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Indian actor and producer Aftab Shivdasani attended St. Xavier's High School and H.R. College. Since childhood, he was frequently in front of the camera and determined to pursue acting.
His career began at age seven, appearing in over 300 commercials and six Hindi films, including the iconic "Mr. India" (1987) at age nine.
As a child actor, he also appeared in "Awwal Number," "Shahenshah," "ChaalBaaz," "Insaniyat," and "CID."
At 21, in 1999, Aftab debuted as a lead in Ram Gopal Varma's "Mast" opposite Urmila Matondkar. The film earned him commercial success and awards like the Zee Cine Award for Best Male Debut and the Star Screen Award for Most Promising Newcomer - Male.
In 2001, he surprised audiences by playing a villainous role in "Kasoor," opposite to his earlier lovable image. This earned him a Filmfare nomination for Best Villain and a Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role.
In Ram Gopal Varma's "Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega," he showcased his comedic talent, especially in scenes with Johnny Lever. Later that year, "Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat" was released.
In 2002, Aftab had five releases: "Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe," "Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai," "Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani," "Pyaasa," and the multi-starrer "Awara Paagal Deewana," which was the seventh highest-grossing film of the year.
In 2003, he starred in the thriller/horror "Darna Mana Hai," receiving critical acclaim for his short story "Stop/Move." He then featured in Priyadarshan's cult comedy "Hungama," praised for his comic timing, especially his iconic confrontation with Akshaye Khanna. His third 2003 release was Vikram Bhatt's action drama "Footpath," where he played an undercover cop, earning critical praise.
2004 included releases like "Suno Sasurjee," "Muskaan," "Shukriya," and "Masti." Indra Kumar's "Masti," one of India's first adult comedies, became a cult hit and box office success.
In 2005, Shivdasani appeared in "Mr Ya Miss" and "Koi Aap Sa." The following year brought "Shaadi Se Pehle," "Ankahee," "Darwaza Bandh Rakho," and "Jaane Hoga Kya."
Between 2007 and 2008, his films included "Nishabd," "Red: The Dark Side," "Life Mein Kabhi Kabhi," "Speed," "Dus Kahaniyaan," "De Taali," and "Money Hai Toh Honey Hai."
Shivdasani has been praised for his versatility across diverse roles.
In 2009, he co-wrote, produced, and acted in the fairy tale "Aao Wish Karein," portraying an innocent twelve-year-old, earning audience admiration. That year also saw releases of "Aloo Chaat," "Daddy Cool," "Kambakkht Ishq," and "Acid Factory," all well received. In 2010, "Bin Bulaye Baraati" was released.
In 2012, he returned to horror with "1920: The Evil Returns," which was a box office hit and earned critical and commercial praise.
The 2013 sequel "Grand Masti," following the 2004 hit "Masti," grossed over 100 crores and gained an even larger cult following.
In 2016, "Kyaa Kool Hai Hum 3," the third in its franchise, was a box office success, alongside the third "Masti" sequel "Great Grand Masti," which also received commercial appreciation.
In 2018, he played a negative role in the Tamil film "Bhaskar Oru Rascal."
In 2020, Shivdasani debuted on the web with the revenge thriller series "Poison 2" on Zee5. The show was among the top five most-watched series of the year and won him critical acclaim.
That year, he also launched his production company, Mount Zen Media, with his wife Nin Dusanj Shivdasani. Together, they have been developing multiple projects.
In 2021, his first Sandalwood film "Kotigobba 3" released, where he portrayed an Interpol officer. The film was a blockbuster, and his stoic performance was widely praised.
In November 2021, his second web series, "Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story," premiered on Disney+ Hotstar. Playing R&AW officer Vijay Kumar in the prequel to Neeraj Pandey's "Special Ops," the show became the most-watched series of 2021. His performance was both commercially and critically acclaimed, hailed as the season's surprise highlight.
With over 50 films to his name, Shivdasani continues to impress audiences by showcasing diverse facets of his acting. His guiding principle is to keep learning and evolving both on screen and in life.
