Ben Kingsley Turns 76, Here are Some of His Memorable Performances

Ben Kingsley was born on December 31, 1943, in Yorkshire, England. The versatile actor has been honoured with an Oscar, a Grammy, a pair of BAFTAs, two Golden Globes, and a Screen Actors Guild award in a career spanning of over 50 years.

Although when it comes to choosing roles, Kingsley can be quite unpredictable his performances never fail to dazzle. From playing the part of a magnanimous hero to a heartless villain, we have seen Kingsley get into the skin of characters.

On his birthday, let’s take a look at some of his finest performances

Gandhi (1982)

Directed by Richard Attenborough, Gandhi was undoubtedly one of Kingsley’s career-best performances. He won the Best Actor Oscar for his utterly compelling work in the title role of Gandhi. Kingsley was rumoured to have read 28-plus books on his subject in order to understand the Mahatma.

Hugo (2011)

Based on Brian Selznick’s book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Ben Kingsley conveys silent cinema pioneer George Meliest’s irredeemable sense of loss in a deeply poignant manner.

The movie, directed by Martin Scorcese, revolves around a waning man, who desperately tries to bury his illustrious past. Scorsese’s passion project Hugo, was a 3D adaptation of the story.

Schindler’s List (1993)

Kingsley, perfectly embodies accountant Itzhak Stern in Steven Spielberg’s Holocaust epic Schindler’s List. Stern is a Polish Jew who is wracked with guilt over the lives he failed to save despite risking his life and losing his fortune.

Sexy Beast (2000)

In this British gangster movie, Kingsley as Don Logan delivers a live-wire performance. He plays a sociopath who emits threat while calmly sitting in a chair. Peter Rainer wrote for New York Magazine that as mobster Logan Ben Kingsley was “intensely frightening.”

Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)

In this sports movie, Kingsley portrays the role of chess coach Bruce Pandolfinia. The movie is based on the life of former junior chess champion Joshua Watzkin. The story is about a rookie caught in a tug-of-war between the opposing ideologies of his mentors.

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