Shafi (actor)

Shafi
Born	(1980-04-06) April 6, 1980 Andhra Pradesh
Nationality	Indian
Alma mater	National School of Drama
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2002–present
Awards	Nandi Awards Filmfare Awards South

Mohammed Shafiullah Moinudden, known professionally as Shafi, is an Indian actor primarily recognized for his roles in Telugu cinema. Known for his powerhouse performances in both villainous and supporting roles, Shafi gained widespread 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.

Early Life

Shafi’s passion for service and community development began early in life. He was actively engaged in various cultural activities, participating in Cultural Scouts, NCC (National Cadet Corps), and NSS (National Service Scheme). These formative experiences helped him develop discipline, leadership, and a strong sense of community responsibility.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Shafi also volunteered at the Center for Rural Youth Development (CRYD) in Achampet, where he worked with rural youth, contributing to social development and empowerment in underprivileged areas. This experience deepened his commitment to social causes and community service.

Shafi later completed his higher education at Sri Venkateswara University in Tirupati and went on to join the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi, one of India’s most prestigious institutions for theatrical training. This solid foundation in both academic and social spheres paved the way for his successful career in the Indian film industry

Career

Debut and breakthrough (2002–2006)

Shafi’s first film appearance was in Khadgam (2002) as the villain Azhar. Critics praised his debut, and he received the Filmfare Award for Best Villain – Telugu for the role.

After Khadgam, he acted in supporting and negative roles in several Telugu films like Praanam (2003), Run (2004), 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. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu.

He also appeared in films like Maayajaalam (2006), Nuvve (2006), Thenavattu (2008, Tamil), and Sindhanai Sei (2009, Tamil).

Continued success (2007–present)

Through the late 2000s and 2010s, Shafi worked in major films across languages. He had comedic and supporting roles in Ready (2008) and Khaleja (2010), where his role as Sidhappa won him the Bharathamuni Award for Best Supporting Actor.

He also featured in Dookudu (2011) opposite Mahesh Babu, Julayi (2012), and Balupu (2013). His Tamil works include Katha (2009) and Kutti Pisasu (2010). He appeared in the Hindi film Firaaq (2008) as well.

Media sources credit Shafi with over 50 films and a reputation for versatile acting across Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi.

In 2023, Shafi starred as Thiru in the pan-Indian blockbuster Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire by Prashanth Neel, and will return in Salaar: Part 2 – Shouryanga Parvam.

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 international recognition.

Personal life

While Shafi is a public figure, he maintains a relatively private personal life. Details about his family or relationships are not publicly disclosed. However, he is occasionally spotted by fans and paparazzi in public, notably driving a Porsche Panamera, suggesting a taste for high-end automobiles.

Despite being active on social media and appearing at industry events, he keeps a low profile outside of his professional life.

Filmography

Year	Film	Language	Role
2002	Khadgam	Telugu	Azhar
2003	Praanam	Telugu	Uma's brother's nephew
2004	Varsham	Telugu	Kaasi
2004	Run	Hindi
2005	Danger	Telugu	Gattayya's brother
2005	Chhatrapati	Telugu	Ashok / Akash
2006	Maayajaalam	Telugu	Chhatrapati
2006	Nuvve	Telugu
2006	Kamli	Telugu	Redya
2007	Dhee	Telugu
2007	Maharajasri	Telugu
2008	Ready	Telugu	Nagappa
2008	Thenavattu	Tamil	Santhosh
2008	Bheemaa	Tamil	Chinna's friend
2008	Firaaq	Hindi	Ghogha
2009	Katha	Telugu
2009	Current	Telugu	Shafi
2009	Shh	Telugu
2009	Sindhanai Sei	Tamil	Shankar
2010	Kutti Pisasu	Telugu	Cara Majaka
2010	Khaleja	Telugu	Sidhappa
2010	Telugammayi	Telugu
2010	Killer	Telugu
2010	Kutti Pisasu	Tamil	Mandramoorthy
2010	Bombat Car	Kannada
2014	Jaihind 2	Kannada	Abhimanyu
2019	Ranahedi	Kannada
2011	Golconda High School	Telugu	Madhu Babu
2011	Wanted	Telugu	Raja
2011	Prema Kavali	Telugu	Babji
2011	Dookudu	Telugu	Qadir
2012	Julayi	Telugu	Lala
2013	Balupu	Telugu	Kaasi
2013	Kiss	Telugu	Murthy
2013	Sahasra	Telugu	Chinappa
2013	Baadshah	Telugu	Baadshah's henchman
2014	Jaihind 2	Telugu	Chandru
2014	Jaihind 2	Tamil	Chandru
2014	Pilla Nuvvu Leni Jeevitham	Telugu	Journalist Shafi
2015	A Shyam Gopal Varma Film	Telugu	Shyam Gopal Varma
2015	Sher	Telugu	Chotu
2015	Shivam	Telugu	Mustafa
2017	Mister	Telugu	Sadasiva Rayalu
2017	Yuddham Sharanam	Telugu	Selvam
2017	12-12-1950	Tamil
2018	Hyderabad Love Story	Telugu
2018	Rangu	Telugu
2019	Akshara	Telugu
2019	Brochevarevarura	Telugu	Constable Ashok Kumar
2020	Run	Telugu
2021	Drushyam 2	Telugu	Janardhan
2022	Godfather	Telugu	Murugan
2023	Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire	Telugu	Thiru
2024	Bhoothaddam Bhaskar Narayana	Telugu	John Philip

External links

Shafi at IMDb

Shafi on Instagram