Vicky Kaushal turns 36: Masaan to Sam Bahadur, 5 of his most powerful roles to date

Vicky Kaushal has portrayed many special roles ever since his acting debut in a brief role in Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana. As the actor turned 36 on Thursday, here's a glimpse into the powerful characters played by him. (Also read: Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan feel OTT will Zara Hatke Zara Bachke bigger)

Masaan

Vicky Kaushal shot to fame with his first leading role in Neeraj Ghaywan's social-drama Masaan. The actor was praised for his portrayal of a civil engineering student, named Deepak Kumar who works part-time at the cremation ghats. Vicky's depiction of a Varanasi native with his subtle mannerism and dialect resonated with cinephiles. The movie was also screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. However, Vicky's ability to transcend into a college student from humble background, who goes through heartbreak, was the soul of the narrative.

Raazi

Vicky's first collaboration with Meghna Gulzar in a spy-thriller had him paired opposite Alia Bhatt in Raazi. His performance as the lenient and liberal Pakistani army officer Iqbal Syed was appreciated by audiences. The actor's unconventional role of a husband, who respects boundaries and consent in an arranged marriage, was the heart of the narrative. Apart from Alia, Vicky's acting prowess and character were loved by movie buffs.

Uri: The Surgical Strike

Vicky played an Indian Army officer named Major Vihaan Singh Shergill. His powerful screen presence and action sequences in this patriotic-thriller brought much-needed adrenaline rush and goosebumps. Uri: The Surgical Strike based on the Pathankot attack following the surgical strike by Indian armed forces was one of the most physically challenging roles for Vicky. However, his partnership with filmmaker Aditya Dhar did wonders as the movie was lauded by fans. Vicky's dialogue “How’s the Josh” was even mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in one of his speeches.

Sardar Udham

Sardar Udham did for Vicky, what Schindler's List did to Liam Neeson's filmography. One of the most brutal and inhuman act in world history – the Jalianwllah Bagh massacre and its aftermath arms revolution – was showcased in Shoojit Sircar's biographical epic-drama. Vicky's portrayal of Sardar Udham was spot-on. His depiction of the pain and suffering as a witness of Jallianwallah Bagh firing effectively conveyed the plight of Indian during the British colonial rule. Vicky once again experimented by portraying one of the most iconic yet unsung heroes of Indian independence struggle.

Sam Bahadur

Meghna Gulzar gave Vicky a role of a lifetime and he did equal justice to the character. He essayed the on-screen version of India's former Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw, in the biopic-drama. Apart from the late first field marshal's life, his role in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war and liberating Bangladesh were also depicted in Sam Bahadur.