Arif Zakaria

Biography:

Arif Zakaria is an Indian actor with a diverse filmography spanning from his debut in Darmiyaan (1997) to later roles in 1947: Earth (1998), Dance Like a Man (2004), and the biographical films Mardana and the contentious Nanak Shah Fakir.

Zakaria began his acting journey in theater during college before transitioning to television and film, with notable TV appearances in shows like Chunauti, Karambhoomi, and Mrityudand. In cinema, he has been featured in a variety of roles, including his portrayal of Rustom Sethna in Deepa Mehta’s Earth/1947 and Major Dhillon in Shyam Benegal’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero. His global stage presence includes performances in the Australian musical Merchants of Bollywood across several countries.

Zakaria’s work includes memorable performances in Haunted (2011), where he played a haunting piano teacher, Jism 2, Lootera, and Krrish 3. He also appeared in Dee Saturday Night, Darr At The Mall, Blue Mountain (2014), and Nanak Shah Fakir and Ishq Forever (2015). In addition to acting, he produced the children’s film Pinti Ka Sabun in 2015. More recent projects include his role as Dev Bannerjee in Vikram Bhatt’s Spotlight web series and the short film Aamad.

He also featured in Raazi (2018) and is involved in the English film Swords and Sceptres. Zakaria’s ongoing projects include playing Gen. Bakhtiyar in the series Qubool Hai 2.0 on ZEE5. Born on 11 November 1966, Zakaria comes from a politically active family, with his uncle Rafiq Zakaria and cousin Fareed Zakaria being prominent figures. He graduated from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics.