B.N. Sharma Birthday: Did you Know that Punjabi actor once worked in Punjab Police?

B.N. Sharma is one of those Punjabi actors whose face can instantly make audiences smile. From Jatt & Juliet to Carry On Jatta, he has played several characters that remain popular with Punjabi cinema fans. But behind the familiar comic actor is a much more unusual journey one that includes family expectations, the Punjab Police, theatre and television.

Celebrating B.N. Sharma's 60th birthday, here are 7 lesser-known facts about his life and career.

His Parents Wanted Him To Become An Engineer

One of the most interesting facts about B.N. Sharma is that acting was not the career his parents wanted for him.

According to interviews and biographical accounts, his parents wanted him to become an engineer. But Sharma had developed a strong interest in acting and theatre. In an interview he spoke about being fascinated by acting from a very young age and said he wanted to become part of the field. He even recalled that, before going to school, he would buy a flute from a balloon seller and play it. Looking back, he said he realised that this was also connected to his interest in art.

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He Was A Punjab Police Constable

Today, it is difficult to imagine B.N. Sharma in anything other than a film set. But before becoming a full-time actor, he served in the Punjab Police. Reports suggest that he moved to Chandigarh in the early 1970s and worked as a police constable while continuing his interest in acting and theatre. What makes the story even more surprising is that he did not completely leave acting behind during those years.

He Worked In Films While Serving In The Police

B.N. Sharma's journey was not a simple “police officer to actor” story. Sources say that he continued working in films while serving in the police and appeared in around 40 to 45 movies during his service years. Think about that for a moment. A person with a government job was still finding time to act. That shows how important acting was to Sharma even before he became a recognised name in Punjabi cinema.

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His First Major TV Role Was A Negative Character

Another fact many younger fans may not know is that B.N. Sharma did not begin his television journey as the typical comic character audiences know today.

His acting career included the Punjabi Doordarshan serial Jeb Katre, where he played a negative character. His work later expanded into comedy, including the much-loved Flop Show, where he worked with the late Jaspal Bhatti.

Jaspal Bhatti Became An Important Part Of His Journey

B.N. Sharma's association with Jaspal Bhatti helped introduce him to a wider television audience. He appeared in Flop Show and later worked with Bhatti in projects such as Ulta Pulta and Full Tension. Interestingly, Sharma's early characters were not simply about making people laugh. His roles often had negative shades, but comedy was naturally present in his performances.

He Chose To Stay Connected With Punjabi Cinema

B.N. Sharma also built his career mainly around Punjabi entertainment. While he appeared in Hindi projects, including Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, his major body of work has remained in Punjabi films.His later success in movies such as Jatt & Juliet, Carry On Jatta and their sequels turned him into one of the familiar faces of modern Punjabi cinema.

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More Than Just A Comedy Actor

B.N. Sharma's story cannot be reduced to comedy. He had family expectations to deal with, worked in the police, pursued theatre and acting alongside his job, and slowly built his place in the industry. His own recollections make it clear that acting was not a sudden career choice it was an interest that stayed with him from childhood. And maybe that is what makes his journey worth celebrating. Before audiences knew him as the man behind some of Punjabi cinema's funniest characters, B.N. Sharma was simply someone who loved acting enough to keep pursuing it, even when life was taking him in another direction.

- PTC PUNJABI