Shubhman Gill's entry into the field of voice-overs makes us re-assess arena which has been dominated by actors

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As Indian cricketer Shubhman Gill is making his debut as a voiceover artiste for this Friday release, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, in Punjabi, we talk about other Indian celebs, who made animated characters memorable with their powerful voice in the past.

Showing the way

Shah Rukh Khan, the Badshah of Bollywood, was among the pioneers who started this trend in India. In his debut voiceover movie, The Incredibles, while SRK gave voice to the role of the protagonist, Lajawab (Mr. Incredible), in the Hindi remake titled, Hum Hain Lajawab, his son Aryan Khan gave voice for the character Tez (The Dash), the son of Mr. Incredible, in 2004.

Actor Javed Jaffery who entertained the Indian teens for many years through Hindi- dubbed Japanese shows, Takeshi’s Castle and Ninja Warrior, as the narrator, had also voiced for the character of Bunti Sankimaan (Buddy Pine) for the same animated film. Later in 2018, for the sequel of the series, Kajol too lent her voice for the role of Elastigirl (Helen Pare). SRK’s voiceovers were replaced by Deepak Tijori. And the father-son jodi, SRK and Aryan Khan, again lent their voice for Mufasa and Simba, respectively, in the 2019 film, The Lion King.

Couple affair

Owing to the gossip and headlines that the then dating couple, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan (now married) made, they were the first choice to voice-play the lead hero and heroine in the animated film, Roadside Romeo in 2018.

Global desi

Our desi girl Priyanka Chopra dubbed the part of Ishani, an Indian plane, in the Disney animated film Planes, released in 2013. In another popular Hollywood film, The Jungle Book, in 2016, PC also dubbed for the part of Kaa. In her latest voiceover stint, she along with her cousin sister Parineeti were the voices for Elsa and Anna in the Hindi remake of Frozen 2.

In the fantasy zone

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan joined the Disney paradise and left her fans star-struck as she lent her voice to the much-loved character of Angelina Jolie in the movie, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, in 2019.

Ice Age is one of the most popular animated series, and who better than the comic master Arjun Kapoor to lend his voice for Buck in the Hindi remake of Ice Age: Collision Course, which was released in 2016.

Arshad Warsi, a gifted actor with great comic timing, dubbed for Jack Sparrow in the Hindi remake of the all-time favourite movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge, released in 2017.

In company of super-heroes

• Released in 2014, Vivek Oberoi dubbed for the part of Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
• Varun Dhawan left his fans awestruck when he lent his voice for the Hindi remake of Marvel’s superhero film, Captain America: Civil War in the year 2016.
• Tiger Shroff voiced for the protagonist’s role in Spider-man: Homecoming, released in 2017.
• Ranveer Singh surprised fans with his voice in the Hindi remake of Deadpool 2 in 2018.

Shubh-man from Punjab

Shubhman Gill has become the nation’s heartthrob after this IPL season. And now, he is the voice for the Punjabi Spider-Man in the film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Others who are game for it

Dwayne Johnson (The rock)

A former professional wrestler, he did the voiceover for Maui in Moana in 2016. He also lent his voice in Ferdinand for the character of Krypto the Superdog in 2017.

John Cena

John Cena along with The Undertaker and Triple H (Paul Michael Levesque), the wrestling champions have voiced the role of J.C (a penguin), Undertaker and Hunter, respectively in Surf’s Up 2: Wave Mania, released in 2016.

In Bumblebee, Cena voiced for the character of Agent Burns in 2018.

(Inputs by Shereen Jalali)