Lucknow’s Dr. Anil Kumar Rastogi Honoured with Padma Shri Ahead of His 83rd Birthday

By Shantiswaroop Tripathi

A renowned scientist, theatre veteran, film and television actor, Dr. Anil Kumar Rastogi, who has devoted more than 64 years to theatre, has been honoured with the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian awards, just months before he turns 83. Even at the age of 82, Dr. Rastogi remains remarkably active and creatively vibrant. His upcoming film Barah Singa is set for release soon, while he was recently seen portraying a princely ruler in the film Bengal 1947, set in pre-Independence Bengal. Prior to this, he appeared as Ravi Kishan’s father in Akshay Kumar’s Mission Raniganj.

Over an illustrious acting career spanning 62 years, Dr. Rastogi has performed in 96 theatre productions with thousands of shows, acted in 15 television serials, including Udaan and Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha, and appeared in over 60 films such as Mukti Bhavan, Main Meri Patni Aur Woh, Ishqzaade, Z Plus, Raid, Mulk, Nakkash and many others. What makes his journey extraordinary is that he achieved all this while being firmly rooted in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, never migrating permanently to Mumbai. His contribution to the arts has already earned him prestigious honours such as the Yash Bharati Award, Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kalidas Award, Awadh Samman, and the National Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

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On the eve of Republic Day, just months before he steps into his 84th year, the Government of India announced his name among the Padma Awards 2026 recipients. The news brought immense pride not only to Dr. Rastogi but also to his birthplace and karmabhoomi—Lucknow, a city deeply intertwined with his artistic identity. This honour is a celebration not just of one individual, but of Lucknow’s rich and enduring theatre tradition, which he has tirelessly kept alive.

Dr. Anil Rastogi’s life reads like the script of an inspiring film. Professionally, he was a scientist, serving as a Senior Scientist at the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), where he worked on pharmaceutical research. Yet his heart always beat for theatre. By day, he handled test tubes and chemical compounds in the laboratory; by evening, he transformed into characters drawn from Shakespeare or Ghalib under the glow of stage lights. He often said that science gave him discipline, while theatre gave him sensitivity—both of which shaped him as a complete artist. He once remarked that despite his passion for acting, he never allowed his scientific responsibilities to suffer, sometimes working through the night in the lab before heading straight to office the next morning.

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Regarded as the Bhishma Pitamah of Lucknow theatre, Dr. Rastogi played a pivotal role in shifting the centre of theatrical excellence from Kanpur to Lucknow after his retirement from scientific service. Through his theatre group ‘Darpan’, he brought legendary plays such as Khamosh Adalat Jaari Hai, Mudrarakshas, and Andha Yug to life. He collaborated extensively with directors like Urmil Kumar Thapliyal, Rajeshwar Bachchan, Raj Bisaria, and Deenanath. His most performed play, Pakshi Ja Pakshi Aa (adapted from Boeing Boeing), ran for an astounding 20 years, from 1976 to 1996, with shows across India—from Delhi and Mumbai to Kolkata, Bhopal, and beyond.

The struggle behind this success was immense. In the 1960s and 70s, doing theatre in Lucknow was anything but easy. Dr. Rastogi and his fellow artists often pooled money from their own pockets to print posters and personally pasted them across the city. At a time when today’s actors enjoy vanity vans, Padma Shri Dr. Rastogi would ride a bicycle to rehearsals. This award honours that long journey—from a bicycle to Rashtrapati Bhavan.

On television, he became a household name with Doordarshan serials like Neev, Tehreer Munshi Premchand Ki, and Haqeeqat. His role as SSP Bashir Ahmed in the iconic series Udaan brought him national recognition. Later, shows like Lapataganj and Chidiya Ghar endeared him to audiences across generations.

In cinema, Dr. Rastogi is known for portraying dignified, authoritative characters—judges, politicians, and men of power—with remarkable restraint and depth. Whether it was Ishqzaade, Mulk, Raid, Article 15, or Z Plus, his presence elevated every scene. Interestingly, he never planned a career in films. His entry into cinema was purely accidental, beginning with a Sudhir Mishra film in the 1980s, shot in Lucknow, where he worked without remuneration—driven purely by passion for the craft.

Despite national recognition and now the Padma Shri, Dr. Anil Kumar Rastogi remains deeply grounded. His speech reflects Lucknow’s famed tehzeeb, and his personality embodies humility and grace. A self-taught actor with no formal training, he has become a living institution—guiding, mentoring, and inspiring young artists.

The Padma Shri awarded to Dr. Anil Kumar Rastogi is not merely an individual honour; it is a tribute to artistic integrity, perseverance, and the quiet dignity of Indian theatre. His life teaches us that when passion burns bright, both the laboratory and the stage can become instruments of change.