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Puneet Issar Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth6 November 1959

Age65 Years

BirthplaceAmritsar, Punjab, India

ProfessionActor, Writer, Director

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseDeepali

FamilySon - Siddhant Issar; Daughter - Nivriti Issar; Father - Sudesh Issar

Puneet Issar Biography

Veteran Indian actor, director and writer best known for his portrayal of Duryodhana in B.R. Chopra’s television epic Mahabharat (1988). With a career that

Early life and background

Puneet Issar was born on 6 November 1959 in Amritsar, Punjab, India. Raised in a family connected to the film world, his father Sudesh Issar worked as a film director. Puneet attended St. Lawrence High School in Mumbai and later graduated from Mithibai College. During his formative years he trained at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune, where he later served as an acting professor. He has said he once aspired to join the Indian Army.

Issar’s physical presence—standing about 1.91 m (6'3") with brown eyes—helped shape the kinds of roles he was cast in. He is a martial arts practitioner with a fourth-degree black belt and experience in karate, kung-fu, boxing and wrestling. He lists reading and travelling among his hobbies and is comfortable in both Hindi and Urdu. He follows Hinduism and his zodiac sign is Scorpio.

Career

Puneet Issar’s first industry work credited as an assistant director came on the film Sauda (1974). He made his acting debut in Hindi cinema with the 1983 film Coolie, in which he played the character Bob. A dangerous on-set accident during that production drew intense public attention and affected the early phase of his career; following the incident he spent several years working in smaller roles and in lower-profile films.

Issar rose to widespread recognition in 1988 when he played Duryodhana in B.R. Chopra’s televised adaptation of the Mahabharata. That portrayal brought him national prominence and led to ongoing association with the show: he and members of the Mahabharat team later performed stage shows across India and internationally. The popularity of the role also changed how audiences perceived him off-screen.

Across decades he has worked in multiple regional film industries. His filmography includes Malayalam (Yoddha, 1992), Tamil (I Love India, 1993), Kannada (Samrat, 1994), Bengali (Bhagya Debata, 1995), Telugu (Master, 1997) and Punjabi (Rabb Ne Banaiyan Jodiean, 2006) films. On television he appeared in Kahan Gaye Woh Log (1987) and several serials including Bharat Ek Khoj, Jai Mata Ki, Noorjahan, Love Story, Kahaani Chandrakanta Ki and Bani Ishaq Da Kalma. He also tried his hand at direction, credited for the TV project Hindustani (1996).

In 2014 Issar participated in the reality series Bigg Boss Season 8 and finished among the finalists. More recently, in 2019 he appeared as Maharaja Digambar Singh in the ZEE5 web series Parchhayee. Throughout his career he has continued to work in theatre alongside his screen projects.

Public profile

Issar’s image has often been linked to villainous characters, a typecasting that he both pursued and which was reinforced by his physicality. The role of Duryodhana made him instantly recognizable across India; it also led to real-world encounters in which some people conflated him with his on-screen persona.

Family and personal life

Puneet Issar is married to Deepali. The couple have two children: son Siddhant Issar, who is an actor, and daughter Nivriti Issar. His father, Sudesh Issar, worked in film direction; his mother’s name is not listed in the available information. Puneet bears a tattoo of the symbol Om on his right hand.

Latest updates

In the later stages of his career Issar continued to appear on-screen and on stage. His 2019 role in the ZEE5 web series Parchhayee is among the more recent credited projects. He remains active in theatre and occasional television and film appearances.
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Recent Work

Parchhayee

Played Maharaja Digambar Singh in the ZEE5 web series

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Assistant director on Sauda (1974)
  2. Bollywood acting debut in Coolie (1983)
  3. Portrayed Duryodhana in Mahabharat (1988)
  4. Finalist on Bigg Boss Season 8 (2014)
  5. Worked across multiple regional film industries and in theatre
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Puneet Issar born?

6 November 1959

What is Puneet Issar known for?

Actor, Writer, Director

What is Puneet Issar’s marital status?

Married

Who is Puneet Issar married to?

Deepali