3 Roles) / Pehla Pehla Pyaar (1994) (5 Roles)
Kader Khan is probably the only actor in Bollywood who has played a triple role or more in two films. He has played quite a few double roles in films like Vardi, Hum, and Main Khiladi Tu Anari, etc. but in the Mithun Chakraborty starrer The Don he played Chaprasi Rajaram/Principal Amarnath/Prof. Raghav, which were fun to watch. He also appeared in five roles in the Rishi Kapoor and Tabu starrer Pehla Pehla Pyaar in 1994.
5. Kishore Kumar - Badhti Ka Naam Dadhi - (1974) (5 Roles)
Not many might remember this madcap comedy film Badhti Ka Naam Dadhi which was released in 1974 and directed by legendary singer and actor Kishore Kumar. Kishore Kumar played five roles including that of Himself / Theatre Owner / Police Commissioner / Director / Police Constable in the movie. The film was weird in every way with veteran actor K.N. Singh dancing away in shorts to Kishore’s tunes.
6. Madhuri Dixit - Gaja Gamini (2000) (5 Roles)
If one considers the list of top 10 actors/actresses who played multiple roles in the same movie / film Madhuri Dixit’s name also features in it. The actress par excellence who dominated the silver screen in the 90s had essayed five roles in M.F. Hussain’s Gaja Gamini (2000). She played five characters named Gaja Gamini, Sangeeta, Shakuntala, Monika and Mona Lisa.
7. Dalip Tahil - War Chhod Na Yaar (2013) (4 Roles)
Dalip Tahil is yet another actor who surprisingly played quadruple roles in the war comedy-drama War Chhod Na Yaar where he played the role of the Defence Ministers of India / Pakistan / China and USA. The film which starred Sharman Joshi, Soha Ali Khan & Javed Jaffery was funny in parts but not funny enough to hold the audience’s attention for long.
8. Laxmikant Berde - Trinetra (1991) (4 Roles)
Actor Laxmikant Berde had played quadruple roles in Harry Baweja’s revenge drama Trinetra released in 1991 starring Mithun Chakraborty, Shilpa Shirodkar, Dharmendra, Deepa Sahi, and Amrish Puri. Laxmikant Berde played the role of Mithun’s friend Ajit who sends the former to his relatives named Amar / Akbar / Anthony (all played by Laxmikant Berde in the movie) to seek employment.
9. Amitabh Bachchan - Mahaan (1983) (3 Roles)
This was the only instance that legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan enacted triple roles in a movie which was S. Ramanathan’s Mahaan that was released in 1983. A lot of buzz was created around the film when it was announced that he was going to play the role of father and two lookalike sons for the first time namely - Amit / Rana Ranveer, Guru, and Inspector Shankar. The movie was a typical Amitabh Bachchan masala film with three heroines to accompany the three Amitabh Bachchan’s resulting in a money-spinner at the box-office.
10. Dilip Kumar - Bairaag (1976) (3 Roles)
Legendary thespian actor Dilip Kumar had played double roles on a few occasions but Bairaag released in 1976 gave him the only opportunity to play three roles in his entire career. He played the father Kailash and his two sons Bholenath and Sanjay, respectively. The female leads were played by Ruma Guha Thakurta, Saira Banu, and Leena Chandavarkar while the movie was directed by Asit Sen. Though the movie was long in the making it didn’t fare as expected but the songs by Kalyanji-Anandji became very popular.
11. Rajinikanth - John Jani Janardhan (1984) (3 Roles)
Rajinikanth in triple roles? Well, yes ‘Thalaivar’ fondly called by his fans has played a triple role in T. Rama Rao’s John Jani Janardhan in 1984. The film was a remake of his 1982 hit Tamil film Moondru Mugam which starred himself and Raadhika. The Hindi remake too was an action-packed drama where he played the father and his two lookalike twin sons who avenge his death at the end. The film also starred Poonam Dhillon, Rati Agnihotri and Kader Khan.
12. Shah Rukh Khan - English Babu Desi Mem (1996) (3 Roles)
Shah Rukh Khan is another top Bollywood actor who has played triple roles in a movie which is English Babu Desi Mem. Shah Rukh Khan played the roles of Gopal Mayur and his sons Hari and Vikram. The film was loosely based on the American romantic comedy It Started in Naples which unfortunately failed to perform well at the ticket counters. Except for a couple of hummable songs, the weak storyline and SRK’s over-the-top getup and performance were the reasons for the film’s failure.
13. Dharmendra - Jeeo Shaan Se (1997) (3 Roles)
With so many veteran actors playing triple roles how can our Dharam Paaji be left behind? Yes, the He-man of Bollywood, Dharmendra too had appeared playing three roles in this lesser-known film called Jeeo Shaan Se where he enacted the role of triplets named Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh with one in the police, the other a college instructor and the third a vagabond. The film also starred Reena Roy, Jay Mehta, Sakshi Shivanand, Vikas Bhalla, Ayub Khan, and Neena Gupta.
14. Saif Ali Khan / Riteish Deshmukh / Ram Kapoor - Humshakals (2014) (3 Roles)
Humshakals probably was the first movie where for the first time three actors appeared in triple roles. Director Sajid Khan managed to pull off the impossible by making Saif Ali Khan, Riteish Deshmukh and Ram Kapoor appear in three different roles in the movie. The triple role act didn’t do any wonders for the film at the box-office despite being a comedy and having big star names and good music.
15. Mithun Chakraborty - Rangbaaz (1996) (3 Roles)
Rangbaaz was reportedly the unofficial remake of Rajiv Rai’s Tridev where Mithun Chakraborty plays all three roles of Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff, and Naseeruddin Shah. Directed by Kanti Shah, the film was a typical Mithun Chakraborty pot-boiler of the 90s with low production values and the narration making no sense. Despite having Shilpa Shirodkar for glamour the film disappeared within no time at the box-office.
16. Deven Varma - Besharam (1978) (3 Roles)
Actor Deven Varma followed suit by taking a leaf out of Mehmood’s triple role act in Humjoli. Deven Varma who acted, produced and directed the Amitabh Bachchan starrer Besharam (1978) had played triple roles in the film. He played father, mother, and himself which was very funny especially the scene when the son Deven Varma introduces his going-to-be wife (a fisherwoman) and his parents being vegetarians get the smell of fish.
17. Paresh Rawal - Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008) (3 Roles)
The brilliant Paresh Rawal too played triple roles in director Dibakar Banerjee’s 2008 comedy-drama Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! He played Lucky’s (Abhay Deol) father, and also the roles of Gogi Arora, Lucky’s boss, and Dr. B. D. Handa who cheats him to put a restaurant. The roles were rather hard to digest as audiences wondered how come Lucky (Abhay Deol) never found it strange that his father resembled two other men.
18. Mehmood - Humjoli (1970) (3 Roles)
Mehmood is probably the first actor in Bollywood to have played a triple role in a film. The ace comedian-actor played the triple role in Humjoli imitating the Kapoor clan by portraying Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor, and himself. Though the movie had Jeetendra and Leena Chandavarkar in the main lead but Mehmood’s comic timing and antics along with Aruna Irani were outstanding and hilarious. See it for yourself in case you haven’t.
19. I.S. Johar - Johny Mera Naam (1970) (3 Roles)
Talk about triple roles in Bollywood and how can you forget I.S. Johar’s fantastic performance in Vijay Anand’s Johny Mera Naam released in 1970. I.S. Johar played the characters of Pehle Ram (Police Constable) / Dooja Ram (Steward) / Teeja Ram (Waiter) which was nothing short of brilliance. Though it was a Dev Anand film all the way but Johar’s triple hilarious act was the highlight of this action drama. His performance fetched him that year’s Filmfare Best Comedian Award.
20. Rajpal Yadav - Hastey Hastey (2008) (3 Roles)
Comedian-actor Rajpal Yadav too has played triple roles as Robby Uncle, Jaswinder Singh & Sunny in director Ramanjit Juneja’s romantic-comedy Hastey Hastey released in 2008. The film which hardly anyone remembers had actors like Jimmy Shergill, Nisha Rawal, Monishka Gupta, and Shakti Kapoor.
21. Johnny Lever - Achanak (1998) (3 Roles)
Johnny Lever was seen playing triple roles in Naresh Malhotra’s Achanak where he played the role of Joni / Moni / Toni Kapoor. Though the film was a suspense thriller starring Govinda, Manisha Koirala Farha Naaz, and Rahul Roy, Johnny Lever was there only for comic relief in this otherwise forgettable drama.
22. Asrani - Hum Nahin Sudhrenge (1980) (3 Roles)
Another actor who played a triple role in a film is Asrani in Hum Nahin Sudhrenge. The film was the story of three lookalikes named - Madanlal Chaprasi, Private Detective P.K. Lal, and the third a dare-devil conman Chand aka Jugal Kishore. Each one plans to take advantage of his other lookalike leading to confusion. The female leads were Yogeeta Bali, Aruna Irani, Manju Asrani, and Rita Bhaduri while the film was produced and directed by Asrani.
23. Ashutosh Rana - Yeh Kaisa Tigdam (2018) (3 Roles)
Many of you may not know but Ashutosh Rana has played a triple role in music composer turned director Ismail Dabar’s Yeh Kaisa Tigdam in 2018. This lesser-known movie had Ashutosh Rana playing three roles that of Chhagan Patel, Nawab Salim, and a small-time conman who all want to marry a model Sakshi Chaudhary. The film sank without a trace as it had nothing new to offer.
24. John Abraham – Satyameva Jayate 2 (2021) (3 Roles)
John Abraham in triple roles is probably the first time that the actor has tried out. John Abraham played a triple role in Milap Zaveri’s Satyameva Jayate 2 where he was seen as father Vijay Singh Azaad and his twin sons Satya Maan Azaad and Jay Balram Azaad who take on the system to put an end to corruption. A sequel to the successful Satyameva Jayate (2018), Satyameva Jayate 2 was an action-packed drama that also starred Divya Khosla Kumar, Harsh Chhaya, Gautami Kapoor, and Sahil Vaid.
25. Chitra - Noor Mahal (1965) (3 Roles)
Chitra who was famous for appearing in action-adventure movies in the 50s and 60s could possibly be the first Bollywood actress to play a triple role in a movie. The actress played a triple role in director Noshir Engineer’s Noor Mahal in 1965 where she portrayed three characters namely – Malin, Rooh & Hunterwali. The film which was an adventure-fantasy drama also starred Jagdeep, Sunder, Lalita Desai, and Tiwari. She was also known for starring opposite Azad in most Tarzan films like Zimbo (1958), Zimbo Comes to Town (1960), Tarzan and Captain Kishore (1964), Tarzan and Delilah (1964), Tarzan Aur Jalpari (1964), and Tarzan Aur Circus (1965).
26. Satish Shah - Kitne Door... Kitne Paas (2002) (5 Roles)
Many may not remember but Satish Shah had played five roles in Mehul Kumar’s Kitne Door… Kitne Paas in 2002. The romantic drama starring Fardeen Khan and Amrita Arora in lead roles had Satish Shah playing five characters, a father named Baba Singh and his four look-alike sons named Veer Singh, Jeet Singh, Bhanwar Singh, and Panditji. All five of them meet Fardeen Khan at different intervals and situations providing comic relief in the film. This probably is the only instance where an actor played the role of a father and four sons in a Bollywood film.
