Sameer Ali Khan, an Afghan international actor and martial artist, has made a name for himself in the film industry by portraying tough, masculine characters in Afghan, American, and Bollywood feature films. His intense stare and fluid martial arts skills bring an edge of authenticity to his anti-hero characters.
Born into a middle-class and well-educated family in Kabul, Afghanistan, Khan's love for cinema and action movies began in his youth. Growing up amidst the Afghan Civil War chaos, street fighting was a way of life for him, and the oppressive environment on Kabul's war-torn streets was a serious motivator for Khan to express his frustrations through his passions.
Khan took his cues from legends such as Bruce Lee and Jean-Claude Van Damme, who taught him a love for cinema and martial arts. This addictive cocktail fueled Khan to pursue his martial arts training, which he started at the age of 13. He excelled in Taekwondo and Kickboxing, all the while teaching himself how to act.
After producing and acting in two Afghan regional films, Khan moved to Mumbai in 2007 to continue growing as an actor in Indian cinema. He was the first Afghan actor honored with a scholarship from the Kishore Namit Kapoor Acting Institute in Mumbai.
Khan's big break came in 2011 with the short film "God is Dead," which was nominated at the Cannes Film Festival, where Khan was praised for his performance. In 2012, he arranged for a group of Bollywood's well-known celebrities to participate in the first-ever "Afghan Film Festival" held in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Khan broke through as a Bollywood star by securing a major role as a mutant named Antman in India's first superhero franchise, Krissh 3, starring Priyanka Chopra and Hrithik Roshan. This was not only Khan's first mega-budget film but also paved the way for him to secure substantial roles such as The Prince of Kuwait in the 2016's drama-thriller Airlift; starring Akshay Kumar, and an underground MMA fighter in Happy New Year alongside Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan.
The transition to American Cinema came with the breakthrough role of Azam Ghol in Director Barry Levinson's comedy, Rock the Kasbah. Khan joined an all-star American cast, including Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, and Kate Hudson.
Today, Khan is a recognized face in both Hollywood and Bollywood, and is fluent in English, Dari, Urdu, and Pashto.
