Faran Tahir

Faran Haroon Tahir
Tahir in 2016
Born
Faran Haroon Tahir

EducationUniversity of California, Berkeley (BA)
Harvard University (MFA)
OccupationActor
Years active1989–present
Parent(s)Naeem Tahir (father)
Yasmeen Tahir (mother)
RelativesImtiaz 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 a Pakistani-American actor.

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

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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

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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 is expected to be released in 2024 worldwide.

Filmography

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Film

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

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1989 Midnight Caller Desk Clerk Episode: "Blood Red"
1993 Law & Order Mr. Khan Episode: "Profile"
1994 New York Undercover Dr. Venegas Episode: "Missing"
1995 New York News Neilson Episode: "Past Imperfect"
1997 Party of Five Radiologist 2 episodes
1999 The Pretender Anesthesiologist Episode: "At the Hour of Our Death"
2000 The Practice Dr. Michael Shields Episode: "Death Penalties"
FreakyLinks Doctor Episode: "Subject: Three Thirteen"
Family Law Dr. Singh 2 episodes
2001 Alias Mokhtar Episode: "A Broken Heart"
NYPD Blue Isa Al-Ramai Episode: "Baby Love"
2001–2003 The Agency Jamar Akil / India's Secret Police Leader 2 episodes
2002 7th Heaven Mr. Halawi Episode: "Suspicion"
MDs Dr. Banfa Episode: "Cruel and Unusual"
A Town Without Pity Antoine Fahd TV movie
2002–2003 The West Wing Manny 2 episodes
2003 The Agency Jamar Akil Episode: "An Isolated Incident"
JAG Amad Bin Atwa / Said Labdouni 3 episodes
Boston Public Mr. Mubarik Episode: "Chapter Seventy-Four"
2003–2005 24 Mosque Greeter / Tomas Sherek 3 episodes
2004 Judging Amy Dr. Omidi Episode: "The Quick and The Dead"
The D.A. Asaf Shah Episode: "The People vs. Achmed Abbas"
2005 Over There Hamza Episode: "Embedded"
Just Legal Unknown Episode: "Pilot"
Manticore Umari TV movie
2006 Charmed Savard Episode: "Repo Manor"
Monk Museum Official Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Big Reward"
Justice Oscar Rivera Episode: "Behind the Orange Curtain"
Sleeper Cell Aziz Episode: "Faith"
2007 Cold Case Anil Patel Episode: "A Dollar, A Dream"
2008 Lost Ishmael Bakir Episode: "The Shape of Things to Come"
Chuck Farrokh Bulsara Episode: "Chuck Versus Tom Sawyer"
2009 Grey's Anatomy Isaac Episode: "Give Peace a Chance"
2010 NCIS: Los Angeles Hassad Al-Jahiri Episode: "Fame"
Childrens Hospital Malik Episode: "The Sultan's Finger: Live"
2010–2013 Warehouse 13 Adwin Kosan 11 episodes
2011 Blue Bloods El Haq Episode: "Hall of Mirrors"
In Plain Sight Ali Tavali Episode: "A Womb with a View"
Supernatural Osiris Episode: "Defending Your Life"
2012 Burn Notice Ahmad Damour Episode: "Last Rites"
2012–2013 Dallas Frank 'Smiling Frank' 8 episodes
2013 Private Practice Charles Episode: "Full Release"
2014 Elementary Agent Mattoo Episode: "The Diabolical Kind"
Crisis Tariq Rind Episode: "If You Are Watching This I Am Dead"
2014–2015 Criminal Minds Tivon Askari 2 episodes
2015 The Blacklist Ruslan Denisov Episode: "Ruslan Denisov (No. 67)"
Supergirl The Commander Episode: "Pilot"
How to Get Away with Murder Terrence Amos Episode: "Hello Raskolnikov"
Satisfaction Omar Sandhal Recurring role in season 2
2016 American Crime Rhys Bashir 6 episodes
Hawaii Five-0 'Lucky' Morad Episode: "No ke ali'i wahine a me ka 'aina"
2016–2017 Once Upon a Time Captain Nemo 3 episodes
2017 Prison Break: Resurrection Jamil Season 5
Scandal President Rashad Season 7
Shameless Adeeb Singh Episode: "Where's My Meth?"
2017–2018 12 Monkeys Mallick 7 episodes
2018 The Magicians The Great Cock of the Darkling Woods Episode: "The Tales of the Seven Keys"
Madam Secretary President Tarindo Nandasiri Episode: "Reading the Signs"
2019 MacGyver The Fence Episode: "Fence + Suitcase + Americium-241"
FBI Ravi Sharma Episode: "Undisclosed"
2022 Mira, Royal Detective Sher (voice) Episode: "Mira's Musical Mystery Tour/The Case of the Mystery Mehfil"
The Old Man Rahmani 3 episodes

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
2015 Call of Duty: Black Ops III General Abasi Hakim Face and Motion Capture
2023 Dead Space Challus Mercer

Stage

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Year Title Role Notes
2016 Othello Othello
2019 Bhai Bhai Buddy [25]

References

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  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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