Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) gave Hindi cinema some of its finest self-made actors. Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Richa Chadha, Pankaj Tripathi, Rajkummar Rao and Jaideep Ahlawat all came from outside film families, and the Gangs of Wasseypur cast now leads hit films and OTT shows in 2026.
Anurag Kashyap’s two-part crime saga released in India on 22 June 2012, after screening in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in May that year. Kashyap wrote it with Zeishan Quadri, and the feud between Sardar Khan and Ramadhir Singh (played by Tigmanshu Dhulia) became a cult classic. What made it last was the cast. Many of these actors were unknown in 2012. Today they are some of the biggest names in Indian film and streaming.
Gangs of Wasseypur: quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Director | Anurag Kashyap |
| Writers | Anurag Kashyap, Zeishan Quadri (with Akhilesh Jaiswal, Sachin K. Ladia) |
| Release | Part 1: 22 June 2012 (India), followed by Gangs of Wasseypur 2 |
| Box office | About Rs 35.13 crore worldwide |
| Awards | Four Filmfare Awards; National Award for Best Audiography and a special mention for Nawazuddin Siddiqui |
| Re-release | Returned to PVR Cinemas in 2025 |
The Gangs of Wasseypur cast who became stars
1. Manoj Bajpayee (Sardar Khan)
Manoj Bajpayee was born in Belwa, a small village near Bettiah in West Champaran, Bihar. He had already won a National Award for Satya (1998), but Sardar Khan gave his career a second wind and earned him a Filmfare nomination for Best Actor. After Wasseypur came Special 26, Naam Shabana, Aiyaari, Sonchiriya and Bhonsle, which won him the National Award for Best Actor.
He received the Padma Shri in 2019. On OTT, he plays Srikant Tiwari in Raj and DK’s The Family Man on Prime Video. Season 3 streamed from 21 November 2025, after season 1 in 2019 and season 2 in 2021.
2. Rajkummar Rao (Shamshad Alam)
Rajkummar Rao made his debut with Dibakar Banerjee’s Love Sex Aur Dhokha (2010) and played Shamshad Alam in Gangs of Wasseypur. He has said the film brought him his first real success. Shahid (2013) won him the National Award for Best Actor, and he now has five Filmfare Awards, including for Bareilly Ki Barfi, Trapped, Badhaai Do and Srikanth.
Stree 2 (2024) became his biggest hit and the top Hindi film of that year. In 2025 he had the time-loop comedy Bhool Chuk Maaf, a success, and the gangster film Maalik, which failed. In 2026 he starred in and produced the Netflix comedy Toaster. He married actor Patralekhaa in November 2021, and the couple welcomed a daughter on 15 November 2025.
3. Richa Chadha (Nagma Khatoon)
Richa Chadha debuted in a small role as Dolly in Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008). Nagma Khatoon was her breakthrough and won her the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress. She went on to Masaan, Sarbjit, Panga and the Fukrey films, including Fukrey 3 (2023).
In 2024 she played in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Netflix series Heeramandi and co-produced Girls Will Be Girls with her husband Ali Fazal through their banner, Pushing Buttons Studios. The two married in October 2022 and welcomed a daughter in July 2024.
4. Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Faizal Khan)
Nawazuddin Siddiqui was born in Budhana in Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, the eldest of eight siblings. After years of small roles, Faizal Khan changed his life. In 2012 he won a National Award Special Jury mention for Kahaani, Gangs of Wasseypur, Dekh Indian Circus and Talaash.
He later did Te3n, Manto and Netflix’s Sacred Games. He played Inspector Jatil Yadav in Raat Akeli Hai (2020) and returned for the sequel Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders, released on Netflix on 19 December 2025. He was also part of Maddock Films’ Thamma (2025).
5. Pankaj Tripathi (Sultan Qureshi)
Pankaj Tripathi was born in Belsand village in Gopalganj district, Bihar. He started with small roles in films such as Run (2004) and Omkara, but Sultan Qureshi made people notice him. He later won a National Award special mention for Newton (2017) and the National Award for Best Supporting Actor for Mimi (2021).
He is now one of the most loved faces on OTT as Akhandanand Tripathi, better known as Kaleen Bhaiya, in Prime Video’s Mirzapur, and in the Hotstar series Criminal Justice. In theatres, he did OMG 2 (2023), Main Atal Hoon (2024), where he played Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Stree 2 (2024) and Metro… In Dino (2025).
6. Jaideep Ahlawat (Shahid Khan)
Jaideep Ahlawat comes from Kharkara village in Rohtak district, Haryana, and once wanted to become a police officer. He studied acting at FTII Pune, finishing in 2008. He played Shahid Khan in Gangs of Wasseypur, and has credited the film and Raazi for his Bollywood success.
His real breakout was Hathi Ram Chaudhary in Paatal Lok (2020), which won him a Filmfare OTT Award. He returned for Paatal Lok season 2 in 2025. He has also won Filmfare OTT Awards for Jaane Jaan and Maharaj, starred opposite Saif Ali Khan in Netflix’s Jewel Thief (2025) and joined The Family Man season 3 as Rukma.
Why the Gangs of Wasseypur cast still matters
Most Hindi films in 2012 were built around star kids and big banners. Wasseypur showed that actors from small towns in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana could carry a film if the writing was strong. Fourteen years later, the same actors lead some of India’s most watched streaming shows. For more on these actors, see our celebs section and Bollywood coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Who played Faizal Khan in Gangs of Wasseypur?
Nawazuddin Siddiqui played Faizal Khan. Manoj Bajpayee played Sardar Khan.
Was Rajkummar Rao in Gangs of Wasseypur?
Yes. Rajkummar Rao played Shamshad Alam in the film. He later won the National Award for Best Actor for Shahid (2013).
Who directed Gangs of Wasseypur?
Anurag Kashyap directed it. He co-wrote the film with Zeishan Quadri, and it premiered at Cannes in May 2012.
Where can I watch Gangs of Wasseypur in India?
As of October 2026, JustWatch India lists Part 1 to rent or buy on the Apple TV store and on Vi Movies and TV. Check the listing, as availability changes.
Sources: Wikipedia: Gangs of Wasseypur, Wikipedia: The Family Man, Wikipedia: Rajkummar Rao, JustWatch India. More in our listicles.
