Ajay Naidu
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1972-02-12 (53 years old)
Place of Birth
Evanston, Illinois, USA
Ajay Naidu
Biography
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.
Acting
(2025)
(2023)
The Zombie Wedding
as Brick Rivers
(2023)
The Magnificent Meyersons
as Mohammed
(2022)
The Good Nurse
as Dr. Robert Hind
(2020)
Thorp
as Pat
(2020)
The Sleepless
as Vivek
(2020)
Antarctica
as Principle Pepp
(2020)
(2018)
The Kindergarten Teacher
as Nikhil Roy
(2018)
(2017)
Lost Cat Corona
as Amir
(2012)
3 Days of Normal
as Vik Donowitz
(2011)
Ashes
as Ashes
(2011)
Mister Handsome
as Mister Handsome
(2010)
PIA
as Rakesh
(2009)
Hotel for Dogs
as ACO Jake
(2009)
Falling Up
as Paco
(2009)
Today's Special
as Munnamia
(2009)
Stream
as Kyle
(2008)
The Wrestler
as Medic
(2008)
The Accidental Husband
as Deep
(2008)
Righteous Kill
as Dr. Chadrabar
(2007)
Loins of Punjab Presents
as Turbanotorious B.D.G.
(2005)
Scooby-Doo! in Where's My Mummy?
as Prince Omar (voice)
(2005)
Alchemy
as Best Man
(2005)
The Honeymooners
as Vivek
(2005)
Confess
as Account Executive
(2005)
The War Within
as Naved
(2005)
Perception
as Kamal
(2005)
212
as Vincent
(2003)
Scary Movie 3
as Sayaman
(2003)
Bad Santa
as Hindustani Troublemaker
(2003)
Justice
as Mohammed
(2002)
The Guru
as Sanjay
(2001)
K-PAX
as Dr. Chakaraborty
(2001)
Hannibal
as Perfume Expert
(2000)
Requiem for a Dream
as Mailman
(2000)
Dinner Rush
as Ademir the Matre'd
(2000)
More Dogs Than Bones
as Andy
(2000)
You Are Here*
as Sanjay
(1999)
Office Space
as Samir Nagheenanajar
(1998)
Pi
as Farroukh
(1998)
Montana
as Ives
(1998)
My Giant
as Hot Dog Vendor
(1998)
Scotch and Milk
as Armand
(1997)
SubUrbia
as Nazeer Choudhury
(1997)
Subway Stories
as Prashant (segment "Honey-Getter")
(1997)
(1988)
Vice Versa
as Dale
(1986)
Touch and Go
as Louis DeLeon
(1986)
Where the River Runs Black
as Segundo
(1985)
No Greater Gift
as Nick Santana
Crew
(2011)
Ashes
Director, Writer