Adeel Akhtar
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Hazim
2001
Series
The Night Manager
Rob Singhal
2016
Series
Killing Eve
Martin
2018
Series
Sweet Tooth
Dr. Aditya Singh
2021
Series
Who Do You Think You Are?
Self
2004
Series
Fool Me Once
Sami Kierce
2024
Film
The Dictator
Maroush
2012
Film
Enola Holmes
Lestrade
2020
Film
The Big Sick
Naveed Nanjiani
2017
Series
Les Misérables
Thénardier
2018
Series
Counterpart
Casper
2017
Film
Enola Holmes 2
Lestrade
2022
Series
Black Doves
Prime Minister Eaves
2024
Series
Conviction
Darpan Banerjee
2006
Series
Utopia
Wilson Wilson
2013
Series
Down Cemetery Road
Hamza Malik
2025
Film
Murder Mystery
The Maharajah
2019
Series
Ghosted
Dr. Barry Shaw
2017
Series
Sherwood
Andy Fisher
2022
Film
Murder Mystery 2
The Maharajah
2023
Film
Pan
Sam "Smee" Smiegel
2015
Film
The Nest
Steve
2020
Series
River
Ira King
2015
Series
Showtrial
Sam Malik
2021
Series
Flowers
Doctor
2016
Film
Victoria & Abdul
Mohammed
2017
Series
Back to Life
Billy
2019
Film
Four Lions
Faisal
2010
Film
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
Dan Rider
2021
Film
Traitor
Hamzi
2008
Series
Capital
Ahmed
2015
Film
Robin Robin
Dad Mouse (voice)
2021
Film
Elsinore
2026
Series
The Job Lot
George Dhot
2013
Film
Hampstead
Donald's Lawyer
2017
Film
Everybody's Talking About Jamie
Iman Masood
2021
Film
The Last Dragonslayer
Mr. Brittles
2016
Film
Swimming with Men
Kurt
2018
Film
Convenience
Shaan
2015
Film
Save the Cinema
Tom
2022
Film
Utopia
Wilson Wilson
2013
Film
Ali & Ava
Ali
2022
Film
Jadoo
Vinod
2013
Series
The Angelos Epithemiou Show
Gupta
2012
Film
Dickens: Phantoms and Fiction
Readings
2023
Film
Keeping Up with the Joneses
Jerry
2013
Film
War Book
Mo
2015
Film
Murdered by My Father
Shahzad
2016
Film
National Theatre Live: The Estate
Angad Singh
2025
Film
The Circuit
Gabe
2016
The Show
Carpenter
2019
Film
Stranger Things
Mani
2013
Film
The Puppet Asylum
The Narrator
2023
Letters to My Younger Future Self
2026
Film
Raagni - The Movie
Maulana Wahdi
2019
Film
The Walk
Amar
2023
Series
Utopia
Wilson Wilson
2013