Dawood Ibrahim 61st birthday: 7 actors who portrayed dreaded D-Company gangster in Bollywood movies

Dawood is yet to be tried for his role in 1993 Bombay bombings and is reportedly hiding in Karachi, Pakistan, a claim which their government has denied.

Dawood Ibrahim, the dreaded gangster who tops India’s most wanted list turned 61 on Monday. Born on December 26, 1955, in Mumbai’s Khed Ratnagiri, India, Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar is the underworld kingpin and terrorist. The mastermind of the largest organised crime syndicate in South East Asia, D-Company, Dawood Ibrahim is the prime target of India. The feared crime lord is accused of organising and financing the bloodied 1993 Bombay bombings. Dawood is yet to be tried for his gory crimes and is currently reportedly hiding in Karachi, Pakistan, a claim which their government has denied. The gut-wrenching and dark image of Dawood Ibrahim has inspired several movies in Bollywood. While several films are made based on real-life gangsters in the recent times, the curiosity about nefarious Dawood Ibrahim makes him an exciting character to enact by actors in Hindi film industry. Here’s a look at seven actors who portrayed the fearful and disgusting D-Company gangster in Bollywood movies. ALSO READ: Amitabh Bachchan, Salman, Shah Rukh & Saif Ali Khan kill Dawood Ibrahim. Sadly in just a spoof video.

1. Vijay Maurya in Black Friday

Black Friday helmed by director Anurag Kashyap is one of the most controversial movies of Indian cinema industry. The 2003 Black Friday, a film based on the 1993 Bombay bombings featured actor Vijay Maurya essay the role of Dawood Ibrahim. It was the first time when filmmakers dared to portray Dawood’s character on the silver screen.

2. Emraan Hashmi in Once Upon a Time in Mumbai

Emraan Hashmi showed his excellent acting chops, playing second lead to Ajay Devgn in Milan Luthria’s Once Upon a Time in Mumbai released in 2010. D-company mastermind Dawood Ibrahim apparently inspired Emraan’s role of Shoaib Khan. The movie followed the original plot Dawood emerging from the shadows of Haji Mastan Mirza (Sultan Mirza played by Ajay Devgn) and rising to take the crime world by storm.

3. Ajay Devgn in Company

Ram Gopal Varma’s 2002 Company was loosely based on Dawood Ibrahim’s mafia organisation, D-Company. In the role of Interpol’s wanted underworld kingpin was Ajay Devgn. The captivating portrayal of Mumbai underworld in the movie won the director and actors several accolades. Ajay’s mannerism and style instilled a strange fear we often associate with the crime lord.

4. Randeep Hooda in D

Randeep Hooda is known to be one of the most versatile actors with a broad range of roles. His character in the movie, D, was that of the dangerous gangster who is also popularly known as D. The actor played the character to perfection and made a mark in this dark movie. D film is also the first movie which had Randeep Hooda as a lead hero.

5. Rishi Kapoor in D-Day

Rishi Kapoor is known to master his character in every movie. When he played the terrifying Rauf Lala in Agneepath, he made sure to leave you with goose bumps. The actor’s role in Nikhil Advani directed 2013 film D-Day is said to be revolving around the Don from Dongri. The veteran actor does absolute justice to his role Iqbal Seth Aka Goldman, which bears an uncanny resemblance with Dawood Ibrahim.

6. Sonu Sood in Shootout At Wadala

Sanjay Gupta’s Shootout At Wadala was the story of Mumbai gangster Manya Surve. Manya’s journey from a bright college student to becoming fearful local mafia to subsequent death in an encounter was Shootout At Wadala. The film shows Manya’s meeting with Dilawar Imtiaz Haksar, the character based on Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar. While Bollywood hunk John Abraham played Manya Surve, talented actor Sonu Sood essayed the role of Dawood Ibrahim.

7. Zakir Hussain in Coffee with D

Dawood Ibrahim does not necessarily feature in action-thriller or crime dramas but could well be a part of comedy movies in Bollywood. The yet to be released film, Coffee With D, showcases a loud-mouthed journalist (based on former Times Now Editor-in-Chief, Arnab Goswami) and his experience of interviewing the D-Company master, Dawood Ibrahim. Accomplished actor Zakir Hussain will be seen in the role of Dawood. The trailer of Coffee with D was a laugh riot, and we hope the movie turns out to be equally good.