Divyenndu

Divyendu Sharma (born 19 June 1983), credited as Divyenndu, is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films and series. He had his break-out role in the comedy Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011), winning the Screen Award for Best Male Debut, after which he played supporting roles in the films Chashme Baddoor (2013) and Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (2017). He gained further attention for his roles in streaming ventures such as the drama series Mirzapur (2018–2020) and the miniseries The Railway Men (2023).

Early and personal life
Divyenndu was born on 19 June 1983 in Delhi, India. He is a graduate in political science from Delhi University's Kirori Mal College. He has three years of theatre experience in Delhi after which he pursued a two-year diploma in acting from FTII, Pune. He was previously seen in a number of ads for brands like Virgin Mobile, Birla Sun Life and Fidelity Mutual Funds. He is married to Akanksha Sharma.

In 2019, Divyenndu dropped his surname citing numerology and his belief that, in a country like India, it's important to remove the many caste divisions. His official documents, however, use his full name.

2007-2017: Early struggle and progress
He first appeared in a minor role of a goon in 2007's Aaja Nachle. He struggled to get work for the next three years. His first major acting role came in comedy Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011), where he played a supporting character called Liquid. The film was a sleeper hit and launched his career. The film won him the Screen Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male. In 2013, Divyendu played the role of the poet Omi in David Dhawan's remake of Chashme Baddoor, another success.

In 2014, he had a supporting role next to Anupam Kher in the satire film Ekkees Toppon Ki Salaami, which got favourable reviews. In 2015, Divyendu starred in his first lead role in the romantic comedy Dilliwali Zaalim Girlfriend, opposite Prachi Mishra. Both of these films were inconsequential to his career.

In 2017, Divyendu gained attention for playing a supporting character named Naru in Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. It starred Akshay Kumar and was one of the biggest hits of the year. In the same year, he appeared in the apocalyptic comedy 2016 The End.

2018-present: Mirzapur, The Railway Men and beyond
In 2018, he played another secondary role in Shahid Kapoor and Yami Gautam starrer Batti Gul Meter Chalu. Divyendu played the character of Munna Tripathi, a spoilt son of a gangster in the Amazon Prime crime series Mirzapur. The show recorded strong viewership and praise. Divyendu's performance was also renowned and brought him fame. He reprised his role in Mirazpur season 2 with positive reviews in 2020. The show earned him a nomination for the Filmfare OTT Award for Best Supporting Actor (Male) - Drama, and won him the iReel Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Following the success of Mirazpur, he worked in films such as Badnaam Gali (2019), Kanpuriye (2019), Shukranu (2020), Mere Desh Ki Dharti (2022), Odd Couple (2022), and Thai Massage (2023). And also web series like Bicchoo Ka Khel (2020) and Salt City (2022).

In 2023, he landed another notable role in Netflix miniseries The Railway Men based on the 1984 Bhopal disaster. He portrayed Balwant Yadav, a robber masquerading as a police officer who played a key role in rescuing lives during the tragedy.

In 2024, he starred in Madgaon Express alongside an ensemble cast and received mixed reception.