Bollywood Actors Who Were Always Cast As Foreigners On-Screen
Posted On: 23 May 2022 | Last Updated : 25 Jan 2023 | Views : 8.7k
Bollywood has seen method actors, charmers, bodybuilders and those who are born to act. However, many times we get to see a pattern, where actors are typecast into one kind of role/character, because of their looks or their acting styles. As we all know, India was under the rule of Britishers for over 200 years, and during the same period, the Indian subcontinent saw the arrival of other Europeans, who came here for trade but rather settled here. Some of the descendants of those European traders continued to reside in India for generations. Even Bollywood has actors, who may carry the looks of their European ancestors but are as Indian as one could be. These Bollywood actors are often cast as foreigners because of their looks, but this didn’t stop them from making it big in Bollywood. So today, we have handpicked some of the famous actors who played foreigners in Bollywood Movies, especially the role of ‘Angrez’. Check out more such Bollywood updates, articles, topics, and trivia related to movies and celebrities.
1. Alexx O’Nell
Born in Connecticut (USA), Alexx O’Nell, started his acting career with community and regional theatre in the United States. Later, he started working in TV commercials internationally, and finally settled in India after landing character roles in Bollywood movies and Indian television shows. He started his career in Bollywood with a small role as an English waiter in Cheeni Kum (2007), he is one of the famous Bollywood actors who always got cast as Britisher. His other works include Chittagong (2012), Joker (2012), Main Aur Charles (2015), Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3 (2018), Roohi (2021), Bhoot Police (2021) and many more.
2. Tom Alter
Son of an American Presbyterian missionary with English, Scottish and Swiss German ancestry, Tom Alter lived most of his life in Mumbai or in the hill stations of Uttarakhand. Growing up, Tom Alter mastered Hindi and Urdu, and was often referred as ‘Blue-eyed Saheb with impeccable Hindi’. He started his career as a Hindi teacher, but after completing his graduation, he joined FTII to follow his passion for acting. Soon after, the actor landed his first role in the 1975 film Mrig Trishna, which was followed by his other works, in which he often appeared as a foreigner or ‘angrez’. If there ever would be a list of ‘Bollywood actors who got stuck playing Firangs’, Tom Alter will always make it to the list. His other important movies include Charas (1976), Saheb Bahadur (1977), Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977), Des Pardes (1978), Kudrat (1981), Kranti (1981), Parinda (1989), Aashiqui (1990), etc.
3. Gavin Packard
Gavin Packard was one of the famous Bollywood actors who are always casted as foreigners. He was well known for his physique and was a national and state-winning bodybuilder. The actor was of an Irish American descent, and was noted for his villainous roles in the 1990s Bollywood movies, like Sadak (1991), Chamatkar (1992), Tadipaar (1993), Mohra (1994), Karan Arjun (1995), Gharwali Baharwali (1998), Hadh Kardi Aapne (2000), etc. After the 2000s, the actor stopped appearing in movies and focused on body building and trained many Bollywood personalities till his demise in 2012.
4. Ashwin Mushran
Ashwin Mushran is an Indian actor and voice over artist, who started his career with TV commercials, and later became a cast member of an Indian TV show. The actor is often mistaken as a foreigner, because of his looks and unique accent. He started his career in Bollywood with a small role in Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), in which he played the role of a careless son. The actor is heavily involved with theatre, and he never fails to impress his audience with his works. Some of his best works include - Life in a Metro (2007) and Fashion (2008). He played the role of Gora Saab in Hum Tum Aur Ghost (2010).
5. Richard Bhakti Klein
Grew up in South Florida and lived in San Francisco Bay Area, Richard Bhakti Klein finally relocated to Mumbai in 2009. He has been a professional singer, dancer, lifeguard, teacher, meditation facilitator, vocal coach, lifeguard, etc. including actor. This multi-talented actor is one of the Bollywood actors who are always cast as British, who calls living in India as a dream come true. He has appeared in movies like Dear Zindagi (2016), Jagga Jasoos (2017), Karwaan (2018), Gully Boy (2019), Bharat (2019), Kesari (2019), War (2019), etc.
6. Sopariwala
K. C. Supariwalla as credited in his films, Mr. Sopariwala, was a fair complexioned man with light eyes and was often seen as a night club patron or the party in the 1970s movies. Because of his Anglo appearance, Mr. Sopariwala was often cast as a Westerner. He was stable in scenarios, where the glamorous bashes with cabaret performances were carried out. He appeared as Foreign General in Yakeen (1969), Robert in Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), Mr. Martin in Haath Ki Safai (1974), etc.
7. Bob Christo
Born as Robert John Christo, Bob Christo was a Civil Engineer of German descent from Sydney, who arrived in Bombay, India, while waiting for his work permit to Muscat, Oman. During his stay in India, he met actress Parveen Babi, who helped him to transition into Hindi films, and went to act in over 200 Hindi films in the 1980s and 1990s, mostly playing henchman or antagonist. He was first discovered by Sanjay Khan and was given his first big break as a villain in Abdullah (1981). Some of his best works include Kaalia (1981) Nastik (1983), Mard (1985), Mr. India (1987), Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993), Gumraah (1993), and many more.
8. Edward Sonnenblick
Edward Sonnenblick is an American-born actor, who has worked in several Bollywood movies and Indian television shows. Inspired by the 2001 epic drama Lagaan, Edward came to India to try his luck as an actor in the Bollywood industry. He started his career with the television epic drama show ‘Jhansi Ki Rani’ in 2009, and after almost a decade later got his first break in Bollywood. He has acted in movies like Firangi (2017), Veere Di Wedding (2018), Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (2019), Kesari (2019) and R.R.R. (2022).
9. Mark Bennington
The American-born actor, photographer, drummer and author, Mark Bennington grew up in the college town of Davis, CA. He worked in theatre for 10 years and even did 3 years of experimental theatre before making his screen debut. He worked in several TV Series, and finally landed roles in Bollywood movies as a foreigner. He has acted in movies like Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! (2015), Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran (2018), Kesari (2019), Angrezi Medium (2020), and R.R.R. (2022), etc.
10. Brownie Parasher
Brownie Parasher is an Indian actor, who is known for his Anglo looks with fair complexion and light-coloured eyes, and is often seen playing the western roles or the roles of a foreigner. He is known for playing Jindal’s overseas partner in Mohra (1994), the smuggling associate in Kismat (1995), the kidnapper in Najaayaz (1995), Jakarta in Jaan (1996), etc. Though he often played small supporting roles in Bollywood movies, however, he always made his presence felt on-screen.
11. Zachary Coffin
Zachary Coffin is an American and a trained actor who began his acting career at Prithvi Theatre and NCPA in Mumbai. Fondly known as Zack, he made his Bollywood acting debut with a minuscule role in Ishkq In Paris (2013) but soon got noticed as the German Boxing Coach in the Priyanka Chopra starrer Mary Kom (2014). Thereafter he got typecast for playing a foreigner or ‘angrez’ in Bollywood movies like Housefull 3 (2016), Parmanu (2018), Drive (2019), Ram Setu (2022), and Mission Majnu (2023), etc.
