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Anupam Tripathi Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 3, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birthNovember 2, 1988

Age33 (as of 2021)

BirthplaceNew Delhi, India

ProfessionActor

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyMiddle-class family from New Delhi; parents' names not known

Anupam Tripathi Biography

Indian actor Anupam Tripathi built a career in South Korea's film, television and theatre scenes before achieving global recognition for his role as Abdul

Early life and background
Anupam Tripathi was born on November 2, 1988, and grew up in New Delhi, India. He completed his schooling in New Delhi and originally trained in the performing arts in India, studying under playwright Shahid Anwar as part of the Behroop theatre group from 2006 to 2010. Tripathi developed an early interest in performance, first exploring music and singing before discovering a passion for acting on stage.

When a friend encouraged him to apply for an arts scholarship, Tripathi moved to South Korea in 2010 to further his studies. He undertook a three-month Korean language course at Kyung Hee University and then enrolled at the Korea National University of Arts in Seoul, where he completed a BA in acting and was pursuing a master’s in acting as of 2021. The transition from India to South Korea involved cultural and linguistic challenges, but he learned Korean within about two years and began working in theatre, commercials and small screen appearances while still a student.

Career
Tripathi’s professional acting career in South Korea began on stage. His theatre debut came in 2013 with Savoy Sauna at the Doosan Art Center in Seoul, and he continued to take on stage roles including parts in Bolryang Jeongnyeon (2015) and a production of Othello performed in the You Theater. Parallel to his theatre work, he began appearing in South Korean films and television in supporting or uncredited roles.

His first feature-film appearance was in the 2014 South Korean drama Ode to My Father, followed by small parts in titles such as The Phone (2015), Asura: The City of Madness (2016), Heart Blackened (2017) and Miss and Mrs. Cops (2019). On television, Tripathi had bit parts in series including Hogu’s Love (2015), Let’s Eat 2 (2015), Descendants of the Sun (2015), Just Between Lovers (2017), Arthdal Chronicles (2019), Hospital Playlist (2020) and Taxi Driver (2021).

Tripathi frequently portrayed migrant worker characters in films and K-dramas, a pattern he has acknowledged and worked to diversify within by altering voice, mannerisms and physical appearance for each part. In 2021 he appeared in the sci-fi film Space Sweepers in a supporting role credited as Sullivan’s assistant.

Breakthrough with Squid Game
Tripathi’s most prominent role came in 2021 when he was cast as Abdul Ali (player 199) in Hwang Dong-hyuk’s Netflix series Squid Game. He auditioned after returning briefly to India and was selected for one of his first main television roles. The series, which follows 456 contestants playing deadly children’s games for a large cash prize, became Netflix’s most-watched series at launch, reaching hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide in its first month and topping the platform’s global charts.

Portraying Abdul Ali brought Tripathi international recognition. For the role he adjusted his physicality, gaining several kilograms, and researched migrant experiences by watching documentaries and spending time with Pakistani friends to inform his performance. The part raised his profile dramatically and exposed him to a global audience.

Public profile
Tripathi is an Indian national who lives and works in South Korea. He is unmarried. Among personal details he shares publicly are preferences such as being non-vegetarian and enjoying speculaas. He has a pet sun parakeet named Romeo that appears on his social media. Tripathi uses a Korean stage name, Ahn Woo-beom, and has been referred to by the nickname Nana Gold.

Latest updates
As of 2021 Tripathi was pursuing a master’s degree in acting at the Korea National University of Arts and had gained worldwide fame from Squid Game. His recent screen work includes a supporting part in the 2021 space blockbuster Space Sweepers and his standout television role in Squid Game. He continues to work across theatre, film and television in South Korea while maintaining a public presence on social media.
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Recent Work

Squid Game

Played Abdul Ali (player 199), a main role in the Netflix series that became a global hit in 2021.

2021
Space Sweepers

Appeared as Sullivan’s assistant in the 2021 South Korean science-fiction film.

2021
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Career Highlights

  1. Theatre debut in Savoy Sauna (Doosan Art Center, Seoul) in 2013
  2. Feature-film debut in Ode to My Father (2014)
  3. International breakthrough as Abdul Ali in Netflix’s Squid Game (2021)
  4. Supporting role in the sci-fi film Space Sweepers (2021)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Anupam Tripathi born?

November 2, 1988

What is Anupam Tripathi known for?

Actor

What is Anupam Tripathi’s marital status?

Unmarried