Let’s be honest, nobody does a dramatic performance quite like a dad. Whether on screen or off screen, he is a creature of hilarious contradictions. One minute he is obsessing over his digestive tract or hogging the television remote. The next, he is threatening to cut you off over a love marriage. Yet, he is the same man who will cook you an omelette when exam stress hits. With Father’s Day on June 21, it is time to celebrate these legends. We have rounded up 13 iconic Bollywood Dads of all time. Pop the kettle on, grab some snacks, and let’s dive in!
Bhashkor Banerjee in Piku (2015)
Bhashkor is the subversion of the saintly Indian father. He is a 70-year-old hypochondriac obsessed with his bowel movements, fiercely independent and oddly progressive about his daughter’s single status. His relationship with daughter Piku forms the heart of this slice-of-life drama, making him one of Hindi cinema’s most memorable dads.
Director: Shoojit Sircar
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan as Bhashkor Banerjee
Where to watch: Netflix / Prime Video
Salman Habib in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)
Not all screen dads are role models. Though he appears briefly, Salman Habib delivers one of the film’s most emotionally significant moments. Salman Habib represents the complex, deeply flawed father who chose his bohemian artistic life over paternal responsibility. His honest conversation with Arjun remains deeply impactful.
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Cast: Naseeruddin Shah as Salman Habib
Where to watch: Prime Video / YouTube
Ramkishan Chaturvedi in Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999)
Before modern realism hit Bollywood, Alok Nath was the undisputed king of fatherhood. The quintessential family patriarch of the late 1990s, Ramkishan embodied traditional values and unconditional love. His character became synonymous with the ideal Bollywood father. As Ramkishen, he rules a massive joint family with absolute benevolence, soft-spoken wisdom, and an endless supply of morning prayers.
Director: Sooraj Barjatya
Cast: Alok Nath as Ramkishan Chaturvedi
Where to watch: Zee5 / Prime Video
Baldev Singh in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
The absolute benchmark for the strict Indian dad. He feeds pigeons, values parampara (tradition) above all else, and terrifies his family with a single glance. Yet Baldev Singh’s journey from an authoritarian father to one who embraces his daughter’s happiness gives Bollywood one of its most iconic moments, “Ja Simran ja, jee le apni zindagi.”
Director: Aditya Chopra
Cast: Amrish Puri as Chaudhry Baldev Singh
Where to watch: Prime Video
Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh in Sooryavansham (1999)
A towering father figure whose expectations shape the film’s storyline, Bhanu Pratap Singh became a television-era legend thanks to the endless reruns. Bhanupratap is a proud village head who disowns his illiterate but pure-hearted son. The drama is dialled up to eleven, complete with poisoned Kheer and ultimate redemption. It’s glorious, high-octane 90s melodrama.
Director: E. V. V. Satyanarayana
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan as Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh/Heera Singh
Where to watch: YouTube / Amazon Prime
Mr Thapar in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013)
If you need a good cry, this is the one. While Bunny wants to conquer the world and run away from his roots, his father offers a non-judgmental safety net. He pushes his son to chase his dreams without burdening him with emotional guilt. Warm and patient, Mr Thapar shares one of the film’s most touching parent-child relationships.
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Cast: Farooq Sheikh as Mr Thapar
Where to watch: Netflix
Vijay Salgaonkar in Drishyam (2015)
A dynamic fourth-grade dropout whose entire world is his family. Vijay takes cable TV movie knowledge and orchestrates the perfect alibi to shield his family from a murder charge. He proves a dad will literally rewrite the calendar to protect his children.
Director: Nishikant Kamat
Cast: Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonka
Where to watch: JioHotstar / Prime Video
Mahavir Singh Phogat in Dangal (2016)
He locks up the snacks, cuts off his daughters’ hair, and wakes them up at 5:00 AM for wrestling drills. He’s a coach who pushes his girls to the absolute limit because he refuses to let society dictate their worth. Driven, disciplined and occasionally controversial, Mahavir Singh Phogat pushed his daughters beyond societal expectations and helped redefine fatherhood on screen.
Director: Nitesh Tiwari
Cast: Aamir Khan as Mahavir Singh Phogat
Where to watch: Netflix / Apple TV
Mr Qureshi in 3 Idiots (2009)
Though seen briefly, Farhan’s father represents the pressures many Indian children face. “Mera beta engineer banega!” Mr. Qureshi represents the terrifying weight of middle-class parental expectations. He isn’t a villain, he’s just a scared father who thinks security equals happiness, making his eventual change of heart incredibly moving.
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Parikshit Sahni as Mr Qureshi
Where to watch: Prime Video
Vidyadhar Pathak in Masaan (2015)
A deeply nuanced, heartbreaking performance. Caught between a corrupt police blackmail scheme and a conservative society judging his daughter, Vidyadhar alternates between explosive frustration and desperate love that keeps his broken family afloat.
Director: Neeraj Ghaywan
Cast: Sanjay Mishra as Vidyadhar Pathak
Where to watch: JioHotstar / Prime Video
Anup Kumar Saxena in Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020)
The antidote to every strict dad on this list. Anup Saxena is a masterclass in feminist parenting. While the rest of the world tells his daughter that girls don’t fly fighter jets, he makes her snacks and tells her the plane doesn’t care who is steering it. His unwavering faith in Gunjan’s ambitions becomes the emotional backbone of this biographical drama.
Director: Sharan Sharma
Cast: Pankaj Tripathi as Anup Kumar Saxena
Where to watch: Netflix / JioTV
Jeetender Kaushik in Badhaai Ho (2018)
It’s rare to see a Bollywood film focus on a middle-aged father’s active romantic life. Jeetendir is a sweet, poetry-reciting railway ticket collector who accidentally gets his middle-aged wife pregnant. His journey from sheer social embarrassment to fiercely defending his wife is pure joy. Jeetender Kaushik challenged stereotypes around middle-aged parents and delivered one of Bollywood’s most refreshing father figures.
Director: Amit Ravindernath Sharma
Cast: Gajraj Rao as Jeetender Kaushik
Where to watch: JioHotstar
K. K. Singhania in Dulhe Raja (1998)
For a chaotic, laugh-out-loud Father’s Day watch, Kader Khan’s performance as a wealthy hotelier losing his mind over a roadside café owner (Govinda) is gold. His constant blood-pressure spikes and comedic misery make him one of the most entertaining comic dads of the 90s.
Director: Harmesh Malhotra
Cast: Kader Khan as K. K. Singhania
Where to watch: YouTube
