Sunil Grover is a versatile Indian comedian, actor, and television presenter, best known for his portrayal of various characters, including the iconic character of "Gutthi" on the popular television show "Comedy Nights with Kapil". In this blog, we will explore Sunil Grover's life and career, including his early days, rise to fame, and notable works.

Sunil Grover was born on August 3, 1977, in Mandi Dabwali, Haryana, India. He completed his schooling from Arya Vidya Mandir in Mandi Dabwali and later earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Guru Nanak College in Haryana. He was also an active member of his college's dramatics society and participated in many plays during his college days.

Career in Radio

Sunil Grover began his career in the entertainment industry as a radio jockey with Radio Mirchi in Delhi. He gained popularity for his show "Hansi Ke Phuware with Sud" and later went on to host his show, "Sunil ke Saath Rang De India" on Radio Mirchi.

Television Career

Sunil Grover's television career began with small roles in shows like "Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hain?" and "Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki". However, his breakthrough came with his portrayal of the character "Gutthi" on "Comedy Nights with Kapil". The character became an instant hit and made Sunil Grover a household name. He also played other popular characters on the show, including "Dr. Mashoor Gulati" and "Rinku Bhabhi".

After leaving "Comedy Nights with Kapil", Sunil Grover went on to work in other television shows like "Mad in India" and "The Kapil Sharma Show". He also hosted his show, "The Sunil Grover Show", which aired on Star Plus in 2018.

Film Career

Grover was discovered during his college days by the late satirist and comedian Jaspal Bhatti. He has also acted in India's first silent comedy show, SAB TV's Gutur Gu in the initial 26 episodes.

During 2000s, he made his television debut with Chala Lallan Hero Banne on Filmy.

He gained a lot of popularity from the comedy show Comedy Nights with Kapil and became well known for his comical characters like Gutthi, Rinku Bhabi and Dr. Mashoor Gulati. He also mimics famous Bollywood actors like Amitabh Bachhan and many others in the show which were mostly liked by the viewers. But after having a fight with his co-actor Kapil Sharma, Sunil left the show.

Soon after leaving Kapil's show, Grover returned to television with Star Plus's show Kanpur Wale Khuranas with Aparshakti Khurana as the host. The plot of the show was similar to that of The Kapil Sharma Show, but it didn't last long and soon went off air.

In 2016, Grover debuted in the Punjab film industry with Vaisakhi List and the same year he portrayed Shraddha Kapoor's father in Baaghi.

He made a comeback in television industry in August 2020 with the show Gangs of Filmistan on Star Bharat where he played role of Bhindi Bhai. The show ended in October 2020.

In 2021, Grover portrayed Gurpal Chauhan in political drama web series Tandav, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar with an ensemble cast of Saif Ali Khan, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Kumud Mishra, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Gauahar Khan, Amyra Dastur, Kritika Kamra, Sarah Jane Dias and Sandhya Mridul, Anup Soni and Dino Morea. In the same year, he portrayed Sonu Singh in the thriller web-series Sunflower, for which he shed almost 8.1 kilos.

Other Works

Apart from his work in television and films, Sunil Grover has also lent his voice to animated films like "Aladdin" and "The Lion King". He has also performed live shows and stand-up comedy acts in various parts of the world.

Controversies

Sunil Grover has been involved in a few controversies during his career. In 2017, he had a fallout with fellow comedian Kapil Sharma, which led to his exit from "The Kapil Sharma Show". The two had a public spat, and Sunil Grover went on to say that he would not return to the show.

In 2018, Sunil Grover was embroiled in another controversy when he performed at an event in Pakistan. Many Indians criticized him for performing in Pakistan, given the strained relationship between the two countries.