
Ajay Naidu
Born
February 12, 1972 (53 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Evanston, Illinois, USA
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.

Bunny
Officer Cellestino
2025

Elsbeth
Martin Wali · (3 episodes)
2024

The Zombie Wedding
Brick Rivers
2023

The Magnificent Meyersons
Mohammed
2023

Extrapolations
Hiram · (1 episode)
2023

The Good Nurse
Dr. Robert Hind
2022

Uncoupled
Raffi · (1 episode)
2022

WeCrashed
Randall · (1 episode)
2022

Dr. Death
Dr. Sasani · (3 episodes)
2021

Thorp
Pat
2020

Antarctica
Principle Pepp
2020

The Sleepless
Vivek
2020

Uncle
2020

God Friended Me
Eric · (1 episode)
2018

The Kindergarten Teacher
Nikhil Roy
2018

Boy Boy Girl Girl
2018

Lost Cat Corona
Amir
2017

Blindspot
Shohid Akhtar · (4 episodes)
2015

The Blacklist
Mahmoud Iqbal · (1 episode)
2013

3 Days of Normal
Vik Donowitz
2012

Mister Handsome
Mister Handsome
2011

Ashes
Ashes
2011

PIA
Rakesh
2010

Today's Special
Munnamia
2009

Falling Up
Paco
2009

Mercy
(1 episode)
2009

Kings
(2 episodes)
2009

Hotel for Dogs
ACO Jake
2009
Stream
Kyle
2009

Righteous Kill
Dr. Chadrabar
2008

The Wrestler
Medic
2008

The Accidental Husband
Deep
2008

Loins of Punjab Presents
Turbanotorious B.D.G.
2007

30 Rock
Asif · (1 episode)
2006

The War Within
Naved
2005

The Honeymooners
Vivek
2005

Scooby-Doo! in Where's My Mummy?
Prince Omar (voice)
2005

Alchemy
Best Man
2005

Perception
Kamal
2005

Confess
Account Executive
2005

212
Vincent
2005

The Jury
George Edwards · (1 episode)
2004

Bad Santa
Hindustani Troublemaker
2003

Scary Movie 3
Sayaman
2003

Justice
Mohammed
2003

Fillmore!
Sanjay (voice) · (1 episode)
2002

The Guru
Sanjay
2002

Monk
Masul the Cabbie · (1 episode)
2002

K-PAX
Dr. Chakaraborty
2001

Hannibal
Perfume Expert
2001

Requiem for a Dream
Mailman
2000

Dinner Rush
Ademir the Matre'd
2000

More Dogs Than Bones
Andy
2000

You Are Here*
Sanjay
2000

Office Space
Samir Nagheenanajar
1999

The Sopranos
Omar · (1 episode)
1999

Pi
Farroukh
1998

Scotch and Milk
Armand
1998

My Giant
Hot Dog Vendor
1998

Subway Stories
Prashant (segment "Honey-Getter")
1997
Wire & Cloth
Sunil
LateLine
(26 episodes)
1998

Montana
Ives
1998

Once We Were Strangers
1997

SubUrbia
Nazeer Choudhury
1997

King of the Hill
Delivery Guy / Malik (voice) · (1 episode)
1997

Vice Versa
Dale
1988

Where the River Runs Black
Segundo
1986

Touch and Go
Louis DeLeon
1986

MacGyver
Ahmed · (1 episode)
1985

No Greater Gift
Nick Santana
1985