{{Short description|Indian actor (1967–2020)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = Asif Basra | image = Asif Basra at DIFF.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = Basra in 2016 | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1967|07|27}} | birth_place = Amravati, Maharashtra, India | death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|11|12|1967|07|27|df=yes}} | death_place = Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, India | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1998–2020 | spouse = | alma_mater = Bombay University }}
'''Asif Basra''' (27 July 1967{{spnd}}12 November 2020) was an Indian actor who worked in Bollywood films and TV serials. He is best known to Western audiences for his role in American film ''Outsourced''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/28/movies/28outs.html|title=Outsourced - Movies - Review|last=Seitz|first=Matt Zoller|date=28 September 2007|work=The New York Times|access-date=25 January 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=26 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126070950/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/28/movies/28outs.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He also appeared in many other films, including ''One Night with the King''. Basra died of suicide by hanging in 2020. Reports suggested his death could be murder but the case was closed as no supporting evidence was found.<ref>{{Cite web|date=12 November 2020|title=Actor Asif Basra dies by suicide at 53|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/actor-asif-basra-passes-away-7049264/|access-date=18 November 2021|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Basra was born on 27 July 1967 in Amravati, Maharashtra, India.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Radhakrishnan |first1=Manjusha |title=Remembering Asif Basra: A life in pictures |url=https://gulfnews.com/photos/entertainment/remembering-asif-basra-a-life-in-pictures-1.1605192993968 |access-date=21 September 2023 |work=Gulf News |date=12 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Ramachandran |first1=Naman |title=Indian Actor Asif Basra Dies at 53 |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/asif-basra-dead-pataal-lok-anurag-kashyap-hostages-1234830194/ |access-date=21 September 2023 |magazine=Variety |date=12 November 2020}}</ref> In 1989, he moved to Mumbai and attended Mumbai University, and acted in college productions. He regularly won prizes for the characters he played during this time. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Physics.<ref>{{Cite web|date=12 November 2020|title=Asif Basra Biography, Family, Wife, Death Reason, Son, Daughter -|url=https://janmatsamachar.com/asif-basra-biography-family-wife-death-reason-son-daughter/|access-date=22 November 2020|language=en-US}}</ref>
==Acting career== Basra performed in Anurag Kashyap's ''Black Friday'' and Rahul Dholakia's ''Parzania'', which received much critical appreciation. He appeared in Michael O. Sajbeland's ''One Night with the King'' with veteran actors Omar Sharif and Peter O'Toole.<ref>[http://www.glamsham.com/dramas/artists/dt.asp?id=93 Profile] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080502064828/http://www.glamsham.com/dramas/artists/dt.asp?id=93 |date=2 May 2008 }}</ref> He played a tailor in the Hindi movie ''Lamhaa''; he appeared in 2010's top-grossing Bollywood film ''Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai'' as Shoaib's (Emraan Hashmi) father.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/in-a-first-bollywood-actor-asif-basra-to-star-in-pahari-movie/story-w9QoHJJrxzhNJulHwFCwVP.html|title=In a first, Bollywood actor Asif Basra to star in Pahari movie|date=2 July 2015|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=25 January 2018|language=en|archive-date=26 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126070858/https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/in-a-first-bollywood-actor-asif-basra-to-star-in-pahari-movie/story-w9QoHJJrxzhNJulHwFCwVP.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Basra was also known for his theatrical performances from playing five characters in Feroz Abbas Khan's production of ''Mahatma v/s Gandhi''. Other performances include a child with spina bifida in ''Main Bhi Superman'' and Horatio in ''Hamlet''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latestnewssouthafrica.com/2020/11/12/bollywood-actor-asif-basra-committed-suicide/|title=Asif Basra death & cause of death - Bollywood actor Asif Basra committed suicide, What killed him, Biography and reason of death|date=12 November 2020|access-date=12 November 2020|archive-date=13 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113063442/https://www.latestnewssouthafrica.com/2020/11/12/bollywood-actor-asif-basra-committed-suicide/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Outsourced the Movie |url=http://www.outsourcedthemovie.com/cast.html |website=Outsourced the Movie |access-date=12 November 2020 |archive-date=19 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919001643/http://www.outsourcedthemovie.com/cast.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2020, Basra appeared in two web series: ''Paatal Lok'' on Amazon Prime and ''Hostages'' on Hotstar.<ref name="Paatal Lok">{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/asif-basra-1967-2020-celebs-pay-tribute-to-paatal-lok-actor-7049361/|title=Asif Basra (1967-2020): Celebrities pay tribute to Paatal Lok actor|date=12 November 2020|access-date=12 November 2020|archive-date=13 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113063442/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/asif-basra-1967-2020-celebs-pay-tribute-to-paatal-lok-actor-7049361/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Hostages">{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/asif-basra-dead-pataal-lok-anurag-kashyap-hostages-1234830194/|title=Indian Actor Asif Basra Dies at 53|first1=Naman|last1=Ramachandran|date=12 November 2020|access-date=12 November 2020|archive-date=13 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113063456/https://variety.com/2020/film/news/asif-basra-dead-pataal-lok-anurag-kashyap-hostages-1234830194/|url-status=live}}</ref> He worked in Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, and Malayalam films. He was last seen in the second season of the Amazon Prime Video web series ''The Family Man'' which released on 4 June in 2021.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/raj-and-dk-remember-asif-basra-share-his-photo-from-family-man-season-2-trailer-losing-him-to-suicide-has-left-us-heartbroken-7324051/| title=Raj and DK remember Asif Basra, share his photo from Family Man Season 2 trailer: 'Losing him to suicide has left us heartbroken'| author=Entertainment Desk| date=21 May 2021| access-date=25 July 2022| website=indianexpress.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/web-series/the-family-man-s-raj-and-dk-on-asif-basra-he-was-brilliant-losing-him-to-suicide-has-left-us-heartbroken-101621590116285.html| title=The Family Man's Raj and DK on Asif Basra: 'He was brilliant, losing him to suicide has left us heartbroken'| date=21 May 2021| access-date=25 July 2022| website=hindustantimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.indiatoday.in/binge-watch/story/the-family-man-2-directors-raj-dk-remember-asif-basra-share-his-still-from-trailer-1805231-2021-05-21| title=The Family Man 2 directors Raj & DK remember Asif Basra, share his still from trailer| author=Jyoti Kanyal| date=21 May 2021| access-date=25 July 2022| website=indiatoday.in}}</ref>
==Death== Basra was found hanging in a private guest house in McLeod Ganj, in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh on 12 November 2020 at age 53. The investigation into his death was inconclusive and the case was closed as suicide.<ref>{{cite news |title=Actor Asif Basra was found dead in Himachal p Pradesh - India, suicide suspected |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/actor-asif-basra-found-dead-in-himachal-pradesh-suicide-suspected/story-ES7oRxkrfsYGzImLGdhwVO.html |access-date=12 November 2020 |work=Hindustan Times |date=12 November 2020 |language=en |archive-date=13 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113063443/https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/actor-asif-basra-found-dead-in-himachal-pradesh-suicide-suspected/story-ES7oRxkrfsYGzImLGdhwVO.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Bollywood actor Asif Basra dies by suicide at a private complex in Dharamshala, he was 53|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/asif-basra-was-found-hanging-in-a-private-complex-in-dharamshala/articleshow/79190646.cms|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113063443/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/asif-basra-was-found-hanging-in-a-private-complex-in-dharamshala/articleshow/79190646.cms|archive-date=13 November 2020|access-date=12 November 2020|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=12 November 2020|title=Asif Basra (1967-2020): Celebrities pay tribute to Paatal Lok actor|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/asif-basra-1967-2020-celebs-pay-tribute-to-paatal-lok-actor-7049361/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113063443/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/asif-basra-1967-2020-celebs-pay-tribute-to-paatal-lok-actor-7049361/|archive-date=13 November 2020|access-date=12 November 2020|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>
==Filmography==
===Film=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film/television ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Ref |- |1998 |''Woh'' | History Teacher Omkarnath Dikshit|| Hindi film debut | |- | rowspan="2" |2003 |''Rules: Pyaar Ka Superhit Formula'' |Aakash|| | |- |''Quicksand'' | Airman|| | |- |rowspan=2| 2004 | ''Black Friday'' | Shanawaz Qureshi|| | |- |''Love in Nepal'' | Ram Nath Mohan|| | |- | 2005 | ''Parzania'' | ||Premiered at 36th India International Film Festival, Goa | |- |rowspan=3| 2006 | ''Outsourced'' | Puro N. Virajnarianan|| | |- | ''One Night with the King'' | Cameo|| | |- | ''Mixed Doubles'' | Doctor|| | |- | 2007 | ''Jab We Met'' | Railway Station Vendor 1|| | |- | 2008 | ''Tandoori Love'' | T.V. Kumar|| | |- | 2009 | ''Chal Chala Chal'' | Harilal|| | |- |rowspan=4| 2010 | ''Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai'' | Hussain Khan|| |<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=12 November 2020|title=Remembering Asif Basra with Some of His Most Memorable Roles in TV and Films|url=https://www.news18.com/news/movies/remembering-asif-basra-with-some-of-his-most-memorable-roles-in-tv-and-films-3074042.html|access-date=20 November 2020|website=News18|language=en}}</ref> |- |''Lamhaa'' | Driver|| | |- | ''Knock Out'' | Police Inspector|| | |- |''Kushti'' | Post Master || | |- |rowspan=3| 2013 | ''Kai Po Che'' | Ali's father|| |<ref name=":1" /> |- | ''The Attacks of 26/11'' | Taxi Driver|| | |- | ''Krrish 3'' | Dr. Alok Sen|| | |- | rowspan="3" | 2014 | ''Ek Villain'' | Aadesh Varma|| | |- | ''Manjunath'' | Devendra|| | |- |''Anjaan'' |Rajiv || Tamil film | |- | rowspan="2" |2016 | ''Wrong Side Raju'' | Amitabh Shah|| Gujarati film | |- | ''Freaky Ali'' | Kishan Lal|| | |- | rowspan="3" |2017 | ''Saanjh'' | Sanju's Father|| Himachali film |<ref>{{Cite news|title=Asif Basra Movies: Latest and Upcoming Films of Asif Basra {{!}} eTimes|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Asif-Basra/movies|access-date=19 May 2021|newspaper=The Times of India}}</ref> |- | ''Sheitaan'' ||| | |- |''Islamic Exorcist'' |Exorcist|| | |- | rowspan="3" |2018 | ''Kaalakaandi'' | Raza Arif|| | |- | ''Hichki'' | Shyamlal, peon|| | |- | ''Fanney Khan'' | Vivek Sir, Producer|| | |- | rowspan="3" |2019 | ''The Tashkent Files'' | Media Company, Boss|| |<ref name=":1" /> |- | ''Satellite Shankar'' | Cab Driver|| | |- | ''P Se Pyaar F Se Faraar'' | Sompal Singh|| | |- | rowspan="1" |2020 | ''Big Brother'' | Muthan || Malayalam film | |- |2021|| ''Sooryavanshi'' || Rafique ||Posthumous release || |}
===Web series=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film/Television ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Network ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Refs |- |2018 |''Rangbaaz'' |SI Bhangwan Mishra |Zee5 | | |- | rowspan="2" |2020 | ''Paatal Lok''|| Jai Malik||Amazon Prime Video|| || <ref name="Paatal Lok"/> |- | ''Hostages'' | Asghar Nabi||Disney+ Hotstar|| || <ref name="Hostages"/> |- |2021 |''The Family Man (Season 2)'' |Counsellor |Amazon Prime Video |Posthumously released |Released on 3 June 2021 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://asifbasra.com}} * {{IMDb name|1794460}} * {{Bollywood Hungama person|asif-basra}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Basra, Asif}} Category:1967 births Category:2020 deaths Category:2020 suicides Category:Indian male film actors Category:20th-century Indian male actors Category:21st-century Indian male actors Category:University of Mumbai alumni Category:People from Amravati Category:Suicides by hanging in India Category:Artists who died by suicide Category:Indian male stage actors Category:Actors in Hindi theatre