Akshay Khanna (British actor)
{{Short description|none}}
{{for|the Indian actor|Akshaye Khanna}}
{{Infobox person
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| alma_mater = University of Bristol
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| years_active = 2020–present
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Akshay Khanna is a British actor. His films include Red, White & Royal Blue and Polite Society (both 2023). On television, he is known for his roles in the BBC One series Chloe (2022) and the Paramount+ series The Doll Factory (2023). He is also one of the core cast of the upcoming Apple TV+ series Murderbot.{{Cite AV media |url=https://m.imdb.com/title/tt30444310/ |title=Murderbot (TV Series 2025– ) {{!}} Action, Drama, Sci-Fi |language=en-US |access-date=2025-04-09 |via=m.imdb.com}}
Early life and education
Akshay Khanna graduated from the University of Bristol in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in economics and management. He then completed a two-year professional acting foundational course at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.{{Cite web |url=https://oldvic.ac.uk/student/akshay-khanna/|title=Akshay Khanna|website=Bristol Old Vic Theatre School|accessdate=12 December 2023}}
Career
Upon completing his drama school course, Khanna appeared in the Greenwich Theatre productions of The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and The Secret Love Life of Ophelia.{{Cite web|url=https://theatreweekly.com/first-look-the-wolves-of-willoughby-chase-at-greenwich-theatre-in-rehearsal/|title=First Look: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase at Greenwich Theatre in Rehearsal|website=Theatre Weekly|date=8 December 2020|accessdate=12 December 2023}} Khanna made his television debut in 2021 with guest appearances in episodes of the ITV crime dramas Grace and Grantchester.{{Cite web|url=https://tellyvisions.org/article/grantchester-season-6-episode-6-recap-get-used-disappointment|title='Grantchester' Season 6, Episode 6 Recap: Get Used To Disappointment|website=Telly Visions|first=Ani|last=Bundel|date=7 November 2021|accessdate=12 December 2023}} He also began working with Big Finish Productions on a number of Doctor Who audio dramas.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bigfinish.com/contributors/v/Akshay-Khanna-11705|title=Akshay Khanna - Contributions|website=Big Finish Productions|accessdate=12 December 2023}}
In 2022, Khanna had his first prominent television role as Anish in the BBC One and Amazon Prime thriller miniseries Chloe.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressparty.com/pg/newsdesk/BBC1/view/280811/?isworld=y|title=Interview with Akshay Khanna who plays Anish in new BBC drama Chloe|website=Press Party|date=1 February 2022|accessdate=12 December 2023}}{{Cite journal|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/chloe-cast-bbc/|title=Meet the cast of BBC One drama Chloe|journal=RadioTimes|first=Lauren|last=Morris|date=8 February 2022|accessdate=12 December 2023}} He starred alongside Harry Lloyd in The Narcissist at Chichester Festival Theatre.{{Cite web|url=https://playsinternational.org.uk/the-narcissist-minerva-theatre-chichester/|title="The Narcissist", Minerva Theatre, Chichester|website=Plays International & Europe|first=Simon|last=Jenner|date=4 September 2022|accessdate=12 December 2023}} The following year, Khanna made his feature film debut in the action comedy Polite Society as Salim{{Cite journal|url=https://www.theupcoming.co.uk/2023/06/15/polite-society-on-the-red-carpet-with-nida-manzoor-priya-kansara-and-akshay-khanna/|title=Polite Society: On the red carpet with Nida Manzoor, Priya Kansara and Akshay Khanna|journal=The Upcoming|first=Sarah|last=Bradbury|date=15 June 2023|accessdate=12 December 2023}}{{Cite journal|url=https://screenrant.com/polite-society-cast-character-guide/|title=Polite Society Cast & Character Guide|journal=Screen Rant|first=Mae|last=Abdulbaki|date=25 April 2023|accessdate=12 December 2023}} and the Amazon Prime film adaptation of Red, White & Royal Blue.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/red-white-royal-blue-cast-meet-the-actors-behind-prime-videos-latest-romance/|title=Red, White & Royal Blue Cast: Meet the Actors Behind Prime Video's Latest Romance|journal=Den of Geek|first=Bryanna|last=Arens|date=11 August 2023|accessdate=12 December 2023}} Also in 2023, Khanna portrayed a fictionalised version of Pre-Raphaelite painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti in the Paramount+ gothic period drama The Doll Factory.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/paramount-plus-doll-factory-cast-1235258575/|title=Paramount+ Unveils Cast for U.K. Original 'The Doll Factory'|journal=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Georg|last=Szalai|date=9 November 2022|accessdate=22 November 2022}}
The following year, Khanna starred as SC Zil Ahmed opposite Simone Kessell in the Stan crime drama Critical Incident,{{Cite web|url=https://drawyourbox.com/posts/critical-incident-akshay-khanna-interview|title='Critical Incident's Akshay Khanna On Playing A Cop, His Indian Roots, And People Pronouncing His Name Wrong|work=Draw Your Box|first=Alicia|last=Vrajlal|date=14 August 2024|accessdate=31 August 2024}} for which he put on an Australian accent. He has upcoming roles in the film Row with Sophie Skelton and Bella Dayne{{Cite journal|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sophie-skelton-bella-dayne-akshay-khanna-movie-row-1235570384/|title=Sophie Skelton, Bella Dayne, Akshay Khanna to Lead Brit Thriller 'Row' (Exclusive)|journal=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Alex|last=Ritman|date=21 August 2023|accessdate=12 December 2023}} and the Apple TV+ series Murderbot.{{Cite web |last=Cordero |first=Rosy |date=2024-03-07 |title=Apple TV+'s 'Murderbot' Rounds Out Cast With Sabrina Wu, Tattiawna Jones, Akshay Khanna & Tamara Podemski |url=https://deadline.com/2024/03/murderbot-cast-sabrina-wu-tattiawna-jones-akshay-khanna-tamara-podemski-1235849178/ |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=Deadline}}
Filmography
{{Pending films key}}
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2" | 2023
| Salim | |
| Red, White & Royal Blue
| Shaan Shrivistava | Amazon film |
| {{TableTBA}}
| {{Pending film|Row}} | Daniel | |
| {{TableTBA}}
| {{Pending film|Touch}} | Phillip | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2" | 2021
| Grace | Josh Sayed | Episode: "Dead Simple" |
| Grantchester
| Josh | 1 episode |
| 2022
| Chloe | Anish | Miniseries |
| 2023
| Rossetti | Main role |
| 2024
| Senior Constable Zilficar 'Zil' Ahmed | Main role |
| TBA
| Ratthi | Main role |
=Video games=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2020
| Unknown 9: Awakening | Azad | |
| 2023
| Additional voices | |
Stage
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2" | 2020
| The Wolves of Willoughby Chase | James / Simon | rowspan="2" | Greenwich Theatre |
| The Secret Love Life of Ophelia
| Hamlet |
| 2022
| The Narcissist | Aide |
Audio
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2021
| The Ninth Doctor Adventures: Planet of the Dead | Sacristan Hinge | rowspan="4" | Big Finish Productions |
| 2022
| Doctor Who Unbound: Time Killers | Riffort |
| rowspan="2" | 2023
| The Eighth of March: A Ghost of Alchemy | Doctor Rushton / Officer |
| Rose Tyler: The Good Samaritan
| Rohan |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|12302587}}
- [https://spotlight.com/3015-1279-9993 Akshay Khanna] at Spotlight
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khanna, Akshay}}
Category:21st-century British male actors
Category:Alumni of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Category:Alumni of the University of Bristol