Rocking at 61! Anil Kapoor, who turns 61 today (December 24), is an inspiration and an idol, who everyone looks up to for his versatility and never-growing old persona! Considered as one of the most fine actors of the film industry, the ‘jhakass’ actor has always set the bar high and nailed his on-screen characters time and again. On the occasion of his birthday let’s pay a tribute to the iconic star by listing 10 of his best films that elevated his stardom:

Meri Jung

It was a revenge-drama released in 1985 starring Anil Kapoor and Amrish Puri. The film was a critical and commercial success with many praising Anil for essaying the character of the protagonist, Arun Verma. The actor was nominated for a FilmFare award in the Best Actor category. Meri Jung is also notable for its soundtrack especially for the song, Zindagi Har Kadam.

Mr India

When science-fiction and superhero genre were not so popular in Bollywood, Anil ensured that he delivers justice to the film by essaying the titular character. Directed by Shekhar Kapur, the film  has been declared as one of the 100 greatest Indian films of all times. The film not only earned a cult status among fans but also gave Anil a huge fan following for the lovable and daring common man turned super hero.

Tezaab

This film only reaffirmed Anil’s status as the leading man of the industry with his contemporaries like Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff and Sunny Deol. Tezaab was a huge critical and commercial success, and was the highest grossing film at the box office in 1988. The actor received the FilmFare award for Best Actor.

1942: A Love Story

After starring in action, romance and comedy films, Anil shifted his focus to content-oriented films. The film was a universal critical success and elevated Anil’s career as one of the most versatile actors of the industry. Anil was widely appreciated for his character, Naren Singh, who fought for his love in a time period set in the British Raj.

Pukar

This is a story of a highly decorated army officer, who is wrongly accused of being a traitor. The film didn’t do well at the box office but garnered unanimous reviews from the critics. The film bagged numerous awards and fetched the actor his first National Award in the Best Actor category.

Nayak

An official remake of Tamil film, Mudhalvan, Nayak starring Anil was a critical success and earned him a mass cult following because of the actor’s performance in the film. It is one of the most expensive films ever to be shot in India. Till date, the film is one of the most aired films on television.

No Entry

After starring in numerous unsuccessful films, Anil made a comeback to the spotlight with No Entry. The actor starred in a comedy film after more than three years and it was a delight to see him back in the genre. Many critics regard Kapoor as the backbone of the film for his comic timing and of course for staying ‘B positive’ all the time.

Welcome and Welcome Back

Majnu Bhai has become one of the most beloved characters alongside Uday Bhai. The Jhakass actor, who is popular for essaying the Mawali roles in his previous films, proved yet again why he is considered as one of the best actors of the industry with the franchise. The actor’s fan base only expanded post Welcome.

Slumdog Millionaire

His first Hollywood feature film, where he essayed the role of the host of the popular show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire?. The film was a global success and earned Anil universal acclaim for his part. Also, the film helped him to make a name in Hollywood. Post this, Anil starred in other Hollywood projects as well like Mission Impossible and 24.

Race

The actor is familiar with thriller and action, and this Abbas Mustan franchise proved that why it was the best option to cast Anil as Robert D’Costa in the film. Anil’s character is to add some light and pivotal moments to this dark action thriller film. Anil’s diehard fans regard this performance of his as one of his most hilarious roles ever. He is all set to reprise his role in the upcoming sequel, Race 3.