Asad Shan
Asad Shan is a British tech startup entrepreneur, actor, fashion model, TV presenter and producer/director. He is an ex Investment Banker having worked for the likes of RBS and HSBC. He was crowned Mr. Asia UK. His first feature film 7 Welcome to London saw him make his big screen debut as well as his directorial debut. It received massive critical and commercial acclaim after its UK release and has gone on to become the most successful British made Hindi language film in the UK.
Shan's other notable appearances include being a veejay for B4U Music and he is currently on Zee TV's Zing as a host for weekend film showBrits Bollywood and daily rude tube show Grinds My Teeth. Shan has also starred in New York Film Academy and Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute productions of the well-renowned East is East and The Glass Menagerie. He has recently endorsed campaigns for major brands like Sky Digital, HSBC and most recently – One for the Boys, a charity chaired by Samuel L. Jackson.
Early life
Asad was born in London to parents of Kashmiri ancestry and brought up in East London. His grandparents moved to London from Kashmir in 1940's and settled in London respectively. He studied at the prestigious independent Brentwood School in Essex. He studied Law at University and did Acting training at New York Film Academy, Kishore Namit Kapoor India, Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and Sanford Mesiner lab in New York. Asad grew up supporting Liverpool F.C. and is an avid Tennis and Football player. He is often seen volunteering with his local residents club to organise charity events.Career
Upon graduating with a degree in law & management, he worked as an investment banker in the city of London for two years in Corporate Broking and ECM. Asad found his true calling when he won the Mr. Asia UK competition. Inspired by this win, he went to New York to train in Method acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and in Film Performance at the New York Film Academy. Soon, Bollywood beckoned and he moved from the Big Apple to the bright lights and glamour of Mumbai, India.Asad has experience in the arts including various media forms like film, theatre, television, commercials, music videos and modelling.
Within a few short months after his move to Mumbai he was seen on the runways at Indian Fashion Weeks as well as being ambassador for top fashion labels and eventually became one of the most sought after veejays for B4U Music. In 2009 he was named the 'Best & Sexiest VJ' at the music channel. He fronted popular shows like "Just Request", "Star Stop", "Flash" and "India's Top Ten".
Eventually seeing an opportunity and growth in the UK market, Asad shifted base back to London from bombay where he started a film production company Iconic Productions UK Limited and worked on the company's debut venture, a Bollywood thriller film titled 7 Welcome to London. It starred him in the lead, playing the role of Jai. The film was set in London and had a UK wide release on 9 March 2012. The film is slated for release in the United States, India Pakistan and Canada.
Welcome to London was acquired by GEO Films in Pakistan and had a successful release in Pakistan on 30 Jan 2015. It beat Hawaizaada and Shamitabh at the Pakistani box office and was a profitable venture for its distributors.
He has also recently finished shooting another film called London Life, where he played the main protagonist Raj. It is an English film, set in London about Indian students who migrate to the UK and the problems they face.
Since 2011, he is UK's most popular & recognised face on Zee TV's music channel Zing as a host for Brits Bollywood and UK's first Asian Rude Tube show " Grinds My Teeth" which has gathered a huge response in the UK Shan has hosted a daily request show Rock The Vibe in the past for Zing.
He recently refused a reality show based on "The Bachelorette".
Asad also dabbled as a creative producer for the Black Arts company in Soho London and has been the creator and host of "The Film Show" on Zing TV from 2015–2018 which is an Iconic production and commissioned by Zee TV.
Asad is currently filming his first drama serial called "Aabgeenay" written by Qaisra Hayat and directed by Nadeem Siddique.
Asad is managed by Identity Agency in UK and Inega model management in India.
Personal life
Asad enjoys playing Sunday league football and Docklands tennis league in London. He played tennis at UK county level. He loves outdoor sports and is a keen hiker. He takes an active interest with his fans and can be connected via his social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.Personal quotes
Shan's nut-shell version of his film – "7 Welcome to London is a breathtaking, noirishly stylised and utterly ghoulish thriller crafted in a gritty manner that accentuates the film’s edgy vision, but this stunning film has far more on its mind, exploding with multiple layers of meaning, tone and mood. It is about a journey of an average Joe from Delhi and what happens to him in a span of 24 hours in an eventful day in London".Talking about his directorial style – "7 Welcome to London is Karan Johar meets Guy Ritchie".
On being mobbed by fans at the premiere of his debut venture – "At Shaftesbury Avenue – where it has been going house packed – a lady nearly fainted and couldn’t stop crying. Her husband, who was English, had tears in his eyes as he described the movie as the best experience of his life."
Reasons for using 7 in his film – "For me, that number is seven, whatever I have done in my life has always had some connection to that number".
About his experience with the release of his film – "There were huge expectations and I wanted to prove to the world that British-born Asians are capable of doing this stuff and we will only go from strength to strength after this, but it's only having that belief that someone can do this. I didn't make this film for myself, I made it for the audience."
In reference to his previous experience coming in – "I am not a producer's son. I am not from the industry. I am just a boy from East London, so it was important that I create that market. For the last two years I have been the face of Brits Bollywood. I have honed my skills on this, audiences have got used to my face and I have created an identity. Although saying that, in the film you won't see VJ Asad, you will see the character of Jai."
His initial reaction to the film on screen – "I went through a range of emotions whilst watching the film. There was a certain glow within and a real sense of achievement, but I guess the most important feeling of pride came when I saw my mum's face when she saw the first rough cut".
On being given advice by his idol Shahrukh Khan – "I have to say it was a great moment for me personally, sharing screen space with my hero and idol."
On the possibility of being marooned on a deserted island – Q: If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figures would you like to spend your time with and why?
A: Winston Churchill for his humour, Mahatma Gandhi for his calmness, Eva Mendes for reasons I can't reveal, Massimo Bottura, the best chef in the world to toss us some amazing food.
Trivia
- He was crowned Mr. Asia UK 2004.
- Voted the 'Best & Sexiest VJ' at B4U Music.
- Voted among the "Top 10 Bachelors" in Cosmopolitan and Elle, India.
- Featured in Daily News and Analysis, where his story has inspired many British Asians to take the plunge into Bollywood.
- Is the face of Sky
- His debut 7 Welcome to London is the most successful British Hindi film ever.
- Is an avid supporter of social media.
- Compered Eid in the Square held by the Mayor of London in 2011.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Production | Director | Notes |
| 2005 | The Waiter | Raju | Les Beauchistes/O2 Mobiles | Nilesh Patel | |
| 2005 | The Room Mate | Jay | New York Film Academy | Ruchir Garg | |
| 2005 | What If | Tom | New York Film Academy | Chung K. Park | |
| 2006 | Ya Ali | Self/ Model | Kunika Lal | Kabir Sadanand | Music Video |
| 2008 | Never Ending Story | Sunny | Kala Ghoda Film Festival | Ranjeeta Kaur | |
| 2010 | Manali Cream | Kal | B3 Productions | Navdeep Khandola | |
| 2012 | 7 Welcome to London | Jai | Iconic Productions UK Ltd. | Asad Shan | |
| 2017 | London Life | Raj | Kaybee Pictures | Naveen Medaram | Post Production |
Theatre productions
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Production |
| 2005 | The Salon | Self/ Mr. Asia UK | Channel 4 |
| 2007 | BBC Desi DNA | Self | BBC Asia |
| 2008 | Brits Abroad | Self | Current TV |
| 2007–08 | Express, Star Stop | Vj Asad | B4U Music |
| 2008 | GPL | Self | MTV India |
| 2010–present | Brits Bollywood | Vj Asad | Zing |
| 2013–present | Grinds My Teeth | Vj Asad | Zing |
| 2015–present | Zing JukeBox | Vj Asad | Zing |
| 2018 | Aabgeenay | Shahzad | GEO TV |
Commercials
Modelling
| Year | Designer/Show | Notes |
| 2005–06 | London Fashion Week | Ramp Model |
| 2006-08 | Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week | Ramp Model |
| 2006-08 | Lakme India Fashion Week | Ramp Model |
| 2007-08 | Options | Brand Ambassador |
| 2007–08 | Boy London | Brand Ambassador |
| 2007 | Matrix Hair Model Fashion Show | Model |
| 2008 | Indian Contemporary & Classic Couture | Model |
| 2008 | Roberto Cavalli | Model |
| 2008 | Kiran Gidwani | Model |