{{short description|Indian actor, model and singer (born 1995)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Addy Raj | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1995|08|30}} | birth_place = Ajmer, Rajasthan, India | education = Graphic and Website Designer, Bachelor of Arts | occupation = Actor, model and singer | years_active = 2015–present | agent = {{plainlist| * ABS-CBN (2015-2016; 2019) <br>GMA Artist Center (2016–2019; 2020-2021)<br>Powerhouse Arte Inc. (2019–2020)<br>Firestarters Production Inc.(2021–2022) * Freelance (2022–present) }} | known_for = I Love OPM, Jai Patel in Meant to Be | height = 5 ft 9 in | spouse = Barbii Reeder (Engaged 2025) | website = {{URL|www.gmanetwork.com/artistcenter/talents/530/Addy-Raj}} }}
'''Adhiraj Gaur''' (born 30 August 1995), popularly known as '''Addy Raj''' ({{IPAc-en|r|ɑː|dʒ}}; {{IPA|tl|ˈɾah, ˈɾadʒ}}), is an Indian actor, singer, model and former track athlete living in the Philippines. He was introduced in showbiz by ABS-CBN's I Love OPM in 2016. He later transferred to rival network GMA and was offered a lead role in the TV series ''Meant to Be'', a romantic-comedy drama. He portrays the role of Jai Patel, an Indian suitor to Billie Bendiola (portrayed by Barbie Forteza), in the show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/entertainment/gma/articles/2016-11-20/26945/GMA-Artist-Center-welcomes-Ivan-Dorschner-and-Addy-Raj|title=GMA Artist Center welcomes Ivan Dorschner and Addy Raj – GMANetwork.com – Entertainment – Home of Kapuso shows and stars – Articles}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/02/14/16/indian-student-charms-with-i-love-opm-song|title=Indian student charms with 'I Love OPM' song|date=15 February 2016|publisher=ABS-CBN|access-date=12 September 2018}}</ref>
==Early life and career== Addy was born in Ajmer, Rajasthan in India to Suchek Gaur and Anita Gaur. His father worked with the Government of India in the forest services for 40 years, retiring in 2019. His mother is a homemaker. He also has an older sister, Soumya Gaur, who runs a travel company based in Jaipur, Rajasthan known as Yaan Tours (yaantours.com) that specializes in organizing private tailor-made tours across India.<ref name=":0" />
Addy studied in a prestigious boarding school in India known as Mayo College, from 2006 – 2011. It was here that he took a keen interest in sports and went on to become the Athletics Captain of his batch. He later featured in the list of 20 fastest runners of India and the fastest man of New Delhi in a 100m event in the year 2014. Apart from this, Addy was also a lead guitarist at his school band and continues to play even now in his free time.<ref name=":0" />
Addy first arrived in the Philippines as an exchange student in Ateneo de Manila University, where he stayed for two months.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=Tunay na Buhay: Addy Raj, ikinuwento kung paano siya naging isang Kapuso| date=18 January 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iea8hFJSLJw|publisher=GMA Public Affairs}}</ref> He instantly fell in love with the country and upon finishing graduation back in India, decided to return to the Philippines to begin a career in showbiz. He soon started as a commercial model and was eventually discovered by ABS-CBN and appeared in a reality singing competition, ''I Love OPM''. He later transferred to the rival network GMA and bagged one of the leading roles in the TV series, ''Meant to Be'', a romantic –comedy drama where he played the role of Jai Patel, an Indian suitor to Billie Bendiola (portrayed by Barbie Forteza) in the show.
Following the success of ''Meant to Be'', Addy was nominated for the 31st PMPC Star Awards for Television as the ‘Best New Male TV Personality’. He also made it to the list of ‘Top 10 Hottest Male Celebrities’ by Cosmopolitan Magazine<ref>{{Cite web|last=Acar|first=Aedrianne|title=Jak Roberto and Addy Raj join the list of 69 hottest hunks of lifestyle magazine|url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/entertainment/showbiznews/news/33559/jak-roberto-and-addy-raj-join-the-list-of-69-hottest-hunks-of-lifestyle-magazine/story|access-date=2020-09-10|website=www.gmanetwork.com|language=en-US}}</ref> and landed the cover page for Garage, MEGA Man<ref>{{Cite web|last=Caligan|first=Michelle|title=Look: 'Meant To Be' boys on the digital cover of men's fashion magazine|url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/entertainment/showbiznews/news/32127/look-meant-to-be-boys-on-the-digital-cover-of-mens-fashion-magazine/story|access-date=2020-09-10|website=www.gmanetwork.com|language=en-US}}</ref> and Yes<ref>{{Cite web|title=Look: 'Meant To Be' stars' summer adventure on the cover of entertainment magazine|url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/entertainment/showbiznews/news/30760/look-meant-to-be-stars-summer-adventure-on-the-cover-of-entertainment-magazine/story|access-date=2020-09-10|website=www.gmanetwork.com|language=en-US}}</ref> magazine. He also went on to receive an endorsement for Bench,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Interaksyon|date=2017-11-14|title='Under the Stars': Bench's 30th anniversary show promises heavenly bodies shining on the runway|url=https://interaksyon.philstar.com/lifestyle/2017/11/14/108837/under-the-stars-bench-anniversary-show-promises-heavenly-bodies-shining-on-the-runway/|access-date=2020-09-10|website=Interaksyon|language=en-US}}</ref> a popular clothing brand in the Philippines and formed an ‘Addycted Fansclub’, wherein his fans call themselves Addycted.
After his lead role in ''Meant to Be'', Addy was seen in many of GMA Network's television series including ''Sirkus'', ''Kapag Nahati ang Puso'', ''The One That Got Away'', ''Super Ma'am'', ''One of the Baes'' and ''Descendants of the Sun''. He also appeared in a variety of shows like ''Eat Bulaga!'', ''Wowowin'', ''Maynila'', ''Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko'', ''Unang Hirit'', ''Sunday PinaSaya'', ''Dear Uge'', ''Celebrity Bluff'' and ''Taste Buddies''.
After being an exclusive artist of GMA Network for 2 years, Addy was spotted in many other projects like the movie ''The Panti Sisters'' (Black Sheep Productions),<ref name=op>{{Cite web|last=Pulumbarit|first=Oliver|date=2019-06-28|title=Addy Raj on virginity, being an LGBT ally and breaking stereotypes|url=https://entertainment.inquirer.net/335746/addy-raj-on-virginity-being-an-lgbt-ally-and-breaking-stereotypes|access-date=2020-09-10|website=inquirer.net|language=en}}</ref> M.M.K. (ABS CBN), Hush (iWantTFC) as a freelance artist. He was also seen as the celebrity of the month for Playboy Philippines.
Addy proudly calls himself an ally of the LGBTQ+ community and is one of the only straight male actor who is very vocal about his views on straight people standing up for their LGBTQ+ friends. He has worked in collaboration with the Village Pipol magazine, San Miguel Light and has also participated in the Metro Manila Pride march<ref>{{Cite web|title=In Focus: Meet These Fab Celebrities Who Strode Fearlessly At The Metro Manila Pride March 2019|url=https://lifestyle.abs-cbn.com/photos/1732/in-focus-meet-these-fab-celebrities-who-strode-fearlessly-at-the-metro-manila-pride-march-2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222024020/https://lifestyle.abs-cbn.com/photos/1732/in-focus-meet-these-fab-celebrities-who-strode-fearlessly-at-the-metro-manila-pride-march-2019|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 December 2019|access-date=2020-09-09|website=lifestyle.abs-cbn.com}}</ref> for the same cause.<ref name=op/><ref>{{Cite web|last=Daria|first=Edo|title=LGBTQ allies Luis Hontiveros and Addy Raj react to incident of transwoman denied use of female washroom |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/2019/8/21/fresh-scoops/lgbtq-allies-luis-hontiveros-and-addy-raj-react-to-213997|access-date=2020-09-09|website=push.abs-cbn.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=ABS-CBN, GMA-7 stars join forces for Pride March 2019|url=https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/celebrations/144254/abs-cbn-gma-7-stars-pride-march-2019-a721-20190630|access-date=2020-09-10|website=PEP.ph|language=en}}</ref>
He says he loves Filipinos and would like to stay in the Philippines for the rest of his life.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://entertainment.inquirer.net/314347/addy-raj-recalls-breaking-down-language-barrier-falling-in-love-with-ph|title = Addy Raj recalls breaking down language barrier, falling in love with PH|date = 18 January 2019}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Title !! Role(s) !! Network |- | 2016 || ''I Love OPM'' || Performer || ABS-CBN |- | rowspan=5| 2017 || ''Meant to Be'' || Jai Patel || rowspan="11" | GMA Network |- | ''Full House Tonight'' || Various roles |- | ''Dear Uge: NPBSB'' || Francis |- | ''Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko'' || Princes Kumar |- | ''3 Days of Summer'' || Himself |- | rowspan=5| 2018 || ''Super Ma'am'' || Christian |- | ''Dear Uge: Bongga Bonita'' || Jerome |- | ''Sirkus'' || Sandino |- | ''Kapag Nahati ang Puso'' || Prince Hamesh Gupta |- | ''Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko: Okay Ka, Genie Ko'' || Genie Ralph |- | rowspan=3| 2019 || ''Maynila: Lend Me your Love'' || Talha |- | ''Maalaala Mo Kaya: Tubig'' || Saudi Police || ABS-CBN |- | ''One of the Baes'' || Carlos Falcon || rowspan="2" | GMA Network |- | 2020 || ''Descendants of the Sun'' || Alif Fayad |- | rowspan="3" | 2021 || ''The Lost Recipe'' || Addy || GMA News TV |- | ''Hush'' || James || iWantTFC |- | ''Owe My Love'' || Amir || GMA Network |- | 2023 || ''Fit Check: Confessions of An Ukay Queen'' || Addy Raj || ABS-CBN <br /> Amazon Prime |}
===Film=== {| class="wikitable" ! Year !! Title !! Role(s) !! Production company |- | 2019 || ''The Panti Sisters'' || || Black Sheep Productions, IdealFirst, Quantum Films, ALV Films |- |}
==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable" ! Year || Association || Category || Nominated work|| Result |- | 2017 || 31st PMPC Star Awards for Television || Best New Male TV Personality<ref>{{cite news|title=Nominees for 2017 Star Awards for TV revealed|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/10/30/17/nominees-for-2017-star-awards-for-tv-revealed|date=30 October 2017|access-date=13 November 2017|work=news.abs-cbn.com|publisher=ABS-CBN News}}</ref> || ''Meant to Be'' || {{Nom}} |}
==See also== * Ken Chan * Jak Roberto * Ivan Dorschner
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|8660864}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raj, Addy}} Category:1995 births Category:Living people Category:Indian male models Category:People from Ajmer Category:Male actors from Rajasthan Category:GMA Network (company) people Category:Star Magic Category:ABS-CBN people Category:Ateneo de Manila University alumni Category:Indian expatriates in the Philippines Category:Indian LGBTQ rights activists Category:Filipino LGBTQ rights activists