Adeel Akhtar
Akhtar is known for the bumbling Muslim extremist Faisal in Chris Morris's film Four Lions. Other comedic performances include Gupta in The Angelos Epithemiou Show, Maroush in The Dictator and Smee in Joe Wright and Pan.
Akhtar has also won acclaim for his dramatic performances: in 2015, he was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor for his 2014 role as Wilson Wilson on Channel 4's Utopia. He played shopkeeper Ahmed alongside Toby Jones in the BBC mini-series Capital, and DS Ira King in the BBC's River. Reviewing River in The Daily Telegraph, Michael Hogan wrote, "This series was beautifully written by Abi Morgan, stylishly directed, and most of all, superbly acted. The quieter, less showy supporting players also shone. Not just stalwarts [...] but fresher faces: Adeel Akhtar as River's endlessly patient sidekick and Georgina Rich as his psychiatrist".
In 2016 Akhtar appeared as Shahzad in the BBC one-off drama Murdered by My Father. He won the 2017 BAFTA award for Lead Actor for this role, the first non-white actor to do so. He also appeared as Rob Singhal in the acclaimed BBC miniseries based on John le Carré's The Night Manager.
Adeel became a patron of Half Moon Theatre in autumn 2016.
Acting
Movie
Enola Holmes
as Lestrade
2020
Movie
The Dictator
as Maroush
2012
Movie
Murder Mystery
as The Maharajah
2019
Movie
Enola Holmes 2
as Lestrade
2022
Movie
Pan
as Sam "Smee" Smiegel
2015
Movie
The Big Sick
as Naveed Nanjiani
2017
Movie
Murder Mystery 2
as The Maharajah
2023
TV
Sweet Tooth
as Dr. Aditya Singh
2021
TV
Killing Eve
as Martin
2018
TV
The Night Manager
as Rob Singhal
2016
Movie
Four Lions
as Faisal
2010
Movie
Victoria & Abdul
as Mohammed
2017
Movie
Traitor
as Hamzi
2008
TV
Utopia
as Wilson Wilson
2013
Movie
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
as Dan Rider
2021
TV
Fool Me Once
as Sami Kierce
2024
TV
Counterpart
as Casper
2017
TV
Black Doves
as Prime Minister Eaves
2024
Movie
The Nest
as Steve
2020
TV
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
as Hazim
2001
Movie
Robin Robin
as Dad Mouse (voice)
2021
TV
River
as Ira King
2015
Movie
Hampstead
as Donald's Lawyer
2017
Movie
Everybody's Talking About Jamie
as Iman Masood
2021