Bilal Ashraf (; born 10 October 1979) is a Pakistani actor, producer, and visual effects director. After studying visual effects at Franklin Marshall College, he started his career as a visual effects director and then pursued his career in acting after making a brief appearance in the 2014 thriller O21. Ashraf has since starred in the romantic comedy Janaan (2016), the acclaimed war drama Yalghaar (2017), and the musical romance Superstar (2019).
Early life and education Bilal Ashraf was born in Karachi into an Urdu speaking family of Punjabi origins.The After Moon Show | Episode #3 | 24 Feb 2018 | Kubra Khan & Humayun Saeed with Yasir Hussain, at 34:10 in the link Playing a Pashtun character in Janaan (2016) but himself not being one, he learnt some Pashto for his role, enough to "look comfortable lip-syncing to songs."Mariam Mushtaq (4 October 2015), "Bilal Ashraf – a name to look out for" , The News. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
Ashraf received his early education from St. Michael's Convent School in Karachi. He studied visual effects direction at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania, United States. He did a double major in finance and arts. Later, he went to Escape Studios in London to learn animation. He has ten years of experience behind the camera.
Career Ashraf initially worked as a hedge consultant in New York, but he later quit his job and moved to London in order to study animation and visual effects at the insistence of his late sister, Sadia Ashraf, a director as well as a teacher of filmmaking at the New York University, who wanted to improve Pakistan's cinema and with whom he created Radical Films. She is the reason he decided to become an actor.Humay Waseem (25 August 2015), "A mix of muscle and masala", The Express Tribune. Archived on 11 April 2025. Ashraf has named Pink Floyd as his all-time favourite band, and has chosen Scent of a Woman as the movie that pushed him to become an actor, while he also described sculpting and painting as his "hidden talents.""Movie stars, Bilal Ashraf and Syra Shahroz’s insane Chemistry fogs up in the camera lens", GOOD TIMES Magazine. 15 May 2017. Archived on 11 April 2025.
Ashraf made a cameo appearance in the 2014 thriller film O21. In 2016, Ashraf made his lead acting debut in Janaan, a romantic comedy, alongside Armeena Khan and Ali Rehman Khan, which was appreciated by critics as well as by the audiences. The next year he appeared in the war film Yalghaar, which had a decent opening at the box office, while his other 2017 release, Rangreza, was both a critical and commercial failure.
In 2019, he played the leading role in Ehteshamuddin's directorial debut, Superstar, produced by Momina Duraid and with Mahira Khan as co-star. Superstar became the highest-grossing film for Bilal Ashraf. Explaining his long absence since Rangreza, he said that, considering its missed potential, he'll look more seriously at the scripts, and also shared the fact that he took acting classes in the United Kingdom as well as theater classes with actor Sunil Shankar in the NAPA, in Karachi.Momina Mindeel (6 February 2019), "“I now understand why she is Mahira Khan”- Bilal Ashraf on his ‘Superstar’ co-star", Galaxy Lollywood. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
In 2021, he launched his acting career on television with Aik Hai Nigar and also became a producer, founding the production house Behive Transmedia with director-actor Ehteshamuddin, their first release being the historical drama Khaab Toot Jaatay Hain.
In 2026, he reunited with Ehteshamuddin for the action film Khan Tumhara, which was initially scheduled for an Eid al-Adha release. He performed his own stunts during filming, sustaining injuries. The film was delayed, and no new release date has been announced.
In the media In 2019, he was featured in the magazine Eastern Eye's listing in the United Kingdom and was ranked No. 7th on "Sexiest Asian Men", which included Ali Zafar, Hrithik Roshan, Zayn Malik, and Ali Rehman Khan.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Director(s) Notes 2014 O21 Ahmad JamiSummer Nicks Cameo appearance 2016 Janaan Asfandyar Azfar Jafri Debut film as a lead2017 Yalghaar Captain Bilal Hassan Rana Rangreza Ali Zain Amir Mohiuddin 2019Superstar SameerMohammed Ehteshamuddin 2026Khan Tumhara Yusuf Khan
Television series Year Title RoleProducerNetwork Notes2021Khaab Toot Jaatay HainHum TVDebut as producer2023YunhiDr. Dawood BasharatDebut as television actor
Web series YearTitleRoleNetworkRef(s)2026Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait LoWaqar KhanNetflix
Telefilm YearTitleRoleNetworkNotes 2021 Aik Hai Nigar Johar Ali Khan ARY Digital Debut television
Other appearance YearTitleRoleNetworkNotes2017 Mazaaq Raat Himself Dunya News Guest Tonite with HSY Hum TV 2020 Jeeto Pakistan League Season 1 ARY Digital
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref.2017 1st International Pakistan Prestige Awards Best Actor Debut Janaan 3rd Pakistani Music and Media Awards Best Actor International Pakistan Prestige Awards IPPA Style Icon of the Year 2020 1st Pakistan International Screen Awards Favourite Actor Film Superstar 2021 5th Kashmir Hum Style Awards Most Stylish Actor in Film 2022 Pakistan Digital Awards Host for Jubiliee Best Actor
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