Adil Hussain - आदिल हुसैन
Adil Hussain is an acclaimed Indian theatre, television and film actor from Assam. He is known for his work in Assamese, Hindi and international cinema, with notable appearances in Life of Pi, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, English Vinglish, Mukti Bhawan and What Will People Say.
Adil Hussain – Complete Biography
| Full Name: | Khandkar Mohammad Adil Hussain |
| Born: | 5 October 1963 |
| Birthplace: | Goalpara, Assam |
| Father | His father was a teacher/headmaster. |
| Education | Philosophy at B. Borooah College in Guwahati, National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi |
| Scholarship | He later received a Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarship to study theatre at Drama Studio London. |
Theatre Career of Adil Hussain
Theatre played a major role in shaping Hussain's acting career. After his formal training, he worked with Hengul Theatre in Assam and later became involved with theatre productions in Delhi and elsewhere. He also trained with theatre practitioners including Khalid Tyabji and Dilip Shankar. One of his best-known stage performances came in Othello: A Play in Black and White, directed by Roysten Abel. The production received the Fringe First at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and toured internationally. He has also worked as an acting teacher and has taught at institutions including the National School of Drama, FTII Pune, the Royal Conservatory of Performing Arts in The Hague and Drama School Amsterdam.
Film & Television Career of Adil Hussain
| 2004 | Iti Srikanta | Bengali film debut |
| 2009 | Kaminey | Early Hindi-film appearance |
| 2010 | Ishqiya | Hindi cinema recognition |
| 2012 | English Vinglish | Worked with Sridevi |
| 2012 | The Reluctant Fundamentalist | International cinema |
| 2012 | Life of Pi | Major global exposure |
| 2016 | Hotel Salvation | Award-winning performance |
| 2017 | What Will People Say | International award-winning performance |
| 2017 | Maj Rati Keteki | National Film Award recognition |
| 2020 | Pareeksha | Lead performance |
His television work includes Jasoos Vijay, a detective series produced by BBC World Service Trust.
International Recognition for Adil Hussain
A major turning point came in 2012, when Hussain appeared in three internationally visible films:
❀ Life of Pi - Directed by Ang Lee, the film featured Hussain as Santosh Patel, the father of Piscine "Pi" Patel.
❀ The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Directed by Mira Nair, Hussain played Mustafa Fazil, further establishing his presence in international cinema. These films brought his work to a much wider global audience.
National Film Award for Adil Hussain
At the 64th National Film Awards in 2017, Adil Hussain received a Special Mention for Acting for his performances in Hotel Salvation (Mukti Bhawan) and Maj Rati Keteki.
Other notable honours
❀ Amanda Award for Best Actor, Norway – 2018 for What Will People Say
❀ Kanonprisen / Kanon Award – 2018 for Best Supporting Role for What Will People Say
❀ Best Actor honours at several international film festivals, including recognition for Hotel Salvation and Footprints on Water.
Personal Life of Adil Hussain
Adil Hussain is married to Kristen Jain. They met while working in theatre and married in 2007. He has largely kept his family life away from the public spotlight.
Acting Style & Legacy of Adil Hussain
Hussain's career is particularly notable for moving between Indian regional cinema, Bollywood, independent films, theatre and international productions. His filmography includes work in multiple languages, including Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Tamil, Marathi, Malayalam, English, Norwegian and French.
