Gufi Paintal

{{short description|Indian actor and director (1944–2023)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}

{{Use Indian English|date=June 2013}}

{{Infobox person

| name =

| image = Gufi Paintal.jpg

| caption = Paintal in 2010

| birth_name = Sarabjeet Singh Paintal{{Cite web |url=https://youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=WHXjL6Gnv-8 |access-date=16 November 2019 |via=YouTube |title=Guftagoo with Gufi Paintal }}

| birth_date = {{birth date|1944|10|04|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Lahore, Punjab, British India

| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|06|05|1944|10|04|df=yes}}{{cite web | title=Gufi Paintal Death News: Mahabharat’s Shakuni Mama aka Gufi Paintal passes away at the age of 78 - - Times of India | website=The Times of India | date=5 Jun 2023 | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/mahabharats-shakuni-mama-aka-gufi-paintal-passes-away-at-the-age-of-78/articleshow/100757519.cms | access-date=6 Jun 2023}}

| death_place = Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

| occupation = Actor, casting director

| spouse = Rekha Paintal

| children = Harry Paintal (son)

| relatives = {{ubl|Kanwarjit Paintal (brother)|Hiten Paintal (nephew)}}

| years_active = 1978–2023

| module = {{Infobox military person

| embed = yes

| embed_title = Military service

| allegiance = {{IND}}

| branch = {{army|India}}

| branch_label =

| serviceyears = 1962–1968

| rank =

| unit =

| battles = Sino-Indian War

| awards =

}}

}}

Gufi Paintal (4 October 1944 – 5 June 2023), also known as Sarabjeet Singh Paintal, was an Indian actor and casting director.

Initially trained as an engineer, he joined the Indian Army during the Sino-Indian War in 1962. While on the border, a folk play of Ramlila was conducted in which he performed the role of Sita, from where he became interested in acting. Then he came to Bombay where his younger brother Paintal (who had been trained at the Film and Television Institute of India) was trying his career in acting.{{cite web |url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/tv/news/know-everything-about-mahabharat-shakuni-mama-gufi-paintal-served-in-indian-army-played-sita/articleshow/100760143.cms |title= एक्टर बनने से पहले आर्मी में थे 'शकुनि मामा' गूफी पेंटल, चीन के बॉर्डर पर बनते थे सीता |language=hi |access-date=6 June 2023}} Arriving in Bombay in 1969, Gufi took up modelling, worked as an assistant director for movies and acted in various movies and serials. He also directed his brother. His most well-known role is that of Mama (Maternal Uncle) Shakuni in the adaptation of Mahabharat by B.R. Chopra and his son Ravi Chopra, which Paintal himself recognized as his best role.[http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/03/12/stories/2005031202210200.htm The other Paintal ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023214742/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/03/12/stories/2005031202210200.htm |date=23 October 2012 }} He was so associated with his Shakuni character in India that Paintal presented a political discussion show on the news channel Sahara Samay in the character of Shakuni.[http://www.indiantelevision.com/special/election/y2k4/saharasamay.htm Sahara Samay: banking on youth] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603234555/http://www.indiantelevision.com/special/election/y2k4/saharasamay.htm |date=3 June 2011 }}

Paintal directed the movie Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, which sketches the life of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a 16th-century devotee of Krishna who is recognised as an incarnation of the god by followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. The film was produced by Pawan Kumar with music by Ravindra Jain.{{cite web |url=http://www.timesmusic.com/chaitanyamahaprabhu.php |title= Times Music : Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu|website=timesmusic.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309003405/http://www.timesmusic.com/chaitanyamahaprabhu.php |archive-date=9 March 2008}} In 2010 he was appointed head of facility at the Abbhinnay Acting Academy in Mumbai, a school established by his Mahabharata co-star Pankaj Dheer.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessofcinema.com/news.php?newsid=15898|title=Akshay Kumar inaugurates Pankaj Dheer's acting academy – Abbhinnay|date=9 April 2010|publisher=businessofcinema|access-date=25 September 2011|archive-date=25 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225065832/http://www.businessofcinema.com/news.php?newsid=15898|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://movies.indiatimes.com/Features-Events/Events/Akshay-inaugurates-Abbhinnay-Acting-Academy/eventshow/5773825.cms|title=Akshay inaugurates Abbhinnay Acting Academy|work=The Times of India|access-date=25 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412012114/http://movies.indiatimes.com/Features-Events/Events/Akshay-inaugurates-Abbhinnay-Acting-Academy/eventshow/5773825.cms|archive-date=12 April 2010|url-status=dead}}