Shafi (actor)
Indian actor (born 1980)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mohammed Shafiullah Moinudden, known professionally as Shafi, is an Indian actor primarily recognized for his roles in Telugu cinema. Known for his villainous roles, Shafi gained acclaim in 2002 for his debut film Khadgam, for which he won the Filmfare Award for Best Villain – Telugu. With notable performances in movies like Kamli (directed by K. N. T. Sastry), Chatrapathi (directed by S. S. Rajamouli), and Khaleja (directed by Trivikram Srinivas), he has established himself as a key player in the industry.
Shafi | |
|---|---|
Shafi in 2024 | |
| Born | 6 April 1980 |
| Education | National School of Drama |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Awards | Nandi Awards Filmfare Awards South |
Career
Shafi made his debut in Krishna Vamsi's directorial Khadgam (2002) as the villain Azhar.[1][2] Critics praised his debut, and he received the Filmfare Award for Best Villain – Telugu for the role.[3]
After Khadgam, he acted in various supporting and negative roles in several Telugu films like Praanam (2003) and Varsham (2004). In 2005, he played a key antagonist in S. S. Rajamouli’s Chatrapathi, winning the Cine Goers Award for Best Supporting Actor.
In 2006, Shafi took his first lead role opposite Nandita Das in Kamli, a Telugu drama directed by K. N. T. Sastry. He played a drunkard coolie, a deeply researched role.[3] The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. He also appeared in films like Mayajalam & Nuvve.. Nuvve... (both 2006)
He made his Tamil debut in Bheemaa (2008). He had comedic and supporting roles Ready (2008) and Khaleja (2010), his first collaboration with Mahesh Babu, where his role as Siddha won him the Bharathamuni Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also featured in Dookudu (2011) again with Babu, Julayi (2012) with Allu Arjun, and Balupu (2013) with Ravi Teja.
In 2023, Shafi starred in Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire – by Prashanth Neel, marking his third outing with Prabhas and will reprise his role in Salaar: Part 2 - Shouryanga Parvam.[4] He also acted in the short film 3:15 AM (2023), directed by Amit Raj Verma, which won Best Thriller at the Los Angeles Film Awards. Shafi was nominated for Best Actor (Short Film) at the Cannes World Film Festival, gaining worldwide recognition.[5][6]
Filmography
Telugu films
| Year | Film | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Khadgam | Azhar | Debut film |
| 2003 | Praanam | Uma's brother's nephew | |
| 2004 | Varsham | Kaasi | |
| 2005 | Danger | Gattayya's brother | |
| Chhatrapati | Ashok / Akash | ||
| 2006 | Maayajaalam | Chhatrapati | |
| Nuvve.. Nuvve... | |||
| Kamli | Redya | ||
| 2007 | Dhee | ||
| Maharajasri | |||
| 2008 | Ready | Nagappa | |
| 2009 | Katha | ||
| Current | Shafi | ||
| Shh... | |||
| 2010 | Cara Majaka | Simultaneously in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada | |
| Khaleja | Sidhappa | ||
| Telugammayi | |||
| Killer | |||
| 2011 | Golconda High School | Madhu Babu | |
| Wanted | Raja | ||
| Prema Kavali | Babji | ||
| Dookudu | Qadir | ||
| 2012 | Tuneega Tuneega | ||
| Julayi | Lala | ||
| 2013 | Balupu | Kaasi | |
| Kiss | Murthy | ||
| Sahasra | Chinappa | ||
| Baadshah | Baadshah's henchman | ||
| 2014 | Jaihind 2 | Chandru | Simultaneously in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada |
| Pilla Nuvvu Leni Jeevitham | Journalist Shafi | ||
| 2015 | A Shyam Gopal Varma Film | Shyam Gopal Varma | |
| Sher | Chotu | ||
| Shivam | Mustafa | ||
| 2017 | Mister | Sadasiva Rayalu | |
| Yuddham Sharanam | Selvam | ||
| 2018 | Hyderabad Love Story | ||
| Rangu | |||
| 2019 | Akshara | ||
| Brochevarevarura | Constable Ashok Kumar | ||
| 2020 | Run | Real Doctor | |
| 2021 | Drushyam 2 | Janardhan | |
| 2022 | Godfather | Murugan | |
| 2023 | Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire | Thiru | |
| 2024 | Bhoothaddam Bhaskar Narayana | John Philip | |
| 2025 | Solo Boy |
Tamil films
| Year | Film | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Thenavattu | Santhosh | |
| Bheemaa | Chinna's friend | ||
| 2009 | Sindhanai Sei | Shankar | |
| 2010 | Kutti Pisasu | Mandhira Moorthy | Simultaneously in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada |
| 2014 | Jaihind 2 | Chandru | |
| 2017 | 12-12-1950 | ||
Other language films
- Television