Gufi Paintal

Gufi Paintal was an Indian actor and casting director who worked in various movies and television shows. He was born as Sarabjeet Singh Paintal in Lahore, Punjab, British India on 4 October 1944. He was initially trained as an engineer and joined the Indian Army during the Sino-Indian War in 1962. He developed an interest in acting after performing the role of Sita in a folk play of Ramlila on the border. He moved to Bombay in 1969, where his younger brother Kanwarjit Paintal, also known as Paintal, was trying his career in acting. Gufi started his career as a model and an assistant director for movies. He also acted in various films such as Rafoo Chakkar, Dillagi, Des Pardes, Suhaag, Daava, and Samrat & Co. He also appeared in many television shows such as Bahadur Shah Zafar, Kanoon, Om Namah Shivay, Akbar Birbal, CID, Ssshhhh...Koi Hai, and The Magic Make-Up Box. His most well-known role was that of Mama Shakuni in the adaptation of Mahabharat by B.R. Chopra and his son Ravi Chopra, which aired on Doordarshan from 1988 to 1990. He also served as the casting director for the show and was responsible for selecting the actors for various roles. He received immense popularity and acclaim for his portrayal of Shakuni, the maternal uncle of Duryodhana and the mastermind of the Kurukshetra War. He was so associated with his character that he later hosted a political discussion show on the news channel Sahara Samay in the character of Shakuni. He also directed a movie called Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, which depicted the life of the 16th-century saint and devotee of Krishna. The movie was produced by Pawan Kumar and had music by Ravindra Jain. In 2010, he was appointed as the head of the Abbhinnay Acting Academy in Mumbai, a school established by his Mahabharat co-star Pankaj Dheer. Gufi Paintal was married to Rekha Paintal, who died of a heart attack in 1993. He had a son named Harry Paintal, who is also an actor. He was the elder brother of Kanwarjit Paintal, who is a famous comedian and actor. He also had a nephew named Hiten Paintal, who is also an actor. Gufi Paintal died in a Mumbai hospital on 5 June 2023, at the age of 78, due to age-related health issues. He was cremated at the Oshiwara Crematorium in Andheri, Mumbai. He was honoured with a state salute at his funeral. He is remembered as one of the finest actors and casting directors in the Indian entertainment industry.