Entertainment / Fri, 10 Jul 2026 News18

This Actor Claimed He Dated Deepika Padukone, Once Won Two Bravery Awards For Saving People From Drowning

His early education was at the prestigious Tyndale Biscoe School in Lal Chowk before the family relocated to Mumbai in 2003. 2 / 10 In 1994, as an 8-year-old, Muzammil displayed extraordinary bravery by saving his schoolmate from drowning. He was awarded the prestigious Jeevan Raksha Padak (President’s Bravery Award) — one of India’s highest civilian honours for courage. For this selfless act, he received the Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Award, cementing his reputation as a real-life hero. ADVERTISEMENT5 / 10 Muzammil has openly claimed that he dated Deepika Padukone for nearly two years in the early 2000s, right after she moved to Mumbai.

Last Updated: July 10, 2026, 17:20 IST

1 / 10 Born on 25 August 1986 in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, Muzammil grew up in a family that faced the challenges of insurgency. His early education was at the prestigious Tyndale Biscoe School in Lal Chowk before the family relocated to Mumbai in 2003.

2 / 10 In 1994, as an 8-year-old, Muzammil displayed extraordinary bravery by saving his schoolmate from drowning. He was awarded the prestigious Jeevan Raksha Padak (President’s Bravery Award) — one of India’s highest civilian honours for courage.

3 / 10 While in Goa, Muzammil rescued a 55–60-year-old British tourist woman from drowning in the Arabian Sea. For this selfless act, he received the Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Award, cementing his reputation as a real-life hero.

4 / 10 In 2003, Muzammil won the Gladrags Manhunt Contest at a young age and quickly became one of the highest-paid male models in the industry. His striking looks and confident persona earned him the title of “poster boy” of Indian modelling.

5 / 10 Muzammil has openly claimed that he dated Deepika Padukone for nearly two years in the early 2000s, right after she moved to Mumbai. According to him, Deepika made the first move after seeing him in music videos. They remained friends until her marriage to Ranveer Singh.

6 / 10 Muzammil made his acting debut opposite Pooja Bhatt in the thriller Dhokha. His performance earned him a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut, marking a promising start in Hindi cinema.

7 / 10 He went on to appear in films like Good Boy, Bad Boy and Will You Marry Me?, and later featured in the popular web series Special Ops. While never chasing the typical Bollywood superstar path, he carved a respectable space with selective and meaningful roles.

8 / 10 Muzammil has always maintained a low-key, grounded personality. Despite early success in modelling and films, he chose not to chase fame aggressively, focusing instead on personal growth and staying true to his values.

9 / 10 In recent interviews, Muzammil spoke about his alleged past relationship with Deepika, his modelling peak, and how he lost some early awards to contemporaries like Ranbir Kapoor.