'Dev D' Dude Turns Year Older

A cousin to Bollywood strongman Sunny Deol, Abhay Deol is considered a 'thinking man's hero' in the industry. Deol started his film career by debuting in Socha Na Tha and then Ahista Ahista. Though neither movies were as successful, Abhay Deol nevertheless got noticed for his fresh looks and effortless charms.

Abhay's first major hit was the 2007 movie Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd, in which Deol played a reluctant superhero. Following this, Abhay experimented with his roles and starred in diverse movies like Ek Chaalis Ki Last Local, Manorama Six Feet Under (an Indianised version of Jack Nicholson's noir thriller China Town) and Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye, where he played a happy go lucky thief.

Abhay's main blockbuster hit came with Anurag Kashyap's Dev D, a modern take on the classic tragedy Devdas, about a man who turns to alcohol and subsequent self destruction after suffering a heart-break. Deol's recent release was Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, where he played a young man who is completely under the thumb of his fiancée.

Deol's upcoming movies are Shanghai, where he will play a South Indian IAS officer and a thriller 'Basra', for which he underwent training in the Israeli martial art form called Krav Maga.

On the occasion of his birthday, here's wishing Abhay Deol immense success in his professional as well as personal life.