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Gagan Dev Riar Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth16 August 1980

Age43 Years

BirthplacePathankot, Punjab

ProfessionActor, Theatre Artist

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather - Devinder Singh Riar; Mother - Raj Kanwal Riar; Brother - Karan Riar; Sister - Sonika Riar

Gagan Dev Riar Biography

Gagan Dev Riar is an Indian actor and theatre artist from Pathankot, Punjab, based in Mumbai. With a theatre background and formal training, he has worked广

Early life and background

Gagan Dev Riar was born on 16 August 1980 in Pathankot, Punjab. Raised in a family that later made Mumbai his hometown, he developed an interest in performance early and began appearing in plays as a teenager. He undertook formal training at Ashok Kumar’s Academy Of Dramatic Arts in Chembur through a two-month summer program. Riar attended Ruparel College in Matunga, Mumbai.

Career

Riar’s professional work spans theatre, web series and film. He made his on-screen debut in the television film Sunsilk Real FM in 2014, appearing on MTV India as the character Jawahar. The following year he appeared in the Hindi web series Not Fit, which premiered on Dice Media’s YouTube channel and on TVF Play.

Throughout the 2010s he remained active in Mumbai’s theatre scene, working with Om Katare’s theatre group Yatri for a sustained period of nine years. He has taken on multiple creative roles on stage, including directing the Hindi adaptation James Aur Ek Giant Peach in 2014. In 2015 he served as actor, music composer and lyricist for the play Ek Punjab Ye Bhi, and in 2016 he both acted in and composed music for Dhat Pagli. That same year he performed in Bade Miyan Deewaane, an adaptation based on Shaukat Thanvi’s Urdu novel Budhbhas.

Riar continued to explore varied theatrical projects: he shared the lead with Manjiri Pupala in Renovation (2017); acted opposite Mantra in Piya Behrupiya, a stage piece inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night; and participated in the musical production of Monsoon Wedding by Mira Nair. Other stage credits include Ishq Aaha, Phir Se Shadi, Parey, and Stories in a Song.

On screen, Riar appeared in the 2019 film Sonchiriya, portraying the character Khalifa alongside Sushant Singh Rajput. In 2020 he took the role of Pran Kapoor in the BBC drama miniseries A Suitable Boy. He gained wider visibility in 2023 when he played convicted counterfeiter Abdul Karim Telgi in the biographical web series Scam 2003: The Telgi Story on Sony LIV. That project was noted as his first leading film role; preparing for it required a significant physical transformation, during which he said he gained roughly 20 kilograms to inhabit the part.

Public profile

Riar is known within theatre circles for his versatility as an actor, director and composer. He has black hair and black eyes and stands approximately 175 cm (about 5'9"). His professional profile emphasizes stage work alongside screen appearances in web and film projects.

Personal life

As of 2023 Riar is unmarried. He has been publicly linked to theatre artist Mallika Singh. His parents are Devinder Singh Riar and Raj Kanwal Riar. He has a brother, Karan Riar, who works as a choreographer, and a sister, Sonika Riar, who is a fashion designer. He lists singing among his hobbies.

Latest updates

In 2023 Riar portrayed Abdul Karim Telgi in Scam 2003: The Telgi Story on Sony LIV, a role that required substantial weight gain and marked his first lead in a film project. Earlier in his career he had been considered for the role of Sitaraman in Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (2020) but was unable to accept it due to scheduling conflicts.
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Recent Work

Scam 2003: The Telgi Story

Portrayed convicted counterfeiter Abdul Karim Telgi in the biographical web series; prepared for the role by gaining significant weight. Premiered on Sony LIV.

2023
A Suitable Boy

Played the role of Pran Kapoor in the BBC television drama miniseries.

2020
Sonchiriya

Portrayed Khalifa in the Hindi film alongside Sushant Singh Rajput.

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Debut in television film Sunsilk Real FM (2014) on MTV India
  2. Longstanding involvement with Om Katare’s theatre group Yatri
  3. Directed the Hindi stage adaptation James Aur Ek Giant Peach (2014)
  4. Lead role in Scam 2003: The Telgi Story (2023)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Gagan Dev Riar born?

16 August 1980

What is Gagan Dev Riar known for?

Actor, Theatre Artist

What is Gagan Dev Riar’s marital status?

Unmarried