Ajay Naidu
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Feb 12, 1972 (age 54)
- Place of birth
- Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Credits
- 81
Ajay Kalahastri Naidu (born 12 February 1972) is an American actor.
Naidu was born in Evanston, Illinois and raised in Chicago, the son of Indian immigrants from Chittor District, Andhra Pradesh to the U.S. He attended Evanston Township High School. As an actor, he trained with the American Repertory Theater's Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University.
His first professional acting job was the film Touch and Go (released in 1986) which he won from an open call, this in turn led to television jobs.He starred in the TV-movie, Lady Blue (1985) as "Paquito". This was followed by an ABC Afterschool Special episode, "No Greater Gift" (1985), where he played "Nick Santana", a 12-year old boy with a terminal illness. He then appeared in an uncredited role as "Ahmed" in the "MacGyver" TV series, during the first season, in episode, "To Be a Man" in 1986.
Other film credits when younger include Where the River Runs Black (1986) and Vice Versa (1988). Between 1988 and 1995 he worked extensively in classical theatre.
He returned to film acting in SubUrbia (1996), where he was praised for his role as the convenience store owner, "Nazeer Choudhury" and for which he was nominated for an independent spirit award for best supporting actor.
On screen, Naidu has appeared in the film Office Space, as well as K-Pax, π, Requiem for a Dream, Bad Santa, The War Within, American Chai, The Guru, Waterborne and Loins of Punjab Presents and many more. He co-starred in the sitcom LateLine and had guest starring roles on the television dramas The Sopranos, in the episode entitled Big Girls Don't Cry, as well as The West Wing. In 1997, Naidu was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for his role in the independent film subUrbia. Naidu has been working extensively with musicians from the Asian underground music movement for many years and his vocals have appeared on many records most notably Talvin Singh's mercury award winner "OK". In 2006 he directed his first feature film Ashes which came out in 2010. His most recent Theatre credits include A world tour of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure with Simon McBurney's Theatre Complicite, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui alongside Al Pacino, and The Little Flower of East Orange at New York's Public Theater. He is currently engaged to actress Heather Burns.
Known for
Filmography
A Company of Thieves
2026Movie
Only Good Feelings
2026Movie
Lee
Brenda
2026Movie
Dennis
Bunny
2025Movie
Officer Cellestino
Peas and Carrots
2025Movie
Director
Elsbeth
2024TV
Martin Wali
The Zombie Wedding
2023Movie
Brick Rivers
The Magnificent Meyersons
2023Movie
Mohammed
Extrapolations
2023TV
Hiram
The Good Nurse
2022Movie
Dr. Robert Hind
Uncoupled
2022TV
Raffi
WeCrashed
2022TV
Randall
Dr. Death
2021TV
Dr. Sasani
Thorp
2020Movie
Pat
Antarctica
2020Movie
Principle Pepp
The Sleepless
2020Movie
Vivek
Uncle
2020Movie
God Friended Me
2018TV
Eric
The Kindergarten Teacher
2018Movie
Nikhil Roy
Boy Boy Girl Girl
2018Movie
Lost Cat Corona
2017Movie
Amir
Billions
2016TV
Kulbinder Darcha
Blindspot
2015TV
Shohid Akhtar
The Blacklist
2013TV
Mahmoud Iqbal
3 Days of Normal
2012Movie
Vik Donowitz
Mister Handsome
2011Movie
Mister Handsome
Ashes
2011Movie
Ashes
PIA
2010Movie
Rakesh
Today's Special
2009Movie
Munnamia
Falling Up
2009Movie
Paco
Mercy
2009TV
Kings
2009TV
Dr. Nayar
Hotel for Dogs
2009Movie
ACO Jake
Stream
2009Movie
Kyle
The Wrestler
2008Movie
Medic
Righteous Kill
2008Movie
Dr. Chadrabar
The Accidental Husband
2008Movie
Deep
Loins of Punjab Presents
2007Movie
Turbanotorious B.D.G.
Hiding Divya
2006Movie
Divya's Husband
30 Rock
2006TV
Asif
Confess
2005Movie
Account Executive
The War Within
2005Movie
Naved
The Honeymooners
2005Movie
Vivek
Scooby-Doo! in Where's My Mummy?
2005Movie
Prince Omar (voice)
Alchemy
2005Movie
Best Man
Waterborne
2005Movie
Vikram Bhatti
Perception
2005Movie
Kamal
212
2005Movie
Vincent
The Jury
2004TV
George Edwards
Bad Santa
2003Movie
Hindustani Troublemaker
Scary Movie 3
2003Movie
Sayaman
Justice
2003Movie
Mohammed
Fillmore!
2002TV
Sanjay (voice)
The Guru
2002Movie
Sanjay
Monk
2002TV
Masul the Cabbie
K-PAX
2001Movie
Dr. Chakaraborty
Hannibal
2001Movie
Perfume Expert
American Chai
2001Movie
Hari
Requiem for a Dream
2000Movie
Mailman
Dinner Rush
2000Movie
Ademir the Matre'd
More Dogs Than Bones
2000Movie
Andy
You Are Here*
2000Movie
Sanjay
Office Space
1999Movie
Samir
The Sopranos
1999TV
Omar
Pi
1998Movie
Farroukh
Scotch and Milk
1998Movie
Armand
My Giant
1998Movie
Hot Dog Vendor
LateLine
1998TV
Raji Bakshi
Montana
1998Movie
Ives
Once We Were Strangers
1997Movie
Apu
Subway Stories
1997Movie
Prashant (segment "Honey-Getter")
SubUrbia
1997Movie
Nazeer Choudhury
King of the Hill
1997TV
Delivery Guy / Malik (voice)
Vice Versa
1988Movie
Dale
Where the River Runs Black
1986Movie
Segundo
Touch and Go
1986Movie
Louis DeLeon
MacGyver
1985TV
Ahmed
No Greater Gift
1985Movie
Nick Santana
Vivien & the Florist
Movie
Eldridge
Intimité
Movie
Darren Swiss
Wire & Cloth
Movie
Sunil