Amit Kaushik Shah (born 26 April 1981) is a British actor who was BAFTA nominated for his role as Faisal Bhatti in the AMC/BBC hit third series of Happy Valley. He is known for his roles in the ITV series Mr Bates vs The Post Office (2024) and the Channel 4 comedy-drama Crashing (2016). His films include Pain Hustlers (2023), Final Score (2018), and The Courier (2019).

Early life Amit Shah was born in Enfield, England. Shah's parents were originally from Kenya, and his grandparents from Gujarat, India. His father is an accountant, and his mother is a health-food shop manager. Shah was cast as the lead in a school play at the age of 16. He read drama at Staffordshire University and then went on to train at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in West London. In 2003 he was given permission by the principal to graduate early so that he could begin rehearsals for Bombay Dreams, a West-End musical produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Acting career In 2006, Shah was offered a part in The Royal Hunt of the Sun at the National Theatre; the same part that Derek Jacobi played in the original production in 1964. He stayed on at the National Theatre to perform three plays, including The Alchemist directed by Nicholas Hytner, for which he was nominated for an Ian Charleson Award. He also portrayed a principal role in The Man of Mode, alongside Tom Hardy, Rory Kinnear and Hayley Atwell.

Shah has starred in a variety of television shows since 2006. His most notable roles include Sunny in BBC One's Hospital People, Fred in Channel 4's Crashing, Torque in The Witcher for Netflix, and Faisal Bhatti in Happy Valley.

Shah's first major part in a feature film was in 2014 for The Hundred-Foot Journey in which he starred alongside Helen Mirren and Om Puri. He has since been cast in Johnny English Strikes Again, Ordinary Love, and Last Christmas. In 2025, he played a leading role in the TV series Murder Before Evensong, based on the novel by Richard Coles.

Filmography Film +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released

Year Film Role Director Notes 2006 Like Minds Raj Mehta Gregory J. Read 2008 The Blue Tower Neran Smita Bhide 2009 13 Semester Aswin Frieder Wittich 2010 It's a Wonderful Afterlife Speed Dating Man 6 Gurinder Chadha The Infidel Rashid Nasir Josh Appignanesi 2011 Lost Paradise Javad Waleed Akhtar Looking For Neil Neil Georgi Banks-Davis 2012 The Facility Arif Ian Clark 2013 All Stars Teacher Ben Gregor 2014 Cut The Director Billy Mullaney The Hundred-Foot Journey Mansur Lasse Hallström The Listener Jeremy Michael Gilhooly 2015 Howl Matthew Paul Hyett 2016 The Break-up of Dave Dave Billy Mullaney 2017 Breathe Dr. Khan Andy Serkis To Wendy Who Kicked Me When I Said I Love You Sidd Dan Castella 2018 Final Score Faisal Scott Mann Johnny English Strikes Again Samir David Kerr The Orgy John Sam Baron 2019 Parasomniac Errol Oliver Hill Quiet Carriage Derek Ben S. Hyland Ordinary Love Steve Lisa Barros D'Sa, Glenn Leyburn End-O Dr.Mann Alice Seabright Last Christmas Andy Paul Feig The Courier Nick Murch Zackary Adler 2022 Klokkenluider Ewan Neil Maskell 2023 Pain Hustlers Eric Paley David Yates 2024 7 Keys Naz Joy Wilkinson Paddington in Peru Zayden Dougal Wilson 2025 Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger Oliver Chris Foggin

Television Year Title Role Notes 2006 Nigel 1 episode Life Begins Mobile Phone Salesman 1 episode 2007 Lead Balloon Adam 1 episode 2008 Kulvinder 'Vinny' Ganatra 5 episodes Honest Reza Chadhuri 6 episodes 2009 Benidorm Vikram 1 episode Casualty Jake Milns 1 episode Ingenious Genius TV movie 2010 Hustle Ashur Olmert 1 episode Whites Axel 6 episodes 2011 Black Mirror Jack Episode: "The National Anthem" 2012 White Van Man Simon 1 episode Fresh Meat Sauron 1 episode 2013 Jo Dr. Amir 1 episode Bluestone 42 Captain Parekh 1 episode Lilyhammer Viswanathan 3 episodes 2014 Nick Chandhrakla 5 episodes 2015 Silent Witness Dr. Rhavi Dhillon Episode: "Protection" (2 parts) Asylum Oliver 1 episode W1A Sadiq Iqbal 1 episode Jekyll & Hyde Brannigan 8 episodes 2016 Crashing Fred 6 episodes Stag Mex 3 episodes 2017 Midsomer Murders Shray Varma 1 episode Hospital People Sunny 1 episode Count Arthur Strong Karl 1 episode Marcus 1 episode 2016–2017 Jeremy 6 episodes 2018 History of Them Vikram Johar TV movie Bliss Rafiq 1 episode Doctor Who Rahul Episode: "The Woman Who Fell to Earth" The Midnight Gang Dr. Luppers TV movie 2019 His Dark Materials Dr. Rendal 1 episode Torque 1 episode 2020-2022 Marcus Main role; 2 series 2021 The Long Call Ed Raveley 4 episodes 2022 Happy Valley Faisal Bhatti 6 episodes2023Death in ParadiseSunil Singh Kirmani1 episode The Windsors Rishi Sunak Episode: Coronation special2024Mr Bates vs The Post OfficeJas Singh3 episodes VeraMr. ShahEpisode: "Fast Love"2025The Revenge ClubMalcolm Ray6 episodes Riot WomenSanjay1 episodeMurder Before EvensongDS Vanloo6 episodes2026 Death Valley Ashwin Shaw 1 episode

Theatre

Year Title Role Venue Director 2003 Bombay Dreams Cast Apollo Victoria Theatre Andrew Lloyd Webber 2006 The Royal Hunt of The Sun Cast Royal National Theatre Trevor Nunn 2007 The Alchemist Abel Drugger Royal National Theatre Nicholas Hytner 2011 King Lear Oswald Royal National Theatre Robin Lough 2012 The Comedy of Errors Angelo Royal National Theatre Dominic Cooke 2014 East is East Abdul Khan Trafalgar Studios Sam Yates 2023 "Never Have I Ever" Kas Chichester Festival Theatre

References

Sources Amit Shah interview on easterneye.biz Amit Shah interview re his character Jeremy in The Rebel. Amit Shah's Troika page

External links