Faruk Kabir

He then rose to fame with Allah Ke Banday, which he directed and acted in as well.

• Name — Faruk Kabir • Born — 18 March 1983 • Birthplace — Delhi, India • Occupation — Film director, Producer, screenwriter • Years Active — 2000–present • Notable Works — * Salakaar • Khuda Haafiz • Allah Ke Banday • The Awakening

Having started his career at a young age of 18 as an assistant director to veterans like Aziz Mirza and Santosh Sivan, Kabir worked on films like Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani and Asoka. He then joined the New York Film Academy (NYFA) in screenwriting and filmmaking. He was also an assistant director on the film Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat. Kabir later became an independent director with the acclaimed documentary Unheard Voices of the People of India, for which he travelled 27,000 kilometres by road. The documentary was produced by Saeed Mirza. In 2006, he marked his directorial debut with the short film The Awakening, which starred Ajay Devgan. The film brought forth the issue of water disasters, and was applauded by the audiences. Kabir debuted as a director and actor for feature films with Allah Ke Banday, which brought together an ensemble star cast including Naseeruddin Shah, Sharman Joshi, Atul Kulkarni to name a few. The film, which dealt with juvenile crime, was well received by the audiences. The film was also screened at the Chicago Film Festival. The film went on to receive 13 nominations in 2011, including Best Debut Director nominations for Kabir at the Filmfare and Star Screen Awards and others at the Stardust, Balaji and IIFA Awards. Kabir has also directed over a dozen music videos with artists like Sanober and Jassi. Kabir is a part of and has associated with the Super Fight League, which holds martial arts related events that are aired on Indian television. He collaborated with SFL and BodyPower UK for the Body Power Expo which was held in March 2014. Kabir has expertise in Boxing, Taekwondo, Brazilian Jujutsu, Judo and the Israeli combat art of Krav Maga. In 2020, Kabir wrote and directed Khuda Haafiz, a direct-to-OTT action thriller that emerged as one of Disney+ Hotstar’s most-watched titles of the year. Its sequel, Khuda Haafiz: Chapter 2 – Agni Pariksha (2022), saw Kabir again take on writing, directing, action direction, and choreography, drawing positive audience response. In 2025, Faruk's Recent Release Salakaar, an espionage thriller inspired by real events, Premieres on JioHotstar.

Kabir is currently directing Shockers, India's first horror web series, which he has created in association with Spiders Web, his production house. The series currently airs on online platform Hotstar, and features actors like Kalki Koechlin, Dia Mirza, Amit Sadh, Amyra Dastur, Rajat Barmecha, Neha Mahajan, Jaideep Ahlawat and Prateik Babbar. Season 3 is rumored to have Arjun Rampal.

In 2020, Kabir wrote and directed Khuda Haafiz, a direct-to-OTT action thriller released on Disney+ Hotstar. The film emerged as one of the platform’s most-watched titles of the year and received widespread audience appreciation.

Kabir followed with Khuda Haafiz: Chapter 2 – Agni Pariksha in 2022, continuing the story of the lead characters Sameer and Nargis. He served not only as writer and director but also as action director and choreographer. The film received a positive audience response and was nominated at the Filmfare Awards and Zee Cine Awards in the “Best Action Film” category.

Kabir’s upcoming work, Salakaar, is an espionage thriller inspired by true events. Co-written and directed by him, the series stars Naveen Kasturia, Mouni Roy, Surya Sharma, and Mukesh Rishi. Its story explores a buried Cold War weapon, a covert mole, and a spymaster’s haunting past. The series is slated to premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on 15 August 2025).

Apart from directing and acting in films, Kabir has also directed over a dozen music videos with T-Series, and artists like Sanober, Jassi and Mikka. He has also produced for the NCPA Theatre Festival with plays like Bade Miyan Diwanae and Falsafa, and has also directed TVCs for UP Tourism, Jabong and Tata to name a few. He has also been an Honorary Creative Director for Mumbai's largest out of home media company, RoshanSpace.

Kabir married actress Rukhsar Rehman in 2010. Rukhsar and Kabir were in a relationship for six years before they tied the knot on 23 March 2010. In July 2023, the couple announced their separation.

• Year — Title — Role • 2005 — Unheard Voices of the People of India — Director — Documentary film • 2006 — The Awakening • 2010 — Allah Ke Banday — Actor, director, writer • 2019 — 377 Ab Normal — Director — Released on ZEE5 • 2020 — Khuda Haafiz — Director, writer • 2022 — Khuda Haafiz: Chapter 2 – Agni Pariksha — Director, writer, lyricist • 2025 — Salakaar — Director, Co-Writer — Released on JioHotstar