Acting

Hiten Kumar

Hiten Kumar, born Hiten Mehta in Mumbai, Maharashtra, is a beloved name in Gujarati cinema. Son of Ishwarlal and Urmila Mehta, he is the second among three siblings elder brother Pankaj and younger sister Bhavna. A passionate actor since college, he began his journey through intercollegiate drama competitions and theatre in the early 1980s, earning Best Actor awards while studying at Mumbai University. Though he worked at LIC as a Development Officer for 10 years, his love for acting kept him involved in theatre. He performed in over 45 plays in Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, and English, gradually making a mark in Gujarati commercial theatre. After many struggles and rejections in films and TV, his major breakthrough came in 1995–96 with the Gujarati film Unchi Medina Uncha Mol, earning him the Gujarat State Award for Best Villain. His iconic rise came with Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya (1997), directed by Govind Patel, which broke all records in Gujarati cinema, grossing ₹22 crore when ticket prices were just ₹7–11. He followed it with hits like Maiyar Ma Mandu Nathi Lagtu (2001), which won 11 State Awards.