Born on August 21, 1984, into a Punjabi family, television actor Barun Sobti's birthplace is Delhi. He completed his education in Delhi itself and graduated from the University of Delhi. (All photos/Barun Sobti's official Instagram account)

Well, entering showbiz was not Barun's initial plan. Before entering the television industry, he worked as an operations manager at Jindal Telecom, for almost seven years.

Barun Sobti became a popular name after his portrayal of Advay Singh Raizada alongside actress Sanaya Irani in the television show Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon (2011). However, his journey in the TV industry started in 2009.

Barun Sobti made his television debut with the show Shraddha (2009), where he played the character of Swayam Khurana.

In 2010, Barun played a brief role in the popular show Dill Mill Gayye. He was seen playing the character of Dr Raj, a medical intern, who gets into drug addiction.

In the same year, Barun Sobti starred in Sony TV's Baat Hamari Pakki Hai, where he played a carefree, rich, spoilt brat Shravan Jaiswal.

However, it was his angry young man image in 2011's Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon, that gave Barun Sobti huge popularity.

Barun Sobti then walked out of the show to pursue his Bollywood aspirations and soon after, the show was taken off air.

In 2014, Barun Sobti made his Bollywood debut with Main Aur Mr Riight, where he was paired opposite Shenaz Treasurywala. Sadly, the film tanked at the Box Office.

In 2015, Barun Sobti appeared in a short film - Dry Dreams, which released on YouTube. The short film also starred Kritika Kamra and Mann Gandhi and was helmed by Hanish Kalia.

After a dry spell of almost two years, Barun Sobti made his web debut with Hotstar's Tanhaiyan. The web show starred Surbhi Jyoti as the female lead.

In the same year, Barun Sobti gained recognition for his film Tu Hai Mera Sunday. The story revolved around five friends who meet at different stages of life and become friends. They play football together every Sunday one thing they look forward to every week. Tu Hai Mera Sunday was also screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

Barun Sobti also starred in Calon Istriku Putri Dari India, an Indonesian Short Film.

Barun Sobti returned to the small screen after five years with the third season of Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon. He was paired with actress Shivani Tomar in the show.

Though Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 3 did not gain much popularity as compared to the first season, Sobti's fans were only delighted to see their favourite star return to the silver screen.

Barun Sobti took the web series way to entertain his fans. In 2018, Barun appeared in AltBalaji's web series The Great Indian Dysfunctional Family.

In 2019, Barun Sobti starred in the short film by Voot - Derma - which tells the story of a man whose life turns upside down after he gets a tattoo.

Barun Sobti's last film 22 Yards made noise for all the right reasons.

22 Yards, released in 2018, circled around the story of a sports manager who loses his credibility and career. The manager, played by Sobti, has to revive his career by convincing a new and upcoming young player, essayed by Amartya Ray. The film also starred Rajit Kapur, Panchi Bora and Chaiti Ghoshal.

22 Yards created waves after it released in Russia. It recorded tremendous response from the audiences there, especially given the film was an indie genre and despite its scale, the film managed to get a vast release in over 100 screens.

Needless to say, the film performed well owing to Barun Sobti's television popularity. The film, despite being a small budget independent film, surprisingly got a wide release, a first of its kind for a film with no big-ticket stars helming the project.

Here's a quick look at some interesting facts about Barun Sobti, along with some candid photos!

Barun Sobti admits to being a beach person. His Instagram account is flooded with pictures of him at the beachside!

Barun Sobti is not a party animal.

Barun Sobti may have a sombre look, but he is very talkative and friendly to people.

Barun Sobti's favourite hobby is photography.

"I am very far away from being angry. I really don't get angry most of the time. I am a patient person. But if I don't display anger, that doesn't mean I am not angry," Barun said in a candid conversation with mid-day.

Barun Sobti may be one of the most sought-after men, but he is extremely loving and caring towards his wife. He married his childhood sweetheart Pashmeen Manchanda in a private ceremony on December 12, 2010.

In 2019, Pashmeen Manchanda gave birth to a baby girl, whom they named Sifat. The little one turned one this year in June.

Here's wishing a very happy birthday to Barun Sobti!