Meet his Parents (father and mother), Siblings (brother and sister), Family Background – Kunal Nayyar, a talented Indian actor, was born on April 30, 1981, in Hammersmith, London, England.
He attended the University of Portland, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree. Later, he pursued his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from Temple University. Nayyar has been actively working in the entertainment industry since 2004.
Career
After completing his studies, Nayyar began his career by appearing in American television commercials and performing in plays on the London stage. His breakthrough came in the United States with his role in the West Coast production of Rajiv Joseph’s play “Huck & Holden” in 2006.
In the play, he portrayed an Indian exchange student who was eager to immerse himself in American culture before returning home. Nayyar also co-wrote the play “Cotton Candy” with Arun Das, which premiered in New Delhi and received positive reviews.
In 2006, Nayyar made a guest appearance in the popular CBS drama series “NCIS,” where he played the character of Youssef Zidan, an Iraqi terrorist. The following year, his agent informed him about an opportunity to audition for a role as a scientist in a CBS pilot.
This led to his casting in the sitcom “The Big Bang Theory,” where he played the role of Raj Koothrappali, an astrophysicist. Nayyar remained a part of the show from its premiere in September 2007 until its conclusion in May 2019.
In 2011, Nayyar co-hosted the comedy festival “Just for Laughs” with his co-star Simon Helberg in a show called “Tribute to Nerds.” He also lent his voice to the character Gupta in the animated movie “Ice Age: Continental Drift” in 2012.
During the same year, he completed filming for the Bollywood film “Dr. Cabbie,” produced by Salman Khan. From May to June 2015, Nayyar performed in an off-Broadway production called “The Spoils,” written by and starring Jesse Eisenberg.
He portrayed the character Kalyan, a Nepalese student and roommate of the protagonist. The play later moved to London’s West End in 2016. In September 2015, Nayyar released a book titled “Yes, My Accent is Real: and Some Other Things I Haven’t Told You, “Which chronicles his career journey.
He continued his voice acting career by voicing the character Guy Diamond in DreamWorks’ animated film “Trolls,” released in November 2016. In 2020, Nayyar took on the role of Sandeep, a convicted serial killer, in the Netflix UK production “Criminal: UK.”
He appeared in the final episode of Season 2, which premiered in August 2020. Additionally, he joined the cast of the thriller TV series “Suspicion” on Apple TV+ in the same year. The series is based on the Israeli thriller TV series “False Flag” and stars Uma Thurman, Elizabeth Henstridge, and Elyes Gabel.
In 2021, it was announced that Nayyar would play the title role of A. J. Fikry in the upcoming comedy drama film “The Storied Life Of A. J. Fikry.” The movie, based on the best-selling novel by Gabrielle Zevin, also stars Lucy Hale and Christina Hendricks.
Kunal Nayyar Parents, Siblings
Kunal Nayyar, the talented actor known for his work in film, television, and theatre, has a fascinating family background. He was born in Hounslow, London, England, UK.
Get to know his father and mother – His parents, Rakesh and Heita Nayyar, are of Indian Punjabi descent. When Kunal was three years old, his family relocated to India, where he grew up in New Delhi. Even today, his parents continue to reside there.
Kunal’s father worked as an accountant, while his mother pursued a career as an interior designer. He also has a brother named Anmol Nayyar. Kunal Nayyar’s journey from his birthplace in London to his upbringing in New Delhi and his subsequent success in the entertainment industry is truly remarkable.
