Faran Tahir

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Faran Haroon Tahir
Faran Tahir, close-up portrait, facing right (2016).jpg
Tahir in 2016
Born
Faran Haroon Tahir

Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education University of California, Berkeley (BA)
Harvard University (MFA)
Occupation Actor
Years active1989–present
Parent(s) Naeem Tahir (father)
Yasmeen Tahir (mother)
Relatives Imtiaz Ali Taj (maternal grandfather)
Hijab Imtiaz Ali (maternal grandmother)
Sayyid Mumtaz Ali (maternal great-grandfather)
Muhammadi Begum (maternal great-grandmother)
Ali Tahir (brother)

Faran Haroon Tahir (Urdu : فاران ہارون طاہر) is an American actor.

Contents

Tahir made his film debut as Nathoo in Disney's 1994 film The Jungle Book . He went on to star in a variety of roles, such as Raza in Iron Man (2008), Captain Robau in Star Trek (2009), and President Patel in Elysium (2013). In 2016, he played the title role of Othello in a production by the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C.

Early life and education

Faran Haroon Tahir was born in Los Angeles to Naeem Tahir, a veteran actor and respected writer, and Yasmeen Tahir. [1] Through his mother, "one of the most famous voices of Radio Pakistan", his grandparents are famous writers Imtiaz Ali Taj and Hijab Imtiaz Ali, [2] the first Muslim female pilot. [3] His younger brother Ali Tahir is an actor as well, best known for starring in the comedy-drama sitcom Teen Bata Teen . [4] His other younger brother, Mehran Tahir, is a TV producer, who has worked for Hum TV. [5] Faran Tahir grew up in Pakistan and returned to the United States in 1980. [6]

Tahir studied business economics at the University of California, Berkeley before transitioning to the performing arts, graduating with a degree in theatre. [7] He later graduated with a MFA from the American Repertory Theater's (A.R.T.) Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University. [8]

Career

Tahir at the 2024 WonderCon Faran Tahir by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Tahir at the 2024 WonderCon

He made his film debut playing Nathoo in the Disney's 1994 live-action version of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book . He has since appeared in such films as Picture Perfect (1997), Anywhere But Here (1999) and Charlie Wilson's War (2007). He also played the male lead in the 1999 independent film ABCD . [9]

In 2008, Tahir played the role of the villain Raza in the Marvel Comics film Iron Man . [10]

He played Starfleet Captain Richard Robau in the 2009 film Star Trek . [11] In 2013, Tahir played President Patel in the science-fiction film Elysium . [12]

Tahir has guest starred on many television series, including Alias , The Practice , Family Law , The Agency , NYPD Blue , Lost , 7th Heaven , The West Wing , Walker, Texas Ranger , The D.A. , 24 , Monk , Justice , Cold Case , Chuck , Hawaii Five-0 [13] and Warehouse 13 . [14] He also co-starred with Robert Beltran and Chase Masterson in the 2005 Sci-Fi Channel original movie Manticore . [15] He also starred in the medical drama series Grey's Anatomy as Isaac [16] and appeared on the CW series Supernatural as the Egyptian god Osiris in the seventh season's episode "Defending Your Life". [17] Tahir starred in the ghost horror film Jinn, [18] and in the role of Frank, Cliff Barnes' right-hand man in the revival of Dallas . [19] In 2015 Tahir appeared in a role as the Commander on Supergirl . [20]

He appeared in JAG in the episodes "Ice Queen" and "Meltdown" which served as the two pilot episodes for the series NCIS . Seven years later, Tahir appeared in the spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles .

In 2016 Tahir joined American Crime as Rhys Bashir, [21] and was cast as Captain Nemo on Once Upon a Time. [22] In 2017, Tahir played the role of Mallick in Syfy's TV show, 12 Monkeys .

On his visit to Karachi, Pakistan, he appeared in a web series Speak Your Heart With Samina Peerzada in January 2019. [23]

In June 2024, Faran, along with his Umrao Ayyar co-star Ali Kazmi, appeared in a vlog by PakWheels.

Faran will be seen in the upcoming Pakistani movie Umro Ayyar - A New Beginning, an action thriller movie produced by Azfar Jafri under the banner of VR Chili Production. Umro Ayyar - A New Beginning was expected for release in 2024 worldwide.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994 The Jungle Book Nathoo
1997 Picture Perfect Sajit
1998 A Price Above Rubies Hrundi Kapoor
Anywhere But Here Hisham Badir
ABCDRaj
2007 Charlie Wilson's War Brigadier Rashid
2008 Iron Man Raza
2009 Star Trek Captain Robau
2010AshesKartik
2013 Elysium President Patel
Torn Ali Munsif
Escape Plan Javed Afridi
Mr. Jones The Anthropologist
2014 Jinn Ali
2015Flight World War IIWilliam Strong
2016 Honeyglue Dr. Konig
2018 Mad Genius Eden
2019Boris and the BombSammi
2020 I Am Fear Asad
I'll Meet You There Majeed
2021 Lamya's Poem Baha WaladVoice role
Injustice Ra's al Ghul Voice role
2023 Coup! Kaan
2024 Umro Ayyar - A New Beginning Laqqa [24]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1989 Midnight Caller Desk ClerkEpisode: "Blood Red"
1993 Law & Order Mr. KhanEpisode: "Profile"
1994 New York Undercover Dr. VenegasEpisode: "Missing"
1995 New York News NeilsonEpisode: "Past Imperfect"
1997 Party of Five Radiologist2 episodes
1999 The Pretender AnesthesiologistEpisode: "At the Hour of Our Death"
2000 The Practice Dr. Michael ShieldsEpisode: "Death Penalties"
FreakyLinks DoctorEpisode: "Subject: Three Thirteen"
Family Law Dr. Singh2 episodes
2001 Alias MokhtarEpisode: "A Broken Heart"
NYPD Blue Isa Al-RamaiEpisode: "Baby Love"
2001–2003 The Agency Jamar Akil / India's Secret Police Leader2 episodes
2002 7th Heaven Mr. HalawiEpisode: "Suspicion"
MDs Dr. BanfaEpisode: "Cruel and Unusual"
A Town Without Pity Antoine FahdTV movie
2002–2003 The West Wing Manny2 episodes
2003 The Agency Jamar AkilEpisode: "An Isolated Incident"
JAG Amad Bin Atwa / Said Labdouni3 episodes
Boston Public Mr. MubarikEpisode: "Chapter Seventy-Four"
2003–2005 24 Mosque Greeter / Tomas Sherek3 episodes
2004 Judging Amy Dr. OmidiEpisode: "The Quick and The Dead"
The D.A. Asaf ShahEpisode: "The People vs. Achmed Abbas"
2005 Over There HamzaEpisode: "Embedded"
Just Legal UnknownEpisode: "Pilot"
Manticore UmariTV movie
2006 Charmed SavardEpisode: "Repo Manor"
Monk Museum OfficialEpisode: "Mr. Monk and the Big Reward"
Justice Oscar RiveraEpisode: "Behind the Orange Curtain"
Sleeper Cell AzizEpisode: "Faith"
2007 Cold Case Anil PatelEpisode: "A Dollar, A Dream"
2008 Lost Ishmael BakirEpisode: "The Shape of Things to Come"
Chuck Farrokh BulsaraEpisode: "Chuck Versus Tom Sawyer"
2009 Grey's Anatomy IsaacEpisode: "Give Peace a Chance"
2010 NCIS: Los Angeles Hassad Al-JahiriEpisode: "Fame"
Childrens Hospital MalikEpisode: "The Sultan's Finger: Live"
2010–2013 Warehouse 13 Adwin Kosan11 episodes
2011 Blue Bloods El HaqEpisode: "Hall of Mirrors"
In Plain Sight Ali TavaliEpisode: "A Womb with a View"
Supernatural OsirisEpisode: "Defending Your Life"
2012 Burn Notice Ahmad DamourEpisode: "Last Rites"
2012–2013 Dallas Frank 'Smiling Frank'8 episodes
2013 Private Practice CharlesEpisode: "Full Release"
2014 Elementary Agent MattooEpisode: "The Diabolical Kind"
Crisis Tariq RindEpisode: "If You Are Watching This I Am Dead"
2014–2015 Criminal Minds Tivon Askari2 episodes
2015 The Blacklist Ruslan DenisovEpisode: "Ruslan Denisov (No. 67)"
Supergirl The CommanderEpisode: "Pilot"
How to Get Away with Murder Terrence AmosEpisode: "Hello Raskolnikov"
Satisfaction Omar SandhalRecurring role in season 2
2016 American Crime Rhys Bashir6 episodes
Hawaii Five-0 'Lucky' MoradEpisode: "No ke ali'i wahine a me ka 'aina"
2016–2017 Once Upon a Time Captain Nemo 3 episodes
2017 Prison Break: Resurrection JamilSeason 5
Scandal President RashadSeason 7
Shameless Adeeb SinghEpisode: "Where's My Meth?"
2017–2018 12 Monkeys Mallick7 episodes
2018 The Magicians The Great Cock of the Darkling WoodsEpisode: "The Tales of the Seven Keys"
Madam Secretary President Tarindo NandasiriEpisode: "Reading the Signs"
2019 MacGyver The FenceEpisode: "Fence + Suitcase + Americium-241"
FBI Ravi SharmaEpisode: "Undisclosed"
2022 Mira, Royal Detective Sher (voice)Episode: "Mira's Musical Mystery Tour/The Case of the Mystery Mehfil"
The Old Man Rahmani3 episodes
2026 Vision Quest Raza Filming

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2015 Call of Duty: Black Ops III General Abasi HakimFace and Motion Capture
2023 Dead Space Challus Mercer

Stage

YearTitleRoleNotes
2016 Othello Othello
2019 Bhai Bhai Buddy [25]

References

  1. ↑ "Ali Tahir opens up on being part of an illustrious family". The Express Tribune . January 11, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Ali Tahir opens up on being part of an illustrious family". The Express Tribune . January 11, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  3. ↑ Shahjahan Khurram (13 April 2015), "World’s first ever Muslim female pilot – Hijab Imtiaz Ali", AryNews. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  4. ↑ Haroon Ashraf (7 December 2015), "Hijab Imtiaz Ali: The Queen of Urdu Romanticism", Dawn News . Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  5. ↑ "Taj Tahir Foundation - about us". Archived from the original on July 4, 2018. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  6. ↑ Amna Niazi (May 12, 2015). "Faran Tahir". SiddySays.com. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  7. ↑ "After fighting Iron Man, Faran Tahir arrives in Karachi". The Express Tribune . January 7, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  8. ↑ Appelo, Tim (May 30, 2013). "The Top 25 Drama Schools in the World". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  9. ↑ Holden, Stephen (November 30, 2001). "FILM IN REVIEW; 'ABCD'". The New York Times. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Actor Faran Tahir on "Iron Man" and "Star Trek"". cbr.com. June 4, 2008. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Faran Tahir breaks barriers as a new starship captain in Star Trek". blastr.com. December 14, 2012. Archived from the original on September 27, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Interview with Elysium's Faran Tahir". denofgeek.com. August 9, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Hawaii Five-0 next for Faran Tahir". hipinpakistan.com. July 12, 2016. Archived from the original on September 22, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Exclusive: 'Star Trek' captain invades 'Warehouse 13'". ew.com. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Original Movie Manticore Debuts on SCI FI Nov. 26". awn.com. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Faran Tahir Does a Guest Appearance on Grey's Anatomy". www.koolmuzone.pk. November 13, 2009. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Western Audiences Get Taste of 'Jinn'". May 8, 2010.
  18. ↑ "Western Audiences Get Taste of 'Jinn'". February 25, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Q&A with Hollywood Actor, Faran Tahir for DALLAS (New Series) | Upodcasting- Under Promise Over Deliver". upodcasting.com. September 3, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Supergirl To Square Off Against Iron Man and Star Trek Actor Faran Tahir". Comicbook.com. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  21. ↑ Petski, Denise (July 24, 2015). "Faran Tahir Joins ABC's 'American Crime'; Holly Curran In Amazon Pilot 'Zelda'". deadline.com. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  22. ↑ "'Once Upon a Time' casts Captain Nemo — exclusive". ew.com. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  23. ↑ Speak Your Heart with Samina Peerzada, Faran Tahir | The Star Who Made Us Proud | Speak Your Heart With Samina Peerzada | Promo , retrieved January 31, 2019
  24. ↑ "Umro Ayyar - A New Beginning". IMDb .
  25. ↑ NewsBytes. "Stage play Bhai Bhai to feature Pak-American actor Faran Tahir". The News International. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
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