{{Short description|Indian actor}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Use Indian English|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Praneet Bhat | image = | caption = | birth_date = | birth_place = | occupation = {{hlist|Model|actor|engineer}} | years_active = 2004 – present | spouses = {{marriage|Kanchan Sharma|2015}} }}
'''Praneet Bhat''' is an Indian television actor best known for his role as Shakuni in the epic TV series ''Mahabharat'' (2013–2014).<ref name=toi/><ref>{{cite web | title = Then and now: How Mahabharat has got more slick and grand|work=News18 | url = https://www.news18.com/photogallery/movies/then-and-now-how-mahabharat-has-got-more-slick-and-grand-921608-2.html|date=7 October 2013| accessdate = 20 April 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Praneet Bhatt in Bigg Boss? | work= Daily News and Analysis | url = http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-praneet-bhatt-in-bigg-boss-2016458 | date=6 September 2014|author=Nikita Sharma|accessdate = 13 September 2014 }}</ref>
==Early life== Bhat is a Kashmiri Pandit and hails from Srinagar.<ref name="bhaskar"/><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Kak |first1=Ruchi |title=The Game Changer: Praneet Bhat |url=https://www.shehjar.com/blog/The-Game-Changer:-Praneet-Bhat2709/1;jsessionid=EEE0E61CEA536D981A09300D99140C81 |magazine=Shehjar |access-date=31 July 2024}}</ref> After completing his engineering, he worked with the software company, Wipro.<ref name="bhaskar">{{cite web | title = Shakuni from Mahabharat is neither positive nor negative: Praneet Bhatt|website =Daily Bhaskar | url = http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/ENT-shakuni-from-mahabharat-is-neither-positive-nor-negative-praneet-bhatt-4358106-NOR.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140913151936/http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/ENT-shakuni-from-mahabharat-is-neither-positive-nor-negative-praneet-bhatt-4358106-NOR.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 13 September 2014 |author=Reenu Dabas|date= 27 August 2013| accessdate = 20 April 2018 }}</ref><ref name=pio>{{cite web | title = Glad that I am playing the role of Shakuni in Mahabharata|work=The Pioneer| url = http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhopal/glad-that-i-am-playing-the-role-of-shakuni-in-mahabharata.html |date=12 September 2013 |author= Sana Riyaz| accessdate = 20 April 2018 }}</ref>
Bhat shifted to Mumbai in 2002, when he was 22 years old, and started modeling.
== Career == He started his television career in 2004 and went on to appear in the television programs ''Kitni Mast Hai Zindagi'', ''Hotel Kingston'', ''Kituu Sabb Jaantii Hai'', ''Ssshhhh..Phir Koi Hai'' and ''Kaajjal''.<ref name="pio" />
He played the geeky character Aditya in ''Geet'' (2010–2011). He appeared in the role of Shakuni in the mythological saga ''Mahabharat'', which earned him worldwide fame.<ref name=toi>{{cite web | title = Like lead actors, character actors too are paid well: Praneet Bhat | url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/tv/news/Like-lead-actors-character-actors-too-are-paid-well-Praneet-Bhat/articleshow/24547716.cms |author=Navya Malini|date= 23 October 2013| accessdate = 20 April 2018 | website = The Times of India }}</ref><ref name="pio" /> In September 2014, he became one of the contestants on the eighth season of the reality show ''Bigg Boss''.<ref>{{cite web | title = 'Bigg Boss 8′ takes off |work= The Indian Express | url = http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/brace-yourself-here-comes-bigg-boss-8/ |author=IANS |author-link=Indo-Asian News Service |date=22 September 2014| accessdate = 20 April 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=8 September 2014 |title=Will Praneet Bhatt aka Shakuni of Mahabharat be the biggest mastermind of Bigg Boss 8? |url=http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/CEL-will-praneet-bhatt-aka-shakuni-of-mahabharat-be-the-biggest-mastermind-of-bigg-b-4738059-PHO.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911053436/http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/CEL-will-praneet-bhatt-aka-shakuni-of-mahabharat-be-the-biggest-mastermind-of-bigg-b-4738059-PHO.html |archive-date=11 September 2014 |accessdate=13 September 2014 |work=Daily Bhaskar}}</ref>
He also portrayed a negative role in Star Plus's ''Rishton Ka Chakravyuh.''<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/no-to-make-up-for-rishton-ka-chakravyuh-praneet-bhatt/articleshow/59953085.cms|date=7 August 2017|title=No to make up for Rishton Ka Chakravyuh: Praneet Bhatt|work=The Times of India|access-date=20 April 2018}}</ref> Bhat then played Darius III in ''Porus''.
From 2018 to 2021, Bhat portrayed a genie, Anguthichhaap, in the show ''Aladdin - Naam Toh Suna Hoga,'' and in 2020 he joined Dangal TV's ''Alif Laila as Jafar.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} ''In February 2021, he played Madhusudan in Sony TV''<nowiki/>'''s ''Mere Sai - Shraddha Aur Saburi''''.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=5 February 2021|title=Praneet Bhat to enter Mere Sai, says it's a blessing as he's devoted Sai bhakt|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/television/soaps/story/praneet-bhat-to-enter-mere-sai-says-it-s-a-blessing-as-he-s-devoted-sai-bhakt-1766252-2021-02-05|access-date=3 December 2023|work=India Today|language=en}}</ref> ''From 2021 to 2022, he appeared in ''&TV's Baal Shiv – Mahadev Ki Andekhi Gatha'', where he played Narada.''<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=29 August 2021|title=Praneet Bhatt talks about playing Narad in Baal Shiv and the unique story of his character|url=https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/videos/tv-news/praneet-bhatt-talks-about-playing-narad-in-baal-shiv-and-the-unique-story-of-his-character/107442|access-date=3 December 2023|work=ZoomTV|language=en}}</ref>''
In 2022, Bhat appeared in an episodic role in Dangal TV's ''Brij Ke Gopal'' as Kantak and in ''Jai Hanuman – Sankatmochan Naam Tiharo'' as Pret Raj. From 2022 to 2023, he was cast as Amit Shastri in Star Bharat's ''Dheere Dheere Se''.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=19 April 2023|title=Praneet Bhatt, who is seen in Aashaon Ka Savera... Dheere Dheere Se, wants to do something unique|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/lifestyle/praneet-bhatt-who-is-seen-in-aashaon-ka-savera-dheere-dheere-se-wants-to-do-something-unique-498878|access-date=3 December 2023|work=The Tribune|language=en}}</ref> From October 2023 to February 2024, Bhat appeared as Sartaj Sehgal in Colors TV's ''Chand Jalne Laga''.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=5 October 2023|title=Nasirr Khan, Praneet Bhat join cast of 'Chand Jalne Laga'|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/nasirr-khan-praneet-bhat-join-cast-of-chand-jalne-laga/articleshow/104192654.cms|access-date=3 December 2023|work=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>
==Television== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Show ! Role ! Ref. ! Notes |- |- | 2004 | ''Kitni Mast Hai Zindagi'' | | | |- | rowspan="2"|2007 | ''Dill Mill Gayye'' | | | |- | ''Kaajjal'' | Bunty | | |- | 2008 | ''Arslaan'' | Shefan | | |- | 2010–2011 | ''Geet - Hui Sabse Parayi'' | Aditya "Adi" | | |- | 2012–2013 | ''Suvreen Guggal – Topper of The Year'' | Jolly | | |- | 2013–2014 | ''Mahabharat'' | Shakuni | | |- | 2014 | ''Bigg Boss 8'' | Contestant | | Evicted on Day 91 – 21 December 2014 |- | 2015 | ''Razia Sultan'' | Kasbi Kalandar Lahhori | | |- | 2016 | ''Baal Krishna'' | Nanda Baba | | |- | rowspan="2"|2017 | ''Trideviyaan'' | Kilmish | | |- | ''Peshwa Bajirao'' | Dandak | | |- | rowspan="2"|2017–2018 | ''Rishton Ka Chakravyuh'' | Pujan Singh | | |- | ''Porus'' | Darius III | | |- | 2018 | ''Meri Hanikarak Biwi'' | Aghori Baba | | |- | 2018–2021 | ''Aladdin - Naam Toh Suna Hoga'' | Genie of Ring, Anguthichhaap | | |- | 2020 |''Alif Laila'' |Magician Jafar | |Episodic role |- | 2021 | ''Mere Sai'' | Madhusudan | | |- | 2021–2022 | ''Baal Shiv – Mahadev Ki Andekhi Gatha'' | Devrishi Narada | | |- |rowspan="2"|2022 |''Brij Ke Gopal'' |Kantak | |Episodic role |- |''Jai Hanuman - Sankat Mochan Naam Tiharo'' |Pret Raj | |Episodic role |- |rowspan="2"|2022-2023 |''Dharm Yoddha Garud'' |Dattatreya | | |- |''Dheere Dheere Se'' |Amit Shastri | | |- |rowspan="2"|2023–2024 |''Vanshaj'' |Yogi Singh | | |- |''Chand Jalne Laga'' |Sartaj Sehgal | | |- |2024 |''Shaitani Rasmein'' |Janjal Betal | |Episodic role |- |2024–2025 |''Shrimad Ramayan'' |Sahastramukh Ravan | | |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{IMDb name|5970968}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhat, Praneet}} Category:Indian male television actors Category:Living people Category:Male actors from Srinagar Category:Kashmiri actors Category:Kashmiri Pandits Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century Indian male actors