Shatrughan Prasad Sinha (born 15 July 1946) is an Indian actor and politician. He is a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Asansol constituency as a member of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). Earlier he was elected as Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha (2009–2014, 2014–2019) from Patna Sahib.[3] He was also a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha during 1996–2002 and 2002–2008.[1] He was a Union Cabinet Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Shipping in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.[1] He was a member of standing committee on transport, tourism and culture and member of consultative committee in ministry of external affairs and overseas Indian affairs from 2014 to 2019.[1]
In 2016, his biography, Anything but Khamosh,[5] was released.
Early life
Sinha was born in Patna, Bihar, to Bhuvaneshwar Prasad Sinha and Shyama Devi Sinha on 15 July 1946.[1][6] He is the youngest of four brothers – Ram, Lakshman, Bharat and himself. He graduated from Patna Science College with a Bachelor of Science.[7] He had a Diploma in Acting from the Film and Television Institute of IndiaPune.[8] Currently there's a scholarship being awarded in his name in the institute to Diploma students.[9] He moved to Mumbai, where he started his career in the film industry.[7] He is married to former Miss India Poonam Sinha (née Chandiramani).
He played supporting roles in many films before appearing in Gulzar's Mere Apne in 1971. He was cast along with his future wife Poonam Sinha, then called as Komal, in the movie Sabak (1973). He played supporting roles in Khilona, Dulal Guha's Dost in 1974, Aa Gale Lag Jaa, Jheel Ke Us Paar and Gambler in 1970. He acted with Amitabh Bachchan in films like Raaste Ka Paththar, Yaar Meri Zindagi, Shaan and Kala Paththar, of which Shaan was the biggest success. He later acted in Bombay to Goa, Dostana and Naseeb. His films as the lead hero between 1970 and 1975 were not hits. His first successful film as lead hero was in Kalicharan in 1976. Subhash Ghai went with the story of Kalicharan to N. N. Sippy and said he wanted to direct his first film. N. N. Sippy got ready to produce after few days, but wanted to cast only Rajesh Khanna in the lead role of Kalicharan. Then only when N. N. Sippy confirmed with Rajesh Khanna that Khanna did not have dates for the years 1976 and 1977, Sippy asked Subhash Ghai to go ahead with the script and direct Kalicharan with Sinha in the lead.
Sinha played the lead hero were Ab Kya Hoga, Khan Dost, Yaaraon Ka Yaar, Dillagi, Vishwanath, Muqabla and Jaani Dushman. He then became a bankable action hero from early eighties to mid-nineties. He co-starred with Sanjeev Kumar in Bereham, Hathkadi, Baad Aur Badnaam, Chehre Pe Chehra, Hirasat and Qatl. He starred in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Naram Garam, Brij's Bombay 405 Miles and Taqdeer. He has sung the song "Ek Baat Suni Hai Chachaji" with singer Sushma Shrestha in the film Naram Garam in 1981, composed by R. D. Burman. However, when his films as lead hero like Prakash Mehra's Jawalamukhi, Amjad Khan's Chor Police, Ameer Aadmi Garib Aadmi and Raj Khosla's Mera Dost Meraa Dushman became flops, despite being appreciated by critics, there was threat to his career as lead hero. He also produced and acted in the film Kalka, based on life of coal mine workers, released in 1983.
He then bounced back by bagging roles in films with lead hero as Rajesh Khanna in films like Dil E Nadan, Aaj Ka M.L.A Ram Avtaar, Maqsad and Paapi Pet Ka Sawal Hai. His other hit films in the mid-eighties included Jeene Nahi Doonga, Bhawani Junction, Aandhi-Toofan, Ramkali, Ilzaam and Asli Naqli. He then went on to star with Jeetendra in Hoshiyar, Khudgarz, Ranbhoomi and Mulzim. He co-starred with Dharmendra in Insaniyat Ke Dushman, Loha (1987), Aag Hi Aag (1987), Hawalaat and Zalzala. He was in films like Telephone (1985), Sherni (1988), Khoon Bhari Maang (1988) and Adharm (1992). He starred with Raajkumar in Betaaj Badshah in 1994 and Salman Khan in Chaand Kaa Tukdaa in 1994. Sinha credited Rajesh Khanna for getting Kaalicharan and for the revival of his career as lead hero in the 1980s, however their friendship got affected when Shatrughan Sinha stood as the BJP candidate against Rajesh Khanna in the 1992 election. Though as a Congress candidate Khanna had defeated Sinha by 25000 margin of votes, Khanna was disappointed at Sinha for standing against him in the elections.
Sinha entered politics by contesting in a by-election opposite Rajesh Khanna. He quoted in an interview that his biggest regret in his life was contesting election against his friend Khanna. Khanna won the elections by beating Sinha by 25,000 votes;[11] however, he was hurt and never spoke to Sinha thereafter. Sinha did try to rebuild his friendship with Khanna; however, that never happened until Khanna's death in 2012.[12]
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