Asad Shan is a BritishIrfan ul Haq (14 January 2016), "British-Pakistani actor Asad Shan stars in Indian film London Life", Dawn News. Retrieved 6 May 2019. actor, fashion model, TV presenter, and producer/director. He was formerly an investment banker, having worked for RBS (ABN AMRO) and HSBC. He was crowned Mr. Asia UK, beating 20 contestants in the process. The film 7 Welcome to London was both his acting and directorial debut. It received critical and commercial acclaim after its UK release and has gone on to become the most successful British-made Hindi language film in the UK. Shan's other notable appearances include being a veejay for B4U Music, and he is currently on Zee TV's Zing as a host for the weekend film show Brits Bollywood, as well as the daily rude tube show, Grinds My Teeth. Shan has starred in many New York Film Academy productions, and Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute productions of the well-renowned East is East and The Glass Menagerie. He has recently endorsed campaigns for major brands like Sky Digital, HSBC, and most recently One for the Boys, a charity chaired by Samuel L. Jackson.
Early life Asad was born in London. His grandparents moved to London from Kashmir in the 1940s. He studied at Brentwood School in Essex. He then studied law and management at university. Asad grew up supporting West Ham F.C. and is an avid tennis and football player.
Career Upon graduating with a degree in law and management, he worked as an investment banker in the city of London for two years in Corporate Broking and ECM. Asad won the Mr. Asia UK competition and inspired by this win, he went to New York to train in method acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and in Film Performance at the New York Film Academy. he then moved from the Big Apple to Mumbai, India to begin work in Bollywood.
Within a few months after his move to Mumbai he was seen on the runways at Indian Fashion Week as well as being an ambassador for top fashion labels and eventually became one of the most sought-after veejays for B4U Music. In 2009 he was named the 'Best & Sexiest VJ' at the music channel. He fronted popular shows like "Just Request", "Star Stop", "Flash" and "India's Top Ten".
Eventually seeing an opportunity and growth in the UK market, Asad shifted his base back to London from Bombay where he started a film production company Iconic Productions UK Limited. He worked on the company's debut venture, a Bollywood thriller film titled 7 Welcome to London. He played Jai in the starring role. The film was set in London and had a UK-wide release on 9 March 2012.
In the 2016 film London Life, he played the protagonist Raj. The English film is set in London and is about Indian students who migrate to the UK and the problems they face.
Since 2011, he is UK's most popular & recognised face on Zee TV's music channel Zing as a host for Brits Bollywood and UK's first Asian Rude Tube show " Grinds My Teeth" which has gathered a huge response in the UK Shan has hosted a daily request show Rock The Vibe in the past for Zing.
Asad also dabbled as a creative producer for the Black Arts company in Soho London and has been the creator and host of "The Film Show" on Zing TV from 2015 to 2018, which is an Iconic production, and commissioned by Zee TV.
Asad started filming his first drama serial called "Aabgeenay" written by Qaisra Hayat and directed by Nadeem Siddique. This shoot started in Karachi in 2018 and after 70% of shoot, it was put on hold due to the ceasing of production house.
2023 saw Asad make a special appearance in An Action Hero ( Netflix ) and 2024 saw the release of Tell me about it on Amazon Prime, where Asad plays the lead role. Currently Asad is writing his next directional feature.
2024 saw the release of Asad's next feature role, Tell me about it. This British feature film was set in Bradford. Directed by British Pakistani film director Suman Hanif, it had its grand premiere at the Bradford Science Museum and is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Personal life Asad plays tennis at the UK county level. He loves outdoor sports and is a keen hiker. He loves foreign cinema especially French and South Korean.
Filmography
Year Film Role Production Director Notes 2005 The Waiter Raju Les Beauchistes/O2 Mobiles Nilesh Patel 2005 The Room Mate Jay New York Film Academy Ruchir Garg 2005 What If Tom New York Film Academy Chung K. Park 2006 Ya Ali Self/ Model Kunika Lal Kabir Sadanand Music Video 2008 Never Ending Story Sunny Kala Ghoda Film Festival Ranjeeta Kaur 2010 Manali Creamhttp://aodl.mirocommunity.org/video/195/manali-cream-clip Kal B3 Productions Navdeep Khandola 2012 7 Welcome to London Jai Iconic Productions UK Ltd. Asad Shan 2017 London Life Raj Kaybee Pictures Naveen Medaram Post Production 2022 An Action Hero Imaad Yellow Colour Films / T series Anirudh Iyer Released worldwide / Netflix 2023 Tell me about it Kidnapper Pageful Productions Suman Hanif Post Production
Theatre productions Year Play Role Production Director 2005 The Individual Ray CPS Stage London 2005 Talking With Angels Jason CPS Stage London 2005 The Glass Menagerie Jim O'Conner New York Film Academy 2005 In God We Trust Joe NYFC Lee Strafford 2005 East Is East Tariq NYFA Theatre John Stafford
Television
Year Title Role Production 2005 The Salon Self/ Mr. Asia UK Channel 4 2007 BBC Desi DNA Self BBC Asia 2008 Brits Abroad Self Current TV 2007–08 Express, Star Stop Vj Asad B4U Music 2008 GPL Self MTV India2010–2015Brits BollywoodVj Asad Zing (TV channel)2013–2014Grinds My TeethVj Asad Zing (TV channel)2015–2016Zing JukeBoxVj Asad Zing (TV channel)2018AabgeenayShahzad GEO TV (TV channel)2015–2018The Film Show Vj Asad Zing (TV channel)
Commercials Year Advertisement Role Production 2006 Glow & Lovely Men's Active Model Glow & Lovely 2006 Ayurveda Body Butter Cream Model Ayurveda 2007 Škoda Octavia Model Škoda Octavia 2007 Hero Honda Model Hero Honda 2010 LG F1 Man Th2ng, Nick Meikle 2010 William Hill Silent Terrace Man The Bank Film Company, Ian Cassie 2012–present Sky (UK and Ireland) Model Sky (UK and Ireland) 2020 World Remit International Model World Remit International 2022 Ford Securialert Model Ford Motor Company
Modelling
Year Designer/Show Notes 2005–06 London Fashion Week Ramp Model 2006-08 Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Ramp Model 2006-08 Lakme India Fashion Week Ramp Model 2007-08 Options Brand Ambassador 2007–08 Boy London Brand Ambassador 2007 Matrix Hair Model Fashion Show Model 2008 Indian Contemporary & Classic Couture Model 2008 Roberto Cavalli Model 2008 Kiran Gidwani Model
See also List of British actors
External links
References