Schooldays drawing of Danny Denzongpa

A Peacock- Danny's Love towards Nature 

Tshering Pintso Bhutia popularly known as Danny Denzongpa is a famous name in the Bollywood. We have seen him in many Indian movies as a deleterious villain and also have listened to many songs sung by him in Indian and Nepali films. I still can remember a Nepali song of my childhood days “Agi Agi Topaiko Gola...Pachi pachi machine gun Bha ra ra...Cigarette nadeu ma bedi khanelai Maya nadeu ma hedi janelai” sung by him with Asha Bhosle, a gigantic name in the Hindi music world.  His journey from the remote village of Yoksam to Mumbai is possibly the best example for all those who aspire to be a noted figure in Bollywood. Danny started his schooling from Gyalshing, the District Headquarters of West Sikkim. After getting stipend from the Ministry of  Foreign Affairs Government of India, he went to Birla Vidhya Mandir Nainital.

The original name of Danny is visible in this sketch 

I have met one of his juniors of Birla Vidhya Mandir Mr. B. B. Rai of Namchi Kazitar, from whom I have been able to secure an old school magazine Vatayan. It was a monthly magazine of Tilak House of the said school, published in July 1963.  The said magazine was published on the 107^th birth anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak by the Tilak House of Birla Vidhya Mandir Nainital. It is to be mentioned here that most of the Sikkimese students used to be in this House of the School. The Sikkimese students studying at Birla Vidhya Mandir were of great talents. Apart from their studies, our boys had astonishing calibre of writing, painting and singing. After accomplishing their education they all have served Sikkim through their distinct services. Mr. B.B Rai, alumni of Birla Vidhya Mandir has served in many Departments under Government of Sikkim before getting Voluntary Retirement as a Joint Director Planning and Development Department. He is an artist of a great reputation.

Sketch of a porter by Danny Denzongpa

In this monthly magazine, I have been able to stumble on few sketches made by our own Danny during his school days. The sketches of Danny speak more than thousand words. In one of his sketches he has portrayed about a student’s life in a hostel during a rainy night. In another drawing, he has featured the toil of a porter carrying a sack of potato towards his hostel. The practice of carrying loads on the back of a manual labour is still prevalent in Nainital. Mr. B.B Rai informed me that, frequently they had to have potato in their hostel as sabji and the potato sacks were brought to the school hostel by the porters. In his sketch Danny has featured the efforts of such meagre.  His third painting shows his love towards nature. This is a sketch of a peacock. His extraordinary talent is visible in every sketches made by Danny in his schooldays. In his arts his image of deleterious villain of Bollywood is silent rather; a great and a pious Buddhist soul is visible which could understand the pricks and pains of the meagre and nature. Apart from a gigantic figure of Bollywood and a sketcher, Danny is also a good flute player. 

Danny Denzongpa- A Sikkimese skill in Bollywood

Tshering Phintso Denzongpa, commonly known as "Danny" Denzongpa in cine world was born on 25 February 1948 at Yoksam in West Sikkim. His father was a Lama at the famous Pemayangtshe Monastery in West Sikkim. During his childhood there was a lack of education among the Sikkimese populace. From the son of his maternal uncle who was studying at Gangtok, his father got inspired to set up a school at his village. For this pious task his father donated 15 acres of land. Thus, Yoksam witnessed a first school in its surrounding. Danny started his schooling from Gyalshing where he studied for one year.  After getting stipend from the Royal Government of Sikkim, he went to Nainital and studied at reputed Birla Mandir School. In 1964, after finishing his matriculation from Birla Mandir School, he came back to Darjeeling Government College and completed his BSC. During his stay at Darjeeling, he fostered an ambition to join the Indian Army, and even won the Best Cadet award from West Bengal and also participated in the Republic Day parade. Danny completed his M A (First Class) from the esteemed FTII (Film and Television Institute of India) Pune. It is said that he had been qualified for dignified Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) Pune but, took out admission to join FTII. It is to be noted that famed actress of Bollywood Jaya Bhaduri, was his classmate at FTII. While studying in Pune, Tshering Pintsho Denzongpa decided to change his name to an easy sounding "Danny" since his atypical name (for rest of his fellow mate) was tough to be pronounced. After finishing his studies from FTII, Danny worked as a teacher in acting at the same institute for two years.

He started his film career with Mere Apne (1971) with Vinod Khanna and Satrughan Sinha which was directed by Gulzar. It was Dhund (1973) which brought him fame as a gigantic Bollywood Star where he played a crippled and disturbed husband. He has produced Phir Wohi Raat and has played various Bengali and Nepali Films. The iconic character of Gabbar Singh from the film Sholay, was originally offered to him, but it finally went to Amjad Khan. He appeared in a character role against Amitabh Bachhchan in a movie Hum as "Bakhtawaar" which is gravely commended.

He is famously known for playing negative characters. In the multi starrer The Burning Train (1980), he appeared in a negative role.  For films like Khuda Gawah (1992) and Sanam Bewafa (1991) he won the Film fare Best Supporting Actor Award.
In the Shahrukh Khan starrer Asoka he played a character named Virat. He was seen in the lead role as Vir Vijay Singh in 16 December (2002).  He has also starred in some international films, the most famous being Seven Years in Tibet where he acted alongside Hollywood actor Brad Pitt. In 2003, Denzongpa was awarded the Padma Shree, India's fourth highest civilian honour. The Government of Sikkim has honoured Mr. Denzongpa with the award of Sikkim Rajya Puraskar on 15^th August 1999.

A part from a versatile actor he is also an gifted singer having harmonic with Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhonsle, three brawny of Hindi music. He has released Nepali songs and has sung for Nepali movies. His most famous Nepali songs are "Chiso Chiso Hawama", "Rato Rani Phule" Suna Katha Euta Geet. His Nepali movie "saiino" was a superhit.

Danny is married to Gawa Denzongpa, a Sikkimese princess and niece of the last Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal. In recent times he has become more selective as to the roles he plays. The movies he prefers, he works on his own terms. He has a son named Rinzing and a daughter named Pema.

Danny is a multifaceted person who is not only an actor and a singer but also a painter, writer, and a sculptor. 

Sikkim is always proud of you!!!