South African actor Adhir Kalyan was born on August 4, 1983, in Durban, South Africa. Born to prominent parents, he began acting initially in different productions across South Africa, including theatrical productions of A Christmas Carol, The Ground Beneath Her Feet and MacBeth. He then moved to London, intending to pursue an acting career there.
Aside from appearing in a number of independent films, Kalyan made his name working on television series in London. He made guest appearances in episodes of the British medical drama Holby City, and the spy drama Spooks. He also appeared in the Irish prime time soap Fair City.
Kalyan then tried his luck in the United States, where he got his first regular television role. In 2007, he joined the cast of the sitcom Aliens in America, where he played the role of Raja Musharaff, a 16-year-old Pakistani who lives with the Tolchuk family as part of the foreign exchange program. Despite the obvious difference in culture, he strikes an unlikely friendship with Justin (Dan Byrd), and together they try to survive high school and life in America in general.
Aliens in America was a moderate success, but was cancelled after the first season. This didn’t stop Kalyan’s acting career in the United States; he has played guest roles in several programs, notably a role in Nip/Tuck. He has also began shooting some films.