Alyy Khan is a British-Pakistani actor and host who has worked in Hollywood, Bollywood, and Lollywood films and television series. He is known for his roles in the films A Mighty Heart (2007), Traitor (2008), Don 2 (2011), 3 Bahadur (2015), Actor in Law (2016), and Mogul Mowgli (2020), and also played a parallel lead in the telefilm Anjuman (2013). Khan has also appeared in several television series, including The Bill (2006), Strike Back (2011), Saat Pardon Mein (2012), Indian Summers (2015), Pakeezah (2016), Mere Humsafar (2022) and Mohabbat Satrangi (2024).

In 2012, Khan hosted the television reality show Foodistan for NDTV and Geo TV. His recent work credits include The Serpent (2020) on Netflix, Shantaram (2022) on Paramount/Apple + TV, and The Archies (2023) on Netflix.

Early life and education

Khan was born in Karachi, Pakistan. After his parents divorced, Khan moved with his mother to England and then to his maternal grandmother's home in Mumbai, India when he was about ten years old. He received his education at Bombay Scottish School in Mumbai. He studied drama under the guidance of Hima Devi, who was affiliated with Trinity College London, through the Hima Kala Kendra in Mumbai. Khan also holds a diploma in film and television production from Pimlico Arts and Media College in London.

The late singer-turned-Islamic preacher Junaid Jamshed was his cousin.

Fluent in English, Urdu and Hindi, Khan also has a working knowledge of Sanskrit.

Career

Actor

Khan started his career in the early 1990s in Indian television shows and later theatrical Indian films. He is known for his roles in the films A Mighty Heart (2007), Traitor (2008), Don 2 (2011), 3 Bahadur (2015), Actor in Law (2016), and Mogul Mowgli (2020), and also played a parallel lead in the telefilm Anjuman (2013). Khan has also appeared in several television series, including The Bill (2006), Strike Back (2011), Saat Pardon Mein (2012), Indian Summers (2015), and Pakeezah (2016). Recent acting credits include The Serpent (2020) on Netflix, Shantaram (2022) on Paramount/Apple + TV, and The Archies (2022) on Netflix India.

Host

From 2012 to 2013, Khan hosted the cooking game show Foodistan, where chefs from both India and Pakistan competed, broadcast simultaneously on NDTV and Geo TV.

Theatre director

In 2013, Khan directed a play, Aapki Soniya, starring Sajid Hasan and Mehwish Hayat, staged in Karachi's NAPA.

Brand ambassador

Khan is also engaged in philanthropy and currently serves as the Brand Ambassador of Crossadder Foundation, a 'for youth, by youth' NGO working on awareness, advocacy, and action. Crossadder Foundation is the caretaker of Master Ayub School and facilitates the education of street children.

Filmography

Khan in 2011

Films

YearFilmRoleCountryNotes
2001DehamJeetuIndia
2003StumpedMajor Raghav Seth
Sssshhh...Akash Rathore
Escape from Taliban
2004Kiss Kis KoBD
2005NazarDr. Tarun Khanna
2006Sharpe's ChallengeMohan SinghUKTelevision film
2007A Mighty HeartSheikh OmarUSA
2008TraitorFareed
200942 kmPremIndiaCameo appearance
Luck by ChanceSatish Chaudhary
Do Paise Ki Dhoop, Chaar Aane Ki BaarishAliGuest appearance
2010Dark RelicHasanUSATelevision film
PusherScott
2011Kingdom of DustDakheel
Everywhere and NowhereAhmed KhanUK
AazaanSam SharmaIndia
Jo Hum ChaheinVikram Khurana
Don 2J. K. Diwan
2012TitleeManijShort film
2013AnjumanAhmedPakistanTelevision film
OongaManoranjanIndia
2014Blemished LightAli
Unfreedom
20153 BahadurVoicePakistan
2016Mah e MirNawab Sahab
Actor in LawMuddasir Sultan
Zindagi Kitni Haseen HayZahid
TeamZahid Ahmed
2017The ValleyNael KumarUSA
2018Tick TockJunaidPakistanAnimated movie
2020Mogul MowgliBashirUK
2023Huey Tum AjnabiColonel AfrasiabPakistan
Iqbal - The Forgotten StoryZaman KhanBiographical film on Iqbal Masih
The ArchiesHiram LodgeIndiaNetflix India
2024Taxali GateMalik YaqoobPakistan
2025TehranNeerajIndia

Television

YearTitleRoleCountryNotes
1993Dekh Bhai DekhVikramIndia
1994Tanaav
TehkikaatActor Inder Kumar
Banegi Apni BaatKabir
1995Kash-m-kashFaisal
1997Bombay BlueMoeen
1997–1998Yeh Hai RaazVivek
2001DushmanRohit Raazdan
1st Indian Telly AwardsHostAwards show
Ssshhhh...Koi Hai - TalaashRakeshAired on StarPlus (Episode 46)
Ssshhhh...Koi Hai - Chehre Pe ChehraProfessor Karan & KapaliAired on Star Plus (Episode 4)
2002Ssshhhh...Koi Hai - JinnaatAjitabh
LipstickAbhay AhujaAired on Zee TV
2004K. Street Pali HillArindum KeshabAired on Star Plus (Episode 1–7)
2006The BillTariq Mustafa-AliUK"434" (Season 22: Ep57), "435" (Season 22: Ep58)
2008Yeh Zindagi HaiJalaal AhmedPakistanAired on Geo TV
2009Ssshhhh...Phir Koi Hai - Vallabhgarh Ki RajkumariKuwar AjinkyaIndiaPart 1 - Part 8
The PhilanthropistIndian Army CommanderUSAEpisode: "Kashmir"
2011Strike BackMaj. Gen. KohliUK/USA"Strike Back: Project Dawn" (Season 2: Ep01 and Ep02)
2012FoodistanHostIndia/Pakistan
Saat Pardon MeinBadar SulemanPakistan
2013Zara Aur MehrunnisaHassan
Kabhi KabhiRehbar
2014Do Qadam Door ThaySalman
Aap ki KaneezShah Mir Afandi
2015Indian SummersRamu SoodUK
Partners in CrimeMajor Khan
Mohabbat Aag SiArshadPakistan
MaryamBehraamAired on Geo TV
BojhAhsan
GuzaarishJaffar
2016PakeezaJibranAired on Hum TV
DeewanaAgha
Kitni Girhain Baaki Hain 2Rashid Ayaz's step-fatherEpisode "Shatranj"
AsifEpisode "Qubool Hai"
ShehrnazKK
2017Kitni Girhain Baaki Hain 2ParvezEpisode "Jhalli"
Khuda Mera Bhi HaiMikael
Dil-e-MajboorAzhar
Woh Aik PalAhsan
Chanar GhatiJalal Rao
2017-18MalkinYaawar
2018Ustani JeeNomanAnthology series - Episode 1
Mera Khuda JaneShafiq
Kabhi Band Kabhi BajaIrfanAnthology series - Episode 9 & 25
2019Kam ZarfNabeel
Qadam Qadam IshqAftab
Aik Aur Sitam HaiRashid
Juda Na HonaWasif
BewajaLuqman
Tu Zindagi HaiWaseem
2020Mera Maan RakhnaSajjad
2021Mere HumsfarNafees Ahmed
2023HadsaGhazanfar Malik
2024Mohabbat SatrangiShamim
BOL KahaniAnthology series - BOL Network
SotanAzaad Hussain
2025Meri Zindagi Hai TuIrfan
2026Sirf ShabanaTauqeer

Webseries

YearTitleRoleCountryNotes
2020The SerpentDeputy Superintendent Naranda Nath TuliUKMiniseries on Netflix
2021Dhoop Ki DeewarVijay MalhotraPakistanOriginal series on Zindagi
2022ShantaramQasim AliUSA/AustraliaMiniseries on Apple+
2023The TrialVishal ChaubeyIndiaJioHotstar series
2025The RoyalsDhondi SahabNetflix series

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryProjectResult
2005Indian Telly AwardsBest Actor in a Negative RoleGuns & RosesNominated
2017Nigar AwardsBest Supporting ActorZindagi Kitni Haseen HayNominated
International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema, BerlinBest Actor in a Feature FilmThe ValleyNominated
International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema, MilanBest ActorNominated
Northeast Film Festival, USBest Actor in a Feature FilmNominated
2021British Independent Film AwardsBest Supporting ActorMogul MowgliNominated

External links

  • at IMDb
  • on the Hollywood