Rizwan Manji
{{short description|Canadian actor}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rizwan Manji
| image = Rizwan Manji at Carmel Film Festival.jpg
| caption = Manji at the Carmel Film Festival in 2016
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|10|17}}
| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| alma_mater = American Musical and Dramatic Academy
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1997–present
| spouse = Taslim Manji
| children = 3
}}
Rizwan Manji (born October 17, 1974) is a Canadian actor. He is known best for his portrayals of Ray Butani on Schitt's Creek, Tick Pickwick on The Magicians, Rajiv Gidwani in the NBC sitcom Outsourced, and Jamil in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) television series Peacemaker (2022–present).{{cite web | url=http://www.nbc.com/outsourced/bios/rizwan_manji/ | title=Outsourced: Rajiv played by Rizwan Manji | publisher=NBC Universal | accessdate=2010-10-15 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027104355/http://www.nbc.com/outsourced/bios/rizwan_manji/ | archivedate=October 27, 2010 | df=mdy-all }}
Early life
Manji was born in Toronto, Ontario, to Indian parents who emigrated from Tanzania.Strachan, Alex (May 12, 2011). "It's end of the season for five television programs". The Windsor Star (Windsor, Ontario). p. C8. His family is Ismaili-Muslim of Gujarati Indian descent,{{cite web|title=Outsourcing stereotypes|url=http://southasia.typepad.com/south_asia_daily/2010/09/outsourcing-stereotypes.html|accessdate=23 January 2015}} and he has said that his religion is very important to him.{{Cite web |url=http://www.illumemag.com/zine/articleDetail.php?Rizwan-Manji-Taking-Jobs-From-White-America-13393 |first= Irfan |last= Rydhan |title=Rizwan Manji: Taking Jobs From White America |work = ILLUME |access-date=December 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101226043013/http://www.illumemag.com/zine/articleDetail.php?Rizwan-Manji-Taking-Jobs-From-White-America-13393 |archive-date=December 26, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} When Manji was in grade one, he and his family moved to Calgary, Alberta, where he was raised.Ryan, Andrew (October 6, 2010). "Outsourced, in this case, is 'a great honour'". The Globe and Mail (Toronto). p. R4. He graduated from Crescent Heights High School."Indo-Canadian Actor to Star in 'The Wolf of Wall Street'". News India-Times (New York). December 20, 2013. p. 23.
Manji's parents wanted him to go to university to earn a degree, but he wanted to be an actor.Hall, Jamie (September 30, 2010). "Actor finds way in with Outsourced; Sitcom set in Indian firm 'a really big deal' for ex-U of A student". Edmonton Journal. p. D1. He attended the University of Alberta, where his sister Rishma was enrolled. The only class he enjoyed there was drama.Volmers, Eric (September 30, 2010). "Sitcom laughs outsourced to Calgary actor; Rizwan Manji shows funny side in new series". Calgary Herald. p. E4. In 1992 Manji enrolled at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.{{cite web |url=http://www.theismaili.org/cms/1131/ldquoOutsourcedrdquo-not-outdone-mdash-Ismaili-actor-makes-headway-in-Hollywood |title="Outsourced" not outdone — Ismaili actor makes headway in Hollywood |publisher=TheIsmaili.org |date=December 21, 2010 |accessdate=December 12, 2010 }}
Career
During the early years of Manji's career, he played small parts in various films and television shows, with recurring roles in Privileged, Better Off Ted and 24.
From 2010 to 2011, Manji played Rajiv Gidwani on the NBC comedy Outsourced. He initially auditioned for the role of Gupta; Parvesh Cheena got the part, but the producers cast Manji as the scheming assistant manager Rajiv.{{Cite web|title="People think Rajiv Gidwani is a jackass!" – Rizwan Manji » Bollywood Spice | Bollywood News|url=http://www.bollyspice.com/view.php/6123-people-think-rajiv-gidwani-is-a-jackass-8211-rizwan-manji.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101212200644/http://www.bollyspice.com/view.php/6123-people-think-rajiv-gidwani-is-a-jackass-8211-rizwan-manji.html|archive-date=December 12, 2010|access-date=December 13, 2010|df=mdy-all}}Brioux, Bill (November 27, 2010). "Landing a big job on Outsources: The new show is the latest in a trend that reflects the growing global reach of the South Asian community". Toronto Star. p. SW4.
Manji played Ray Butani on the CBC comedy Schitt's Creek from 2015 to 2020, for which he was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award.{{Cite web|title=CBC and Little Mosque on the Prairie's Zarqa Nawaz reunite for Zarqa {{!}} TV, eh?|url=https://www.tv-eh.com/2021/10/07/cbc-and-little-mosque-on-the-prairies-zarqa-nawaz-reunite-for-zarqa/#:~:text=Manji%20received%20a%202021%20Canadian,in%20the%20NBC%20comedy,%20Outsourced.|access-date=2021-11-06|website=www.tv-eh.com| date=October 7, 2021 }}
He also appeared in seasons 2-5 of The Magicians, a fantasy television series on SyFy.
In 2019, he starred in the NBC comedy Perfect Harmony as Reverend Jax, a missionary who runs a church. The show, which starred Bradley Whitford, was cancelled after one season.
Manji has also appeared in a GEICO commercial as a customer in the checkout aisle who wins the "auction,"[https://www.tvovermind.com/rizwan-manji/ Hanson-Firestone, Dana, "10 Things You Didn’t Know About Rizwan Manji," tvovermind.com, November 2019 Retrieved April 7, 2020][https://www.ispot.tv/topic/actor-actress/kti/rizwan-manji ispot.tv Manji TV Commercials Ads Retrieved April 7, 2020] and in commercials for Kmart, LendingTree, National Car Rental, The UPS Store, and Beyond Meat.
Manji co-hosts a podcast titled The Brighter Side of News.{{Cite web |title=Host The Brighter Side Of News |url=https://www.rukusavenueradio.com/host-the-brighter-side-of-news |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=Rukus Avenue Radio |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Manji lives in Studio City, California, with his wife and three children.{{cite web | url=https://people.com/parents/rizwan-manji-welcomes-son-aariq/ | title=Rizwan Manji Welcomes Son Aariq | publisher=People | access-date=2020-09-26}} He has spoken openly about issues facing South Asian and Muslim actors in Hollywood.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-21|title=Rizwan Manji: It wasn't a surprise that people loved Schitt's Creek. It was a surprise that it took so long for people to find it!|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/hollywood/rizwan-manji-it-wasn-t-a-surprise-that-people-loved-schitt-s-creek-it-was-a-surprise-that-it-took-so-long-for-people-to-find-it/story-tYmOLd6qlN80SVHLe2FC6M.html|access-date=2021-11-06|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}
Filmography
= Film =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1997
| Newsstand Owner | |
| 1998
| Young Arab | |
| rowspan="2" | 2001
| Salim Ali Khan | |
| Queenie in Love
| Ahmed | |
| 2002
| data-sort-value="Guru, The" | The Guru | Party Waiter | |
| 2004
| Fillum Star: The Peter Patel Story | Peter Patel | |
| rowspan="3" | 2007
| Akram | |
| Charlie Wilson's War
| Colonel Mahmood | |
| God, Inc.
| Muslim Publicist | Short film |
| 2009
| Karma Calling | Nikhil Shah | |
| 2010
| DayBreak Producer | |
| rowspan="2" | 2012
| data-sort-value="Dictator, The" | The Dictator | HIV Patient | |
| data-sort-value="Citizen, The" | The Citizen
| Mo | |
| rowspan="3" | 2013
| data-sort-value="Wolf of Wall Street, The" | The Wolf of Wall Street | Kalil | |
| Don Jon
| Teacher | |
| Decoding Annie Parker
| Assistant | |
| rowspan="3" | 2014
| Vijay | |
| That Thing with the Cat
| Manu | |
| Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
| Mr. Cellars | |
| rowspan="2" | 2015
| Equals | Gilead | |
| Miss India America
| Balu Patel | |
| rowspan="5" | 2016
| Paterson | Donny | |
| data-sort-value="Tiger Hunter, The" | The Tiger Hunter
| Babu Rahman | |
| Odd Squad: The Movie
| Weird Mitch | |
| data-sort-value="Bounce Back, The" | The Bounce Back
| Daryl | |
| Arranged
| Raj | Short |
| 2017
| Wild Honey | Writers' Group Leader | |
| 2018
| data-sort-value="Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot, The" | The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot | Maple Leaf | |
| rowspan="2" | 2020
| Bruce Rapp | |
| Midnight Curry
| Aman Khoja | |
| 2022
| Vijay, Asha's father | |
| rowspan="4" | 2023
| data-sort-value="Donor Party, The" | The Donor Party | Kahlil | |
| Shazam! Fury of the Gods
| Docent | |
| ''Mustache
|Hameed | |
| Journey to Bethlehem
| |
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1998
| Money Kings | Club Patron | Television film |
| 1999
| Dr. Patel | Episode: #1.7991 |
| rowspan="5" | 2005
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Santanu Singh | Episode: "Gone" |
| NCIS
| Dr. Pandy | Episode: "SWAK" |
| Damage Control
| | 2 episodes |
| Sleeper Cell
| Car Salesman | Episode: "Money" |
| Late Night with Conan O'Brien
| Episode: "#13.62" |
| rowspan="2" | 2006
| E-Ring | Officer ISI | Episode: "Five Pillars" |
| Rescue Me
| Haji | Episode: "Retards" |
| rowspan="3" | 2007
| data-sort-value="Knights of Prosperity, The" | The Knights of Prosperity | Dentist | Episode: "Operation: Fighting Shape" |
| data-sort-value="Game, The" | The Game
| Tubak | Episode: "To Baby... Or Not to Baby" |
| Without a Trace
| Fasil Mazarin | Episode: "Deep Water" |
| 2008–2009
| Rami | 10 episodes |
| rowspan="4" | 2008
| Gynecologist | Episode: "#4.1" |
| Life
| Young Doctor | Episode: "Everything... All the Time" |
| It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
| Mehar | Episode: "Paddy's Pub: The Worst Bar in Philadelphia" |
| Hannah Montana
| Ajay | Episode: "You Never Give Me My Money" |
| rowspan="2" | 2009–2010
| Rick / Male Office Worker | 5 episodes |
| FlashForward
| Maneesh Sandhar | 3 episodes |
| rowspan="6" | 2009
| data-sort-value="Suite Life on Deck, The" | The Suite Life on Deck | Swami Banu Kapatu | Episode: "The Mommy and the Swami" |
| Worst Week
| Ashok | Episode: "The Epidural" |
| Eleventh Hour
| Tony | Episode: "Olfactus" |
| How I Met Your Mother
| Dr. Vikash | Episode: "Double Date" |
| Medium
| Rental Agent | Episode: "New Terrain" |
| Three Rivers
| Dr. Drev / Dr. Dev / Male Doctor | 3 episodes |
| 2010–2011
| Rajiv Gidwani | 22 episodes |
| rowspan="3" | 2010
| 24 | Ahman | 3 episodes |
| Glee
| Dr. Gidwani | Episode: "Laryngitis" |
| Hawthorne
| Dr. Asheesh Danee | Episode: "Afterglow" |
| 2011
| Private Investigator | Episode: "Seventeen Ain't So Sweet" |
| 2012–2013
| Dr. Gordon | 2 episodes |
| rowspan="3" | 2012
| New Girl | Interviewer | Episode: "Normal" |
| Shake It Up
| John | Episode: "Whodunit Up?" |
| Squad 85
| Cubby / Asst. Principal | 3 episodes |
| rowspan="8" | 2013
| Touch | Pakistani Interrogator | Episode: "Enemy of My Enemy" |
| Wendell & Vinnie
| Aziz | 2 episodes |
| Arrested Development
| Animesh / Male Concierge | Episode: "Indian Takers" |
| Save Me
| Dr. Carroll | Episode: "Heal Thee" |
| Anger Management
| Indian Father | Episode: "Charlie and the Airport Sext" |
| Lucky 7
| Ahsan Lashiri | 3 episodes |
| Bones
| Raymond McCants | Episode: "The Mystery in the Meat" |
| data-sort-value="Goldbergs, The" | The Goldbergs
| Donald | Episode: "Shopping" |
| 2013–2014
| Dr. Young | 2 episodes |
| rowspan="3" | 2014
| Mom | Dr. Bellin | 2 episodes |
| Working the Engels
| Edward Fancy-Doodle | Episode: "Jenna vs. Big Pastry Part II" |
| Mixology
| Ganesh | Episode: "Closing Time" |
| rowspan="4" | 2015
| Cashier / Doctor | Episode: "Young & Munchies" |
| Backstrom
| Dr. Deb Chaman | 5 episodes |
| data-sort-value="Thundermans, The" | The Thundermans
| Babu Ouch | Episode: "Phoebe vs Max: The Sequel" |
| Minority Report
| Dr. Orson | Episode: "Fredi" |
| 2015–2020
| Ray Butani | 13 episodes |
| 2015–2016
| Mr. Matoo | 2 episodes |
| rowspan="5" | 2016
| data-sort-value="League, The" | The League | Maitre D | Episode: "The 13 Stages of Grief" |
| NCIS: Los Angeles
| Anton | Episode: "Matryoshka, Part 1" |
| Workaholics
| Saul Kingston | Episode: "Night at the Dudeseum" |
| Another Period
| Prince Apato | Episode: "The Prince and the Pauper" |
| Goliath
| Dr. Carbo | Episode: "It's Donald" |
| 2017–2020
| data-sort-value="Magicians, The" | The Magicians | Tick Pickwick | 24 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2017
| Norm | Recurring role |
| Mondays
| Tour Guide | 2 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2018
| Rob Riggle’s Ski Master Academy | Todd | 8 episodes |
| data-sort-value="Very Nutty Christmas, A" | A Very Nutty Christmas
| Justin | TV movie |
| 2019–2021
| Vice Principal Virman | 7 episodes |
| 2019–2020
| Reverend Jax | Main cast, 13 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2020–2021
|Mr. Khan / Ajhay Sharma (voice) |8 episodes |
| American Dad!
|Knight / Towel Swan (voice) |2 episodes |
| 2021
| Atypical | Vice Principal Patrick | 3 episodes |
| rowspan="5" | 2022
| Jamil | Recurring role |
| Roar
| Third Husband (Raoul) | Episode: "The Woman Who Returned Her Husband" |
| Zarqa
| Yusuf | 3 episodes |
| Family Guy
| Giraffe (voice) | Episode: "Happy Holo-ween" |
| Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration
| Le Fou | Live TV special |
=Video games=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role |
|---|
| 2007
| Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties | Akbar |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0542492}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manji, Rizwan}}
Category:Canadian expatriate male actors in the United States
Category:Canadian male film actors
Category:Canadian male television actors
Category:Canadian male voice actors
Category:Canadian people of Gujarati descent
Category:Canadian people of Indian descent
Category:Canadian people of Tanzanian descent
Category:Male actors from California
Category:Male actors from Toronto
Category:Male actors from Gujarat
Category:People from Studio City, Los Angeles
Category:20th-century Canadian male actors
Category:21st-century Canadian male actors