Qasim Akhtar
Qasim Akhtar | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 June 1991 |
| Occupation | actor |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Known for | Shameless Coronation Street |
Qasim Akhtar (born 8 June 1991) is an English actor, known for his roles as Chesney Karib in the Channel 4 comedy drama Shameless and Zeedan Nazir in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street.
Early life
Akhtar was born and raised in Burnage, Manchester to a British Pakistani family. [1] Since childhood, Akhtar had an interest in acting. He trained at the Manchester School of Acting.[2]
Career
Prior to making his breakthrough appearance in Shameless, Akhtar had his first acting experience through the 2006-released Mischief Night, written and directed by Penny Woolcock, and in the film, he stars as Asif Khan.[3]
Akhtar gained prominence through his role as Chesney Karib in Shameless, appearing in 85 episodes between 2007 and 2013. This was followed by two different roles in Waterloo Road: Aron in 2007 and Wayne Bodley in 2011.[4]
In 2014, Akhtar joined the cast of the long-running soap opera Coronation Street as Zeedan Nazir, a son of Kal Nazir (played by Jimi Mistry).[5] Upon his first exit of the show in 2018, Akhtar began another stint within the show in 2021 but exited again in February 2023.[6]
Personal life
Akhtar was injured in a quad bike accident in 2018 and took up fitness.[7] He leads a relatively private life but he has expressed his platform being used to discuss the state of representation of British Asian actors in television and film.[8] In July 2026, he was awarded damages from the The Sun newspaper to settle a libel claim at the High Court of Justice.[9]
Accolades
He was nominated as Best Newcomer at the British Soap Awards for his work on the role of Zeedan Nazir in Coronation Street.[10] The depiction of the complex characters from cultures similar to his has been applauded for bringing authenticity to the British TV.[11]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Mischief Night | Asif Khans | Movie |
| 2007–2013 | Shameless | Chesney Karib | Main role |
| 2007 | Waterloo Road | Aron | 1 episode |
| 2007 | How Life Happens | Qas | Short film |
| 2011 | Young Dracula | Vicious Vampire | 1 episode |
| 2011 | Waterloo Road | Wayne Bodley | 1 episode |
| 2012 | Doctors | Bhavin Hassan | 1 episode |
| 2014–2018, 2021–2023 | Coronation Street | Zeedan Nazir | Regular role |
References
- ↑ Smith, John (2020). "Rising Stars of British Television". Entertainment Weekly UK, pp. 45-47
- ↑ Alumni Success Stories". Manchester School of Acting Official Website, accessed March 2025
- ↑ Wilson, Emma (2015). "From Mischief Night to Primetime: Qasim Akhtar's Journey". British Film Institute Quarterly, Vol. 23, pp. 112-115
- ↑ Davies, Charlotte (2018). "Actors Who Returned to Waterloo Road". Television and Film Review, Issue 42, pp. 28-32
- ↑ Johnson, Robert (2016). "New Faces on the Street: How Zeedan Nazir Changed Coronation Street". Soap Opera Digest UK, Vol. 8, pp. 15-18
- ↑ Brown, Sarah (2023). "Qasim Akhtar's Final Scenes: An Analysis". Television Drama Review, Issue 67, pp. 89-93
- ↑ Thompson, Mark (2018). "Coronation Street Star Recovers From Accident". The Guardian, 24 April 2018
- ↑ Akhtar, Qasim (2022). Interview with British Asian Network. BBC Radio, 12 June 2022
- ↑ Bushby, Helen (23 July 2026). "Ex-Coronation Street actor to receive 'substantial' libel damages from The Sun publisher". BBC News. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ British Soap Awards 2015: Full List of Nominees". Radio Times, May 2015
- ↑ Khan, Aisha (2021). "Representation Matters: British Asian Actors in Mainstream Media". Cultural Studies Journal, Vol. 14(2), pp. 156-172
External links
- Qasim Akhtar at IMDb