Irshad Panjatan
Actor
7 de septiembre de 1931 (94 años)
Irshad Panjatan (born September 7, 1931, in Hyderabad) is an Indian-German actor and mime.
Irshad Panjatan began his artistic career in India, initially at the renowned Hindustani Theatre, where he worked as both an actor and a director. As early as the 1950s, he specialized in the art of pantomime—a discipline then scarcely known in India—drawing inspiration from figures such as Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Panjatan is regarded as one of the most significant pioneers of modern pantomime in India and has performed internationally with solo programs since the 1960s.
Since the 1970s, Panjatan has lived in Berlin, where he ran a pantomime studio together with his wife, Ingrid, and gave numerous stage performances. From the 1990s onward, he appeared increasingly in German film and television productions. He gained widespread public recognition in 2001 for his role as the Shoshone chief "Listiger Lurch" (Cunning Newt) in Michael Herbig's film *Der Schuh des Manitu*. This was followed by roles in films such as *Kebab Connection*, *Free Rainer – Dein Fernseher lügt*, and *Iron Sky*, as well as guest appearances in television series including *Tatort*, *Der Bulle von Tölz*, *Stubbe – Von Fall zu Fall*, and *Pastewka*. In 2022, he came out of retirement to appear in the film *Träume sind wie wilde Tiger*.
Irshad Panjatan began his artistic career in India, initially at the renowned Hindustani Theatre, where he worked as both an actor and a director. As early as the 1950s, he specialized in the art of pantomime—a discipline then scarcely known in India—drawing inspiration from figures such as Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Panjatan is regarded as one of the most significant pioneers of modern pantomime in India and has performed internationally with solo programs since the 1960s.
Since the 1970s, Panjatan has lived in Berlin, where he ran a pantomime studio together with his wife, Ingrid, and gave numerous stage performances. From the 1990s onward, he appeared increasingly in German film and television productions. He gained widespread public recognition in 2001 for his role as the Shoshone chief "Listiger Lurch" (Cunning Newt) in Michael Herbig's film *Der Schuh des Manitu*. This was followed by roles in films such as *Kebab Connection*, *Free Rainer – Dein Fernseher lügt*, and *Iron Sky*, as well as guest appearances in television series including *Tatort*, *Der Bulle von Tölz*, *Stubbe – Von Fall zu Fall*, and *Pastewka*. In 2022, he came out of retirement to appear in the film *Träume sind wie wilde Tiger*.
Filmography
| 2021 | Träume sind wie wilde Tiger · as Daada |
| 2017 | Bullyparade: The Movie · as Costa |
| 2017 | Triple Ex · as Kuklav |
| 2015 | |
| 2015 | Marry Me - Aber bitte auf Indisch · as Ankur |
| 2013 | The Physician · as PharmacistEn Plex |
| 2013 | Vijay and I · as Sikh Man In Restaurant |
| 2012 | Clarissa's Secret · as Singh |
| 2012 | Iron Sky · as Indian RepresentativeEn Plex |
| 2009 | Ein Sommer in Long Island · as Mr. Yuki |
| 2008 | African Race - Die verrückte Jagd nach dem Marakunda · as Diener Radjid (uncredited) |
| 2007 | Free Rainer · as Gopal |
| 2006 | |
| 2005 | Pastewka · as Cab Driver |
| 2005 | Beetles for Breakfast · as Rashnapur |
| 2004 | Kebab Connection · as Indischer Taxifahrer |
| 2003 | Der Ärgermacher · as Der Inder |
| 2002 | Dienstreise - Was für eine Nacht · as Blumenverkäufer |
| 2001 | Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairytale · as Flunky |
| 2001 | The Tanker · as Cast |
| 2001 | Manitou's Shoe · as Chief Listiger Lurch |
| 1996 | Der Bulle von Tölz · as Meister Finke |
| 1995 | Unser Charly · as Raoul Patel |
| 1995 | Stubbe - case by case · as Abuwaran Panchapakresan |
| 1977 | The Old Fox · as Baba Suria |
| 1971 | Chhoti Bahu · as Servant |
| 1971 | Bikhare Moti · as Raju |
| 1970 | Tatort · as Pensionswirt |
| 1970 |