Kumail Nanjiani
Acting Born May 2, 1978 Karachi, Pakistan 168 credits
Biography
Kumail Ali Nanjiani, born May 2, 1978 in Karachi, Pakistan, is a Pakistani‑American stand‑up comedian and actor. He is male and is also credited as Kumail Ali Nanjiani. Nanjiani is best known for portraying Dinesh in the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley, which aired from 2014 to 2019, and for co‑writing and starring in the romantic comedy film The Big Sick (2017). He co‑wrote The Big Sick with his wife Emily V. Gordon, and the screenplay received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. In 2018 Time magazine listed him among its 100 most influential people. He earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role in The Twilight Zone. According to TMDB he has 149 credited acting roles.
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Career overview
Kumail Ali Nanjiani was born on May 2, 1978, in Karachi, Pakistan. He is a Pakistani‑American stand‑up comedian and actor who has built a career across film and television. According to The Movie Database, his acting credits number 149, reflecting a broad body of work that includes both comedic and dramatic roles. Nanjiani is also listed under the alternate name Kumail Ali Nanjiani.
In television, he is best known for portraying Dinesh in the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley, a role he held from 2014 through 2019. His work on the anthology series The Twilight Zone earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. In film, Nanjiani co‑wrote and starred in the 2017 romantic comedy The Big Sick. The screenplay, written with his wife Emily V. Gordon, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Recognition of his cultural impact includes his 2018 inclusion on Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Throughout his career, Nanjiani has combined stand‑up comedy with acting, contributing to a diverse portfolio that spans television, film, and writing.
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Frequent co-stars
Fred Armisen
3 shared titles
Isabella Acres
2 shared titles
Reggie Watts
2 shared titles
Harry Styles
2 shared titles
Jeff Goldblum
2 shared titles
Anna Kendrick
2 shared titles
Jason Segel
2 shared titles
Thomas Middleditch
2 shared titles
Zach Woods
2 shared titles
Chris Diamantopoulos
2 shared titles
Career timeline
The Comeback King
The BreadwinnerOver Your Dead BodyFunny AF with Kevin HartThe Wrong GirlsSee You When I See You · Producer
Driver's EdDeli BoysElla McCayKumail Nanjiani: Night ThoughtsKumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts · Writer
FalloutAfter MidnightGhostbusters: Frozen EmpireGrave ConversationsDestroy All Neighbors
Adventure Time: Fionna and CakePoker FaceKrapopolisMigrationHistory of the World: Part II
The Jennifer Hudson ShowObi-Wan KenobiThe Boys Presents: DiabolicalObi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's ReturnWelcome to Chippendales
Only Murders in the BuildingWhat If...?EternalsRoll Up Your SleevesA Night at the Academy Museum
DolittleLittle America · Executive ProducerReunited ApartThe LovebirdsThe Lovebirds · Executive Producer
The BoysThe Kelly Clarkson ShowThe Twilight ZoneMen in Black: InternationalBless the Harts
Duck ButterSeth Rogen's Hilarity for CharityPoop Talk
Big MouthThe Lego Ninjago MovieThe Big SickThe Big Sick · Executive ProducerThe Big Sick · Writer
ChelseaHarmonQuestCentral IntelligenceMike and Dave Need Wedding DatesThe Late Bloomer
The Late Show with Stephen ColbertThe Late Late Show with James CordenThe Late Late Show with James CordenHot OnesClose Up with The Hollywood Reporter
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonLate Night with Seth MeyersLast Week Tonight with John OliverSilicon ValleyVariety Studio: Actors on Actors
The Last Leg@midnight with Chris HardwickDrunk HistoryNewsreadersThe Kings of Summer
VeepKey & PeeleThe Eric Andre ShowBurning LoveThe Five-Year Engagement
Bob's BurgersFranklin & BashPortlandiaPortlandiaPortlandia
ConanAdventure TimeUgly AmericansLife As We Know ItThe Green Room with Paul Provenza
Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenRuPaul's Drag RaceCommunityArcherMichael & Michael Have Issues
Jimmy Kimmel Live!Jimmy Kimmel Live!The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
The ViewThe View
Late Show with David LettermanThe X-Files
MTV Movie & TV Awards
The Simpsons
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Laugh Factory
Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveGood Morning America
The Oscars
Full filmography
- The Comeback King (2027)
- The Breadwinner (2026) as Peyton
- Over Your Dead Body (2026) as Hollywood Dan (uncredited)
- Funny AF with Kevin Hart (2026) as Self - Judge
- The Wrong Girls (2026) as GG (voice)
- See You When I See You (2026) Producer
- The Screener (2026) as Parker Harrison
- The A List: 15 Stories from Asian and Pacific Diasporas (2026) as Self
- Driver's Ed (2025) as Mr. Rivers
- Deli Boys (2025) as Danyal Khan
- Ella McCay (2025) as Trooper Nash
- Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts (2025) as Self
- Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts (2025) Writer
- Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts (2025) Executive Producer
- Is / Was \ Will (2025)
- Is / Was \ Will (2025) Executive Producer
- Fallout (2024) as Xander Harkness
- After Midnight (2024) as Self
- Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) as Nadeem
- Grave Conversations (2024) as Self
- Destroy All Neighbors (2024) as Smelting Refinery Guard
- Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake (2023) as Prismo (voice)
- Poker Face (2023) as Joseph 'Gator Joe' Pilson
- Krapopolis (2023) as Spartan Army Leader (voice)
- Migration (2023) as Mack Mallard (voice)
- History of the World: Part II (2023) as Vatsyayana
- Money Shot: The Pornhub Story (2023) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Dr Phil LIVE! (2023) as Self
- Attack of the Doc! (2023) as Self
- Project Greenlight (2023) as Self
- Project Greenlight (2023) Executive Producer
- The Jennifer Hudson Show (2022) as Self
- Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) as Haja Estree
- The Boys Presents: Diabolical (2022) as Vik (voice)
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return (2022) as Self - Haja Estree
- Welcome to Chippendales (2022) as Somen 'Steve' Banerjee
- Welcome to Chippendales (2022) Executive Producer
- Murderville (2022) as Kumail Nanjiani
- Bee and PuppyCat (2022) as Howell (voice)
- Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Eternals (2022) as Self - Kingo
- Only Murders in the Building (2021) as Rudy Thurber
- What If...? (2021) as Kingo (voice)
- Eternals (2021) as Kingo
- Roll Up Your Sleeves (2021) as Self
- A Night at the Academy Museum (2021) as Self
- Dolittle (2020) as Plimpton (voice)
- Little America (2020) Executive Producer
- Reunited Apart (2020) as Self
- The Lovebirds (2020) as Jibran
- The Lovebirds (2020) Executive Producer
- Death to 2020 (2020) as Bark Multiverse
- Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020 (2020) as Self
- The Boys (2019) as Kumail Nanjiani (uncredited)
- The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019) as Self
- The Twilight Zone (2019) as Samir Wassan
- Men in Black: International (2019) as Pawny (voice)
- Bless the Harts (2019) as Jesus (voice)
- Stuber (2019) as Stu Prasad
- It Started As a Joke (2019) as Self
- Celebrating Marvel's Stan Lee (2019) as Self
- Good Talk with Anthony Jeselnik (2019) as Self
- Duck Butter (2018) as Jake
- Seth Rogen's Hilarity for Charity (2018) as Self
- Poop Talk (2018) as Self
- Big Mouth (2017) as himself (voice)
- The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017) as Jay (voice)
- The Big Sick (2017) as Kumail Nanjiani
- The Big Sick (2017) Executive Producer
- The Big Sick (2017) Writer
- Fist Fight (2017) as Officer Mehar
- A Happening of Monumental Proportions (2017) as Perry
- Chelsea (2016) as Self
- HarmonQuest (2016) as Eddie Lizzard
- Central Intelligence (2016) as Jared the Airport Security Guard
- Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016) as Keanu
- The Late Bloomer (2016) as Rich
- Brother Nature (2016) as Riggleman
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Self - Guest
- The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015) as Self
- The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015) as Self - Guest
- Hot Ones (2015) as Self
- Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter (2015) as Self
- Taskmaster (2015) as Self
- Major Lazer (2015) as Thor (voice)
- The Grinder (2015) as Prosecutor Leonard
- Hell and Back (2015) as Dave the Demon (voice)
- Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2015) as Brad Syed
- Misery Loves Comedy (2015) as Self
- Hello, My Name Is Doris (2015) as Nasir
- Flock of Dudes (2015) as Ro
- Addicted to Fresno (2015) as Damon
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self - Guest
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self - Guest
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014) as Self
- Silicon Valley (2014) as Dinesh Chugtai
- Variety Studio: Actors on Actors (2014) as Self
- Off Camera with Sam Jones (2014) as Self
- Broad City (2014) as Benny Calitri
- Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero (2014) as Cute-ling Mayor (voice)
- Garfunkel and Oates (2014) as Jordan
- Sex Tape (2014) as Punit
- TripTank (2014) as Dick Genie (voice)
- The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail (2014) as Self
- The Last of the Great Romantics (2014) as George the Counter Guy
- Loaded (2014) as Raza
- The Last Leg (2013) as Self
- @midnight with Chris Hardwick (2013) as Self
- Drunk History (2013) as Lakota Chief
- Newsreaders (2013) as Amir Larussa
- The Kings of Summer (2013) as Gary
- The Arrangement (2013) as Alfred Dalton
- The Jeselnik Offensive (2013) as Self
- Bad Milo! (2013) as Bobbi
- Timms Valley (2013) as Arjit Pondicherry
- Hell Baby (2013) as Cable Guy
- Kumail Nanjiani: Beta Male (2013) as Himself
- Kumail Nanjiani: Beta Male (2013) Writer
- Veep (2012) as Statistician
- Key & Peele (2012) as College Kid #1
- The Eric Andre Show (2012) as Self
- Burning Love (2012) as Zakir
- The Five-Year Engagement (2012) as Pakistani Chef
- Bunk (2012)
- Bob's Burgers (2011) as Skip Marooch (voice)
- Franklin & Bash (2011) as Pindar Singh
- Portlandia (2011) as Cell Phone Salesman
- Portlandia (2011) as Birthday Loan Officer
- Portlandia (2011) as Human Bandwidth Manager
- Portlandia (2011) as Denim Salesman
- Portlandia (2011) as SoCal Waiter
- Traffic Light (2011) as Paul
- Conan (2010) as Self
- Adventure Time (2010) as Prismo (voice)
- Ugly Americans (2010) as Neilando Patel (voice)
- Life As We Know It (2010) as Simon
- The Green Room with Paul Provenza (2010) as Self
- Reggie Watts: Why Shit So Crazy? (2010)
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (2009) as Self - Guest
- RuPaul's Drag Race (2009) as Self - Guest Judge
- Community (2009) as Lapari
- Archer (2009) as Farooq Ashkani (voice)
- Michael & Michael Have Issues (2009) as Kumail
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - Guest
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - Guest Host
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) as Self
- Aqua Teen Hunger Force (2000) as Bees (voice)
- The View (1997) as Self
- The View (1997) as Self - Guest
- Late Show with David Letterman (1993) as Self - Guest
- The X-Files (1993) as Pasha
- MTV Movie & TV Awards (1992) as Self - Presenter
- The Simpsons (1989) as Theo (voice)
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988) as Self
- Laugh Factory (1979) as Self
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Cameo (uncredited)
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
- Good Morning America (1975) as Self - Guest
- The Oscars (1953) as Self - Presenter
- Compulsive Liar as Simon
- Compulsive Liar Screenplay
- Compulsive Liar Executive Producer
- Very Young Frankenstein
- All Day & All Night
- Green Bank
- Thread: An Insidious Tale
- Sex Criminals Executive Producer
- Sex Criminals Creator
- Sidekicks Screenplay