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Asif Basra Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 4, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth27 July 1967

Age53 Years (at time of death)

BirthplaceAmravati, Maharashtra, India

ProfessionActor

NationalityIndian

Asif Basra Biography

Asif Basra was an Indian theatre and film actor known for his stage work and memorable screen roles in films such as Black Friday and Parzania, and later P

Early life and background

Asif Basra was born on 27 July 1967 in Amravati, Maharashtra. Raised in a modest family, he developed a passion for acting from an early age and took part in school and college film festivals and theatre productions. He completed a B.Sc. in Physics from Mumbai University and also pursued a computer course while living and working in Mumbai.

While holding down jobs in the city, Basra spent much of his income attending plays and immersing himself in the local theatre scene. A turning point came in 1991 when he saw Salim Ghouse’s production of Boesman and Lena repeatedly; that encounter led to his introduction to Mumbai theatre and later to a role as Horatio in Ghouse’s staging of Hamlet.

Career

Basra established himself as a versatile stage actor, performing in Hindi, English and Urdu productions. He earned early recognition for performances in plays and in English-language theatre works including Feroz Khan’s Mahatma vs. Gandhi, and the Hindi play Main Bhi Superman. By 1996 his theatre work had reached a level that allowed him to leave his day job and focus on acting full time.

He transitioned to screen acting in the early 2000s. His first English-language film credit listed is Quicksand (2003), and his Hindi film debut came with Anurag Kashyap’s Black Friday (2004), in which he played Shanawaz Qureshi. He followed that with roles in other critically noted films such as Rahul Dholakia’s Parzania.

Across film, television and streaming, Basra remained active in supporting and character roles. Late in his career he appeared in the 2018 family drama Hichki and had a notable role in the Amazon Prime Video series Paatal Lok. In addition to performing, he gave back to the theatre community by running acting workshops and mentoring emerging performers at Prithvi Theatre.

Public profile

Basra was known among peers and audiences for his theatre roots and his ability to move between stage and screen. Physical details reported include a height of approximately 173 cm (around 5 feet 8 inches) and dark brown eyes. He was described as having salt-and-pepper hair. His personal interests included travelling and watching films, and he counted Naseeruddin Shah among actors he admired.

Later life and death

Asif Basra had leased a private property in McLeodganj, Upper Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh for several years. On 12 November 2020, at age 53, he was found dead at that property. The reported cause of death was hanging.

Latest updates

At the time of his passing, Basra’s recent screen work included his performance in the Amazon Prime Video series Paatal Lok. He is remembered for a career that moved from passionate theatre beginnings to acclaimed work in film and streaming, and for his role as a mentor to younger actors through workshops and theatre training.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Asif Basra, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

Hichki

Hindi family drama film (appeared in 2018)

2018
Paatal Lok

Amazon Prime Video series; noted as his last notable role

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Career Highlights

  1. Established theatre actor in Hindi, English and Urdu productions
  2. Film debut in Quicksand (English, 2003) and Black Friday (Hindi, 2004)
  3. Notable screen roles in Parzania, Hichki and Paatal Lok
  4. Mentored young actors and conducted workshops at Prithvi Theatre
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Asif Basra born?

27 July 1967

What is Asif Basra known for?

Actor