Bollywood Male Actor
Shashank Arora is an Indian actor and musician known for his notable roles in films such as "Titli" (2014), "Brahman Naman" (2016), "Moothon" (2019), and the web series "Made in Heaven" (2019). He holds the distinction of being the only Indian actor to have two films competing at renowned international film festivals like Cannes, Berlin, Locarno, and Sundance.
Born on February 21, 1989, in New Delhi, Shashank displayed a keen interest in music and theater from a young age. After completing high school, he pursued higher education in Canada, where he briefly joined a street theater group formed by human rights activists. In 2008, he moved to Mumbai to study acting and embarked on his career in the film industry.
Shashank's parents are graphic designers and writers, and he drew inspiration from filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola and Saeed Mirza during his childhood. To pursue a career in film, he attended Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, where he graduated in filmmaking with a minor in music. Upon returning to Mumbai, he initially struggled to find work and decided to further his studies. He credits his knowledge and growth to his professor Robert Reece from the Actors Studio in Los Angeles. Shashank later became a guest teacher at Whistling Woods International and the Film and Television Institute of India, and he also worked under casting director Saher Latif.
Shashank's acting journey began with a supporting role in the movie "Myoho" (2012). However, it was his breakthrough role as the titular character in "Titli" (2014), produced by Yash Raj Films, that garnered critical acclaim. The film competed at the Cannes Film Festival and received nominations for various awards, including Filmfare, Stardust, and Zee Cine awards.
He continued to make waves in the industry with roles in films like "Brahman Naman" (2016), which competed at the Sundance Film Festival, and "Rock On 2" (2016), where he portrayed the character of Uday, a bass player. In 2017, he appeared in "Zoo," India's first feature-length film shot entirely on an iPhone 6s, and played the role of Bicky, a drug peddler. He also showcased his talent in films like "Lipstick Under My Burkha" (2017), "The Song of Scorpions" (2017) alongside Irrfan Khan, and "Manto" (2018) directed by Nandita Das.
In addition to his film career, Shashank has made his mark in the web series space with his portrayal of Kabir Basrai, a photographer, in the Amazon Prime series "Made in Heaven" (2019). He has also appeared in the Malayalam-Hindi bilingual film "Moothon" (2019), which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival.
Shashank Arora continues to make significant contributions to Indian cinema, showcasing his versatility as an actor and leaving a lasting impact with his performances.