RIP Asif Basra: 'Kai Po Che' actor's life and work

Asif Basra was born in the small central Indian town of Amravati in 1967. He first ventured onto the stage as a teenager during school theatre productions, and there began his passion for acting. 

Reports say that actor Asif Basra had been living in a rented house in McLeodganj for the last 5 years. He also had a foreign girlfriend living with him. "Film actor Asif Basra was found hanging in a private complex in Dharamshala. Forensic team is at the spot and police is investigating the matter," SSP Kangra, Vimukt Ranjan was quoted as saying by ANI.

According to his website, "In 1991, Asif went to see Salim Ghouse’s production of Athol Fugard’s play Boesman and Lena night after night for a week. Ghouse, well-known on the English stage, was intrigued and asked to meet him—a meeting that turned out to mark his entry into the Mumbai theatre scene."

Asif Basra has appeared in several international English-language productions, such as the acclaimed 2006 movie Outsourced (United States), Tandoori Love (Switzerland/ Germany) and One Night with the King (United States) with Omar Sharif and Peter O’Toole. Asif has starred in a number of popular Hindi movies, including Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan's Jab We Met, and Sushant Singh Rajput's Kai Po Che. In 2014, he starred in the Tamil film Anjaan, and most recently he has acted on OTT in Anushka Sharma's Paatal Lok and Hotstar original Hostages. 

His website bio says, "For almost 20 years Asif has made acting his full-time profession while still pursuing his love for theatre when his schedule allows. When he’s not working, Asif indulges in another of his passions, taking off on his Royal Enfield Bullet for biking adventures across India."