From being recognised as Panchayat’s perpetually unimpressed “Damaad Ji” to appearing in some of India’s most popular streaming shows, Aasif Khan has built his acting career largely through supporting parts that refuse to disappear into the background. Now, the actor has stepped into an entirely different format with Bigg Boss 20.
Aasif enters the Salman Khan-hosted reality show with credits including Panchayat, Mirzapur, Paatal Lok and Jamtara. His journey to these projects, however, began far away from Mumbai’s film sets and included theatre, casting work and jobs taken simply to keep himself afloat.
Who Is Aasif Khan?
Aasif comes from Nimbahera, a town in Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh district. His father, Ayyub Khan, worked at JK Cement, and the actor
did not grow up in a family connected to the entertainment industry. His interest in performing can be traced to his school years, when he participated in a play.
Life changed after his father died in 2008. With responsibilities at home, Aasif’s route towards acting was anything but immediate. He eventually pursued theatre extensively, spending around five years performing before turning his attention towards screen work.
His early years in Mumbai were marked by the kind of struggle that rarely makes it into an actor’s eventual filmography. Before acting became a sustainable profession, Aasif took up jobs to support himself, including working as a waiter. He later found his way into the casting business, which put him closer to the industry he wanted to join.
From Casting Work To Small Film Roles
After returning to Mumbai in 2016, Aasif worked with a casting agency while continuing to look for acting opportunities. He began appearing in smaller parts before gradually finding more substantial work.
His early screen journey included brief appearances in mainstream Hindi films before streaming gave him considerably more room as a performer. Instead of arriving through a conventional leading-man launch, Aasif built his career one character at a time.
The turning point came with Mirzapur. Aasif played Babar, Maqbool’s nephew, who becomes associated with Guddu and Bablu Pandit. The part introduced him to the huge audience surrounding the crime series and was followed by appearances in other major streaming titles.
Panchayat’s ‘Gajab Beizzati Hai Yaar’ Made Him A Familiar Face
Aasif subsequently appeared in Paatal Lok and Jamtara, but Panchayat gave him one of his most instantly recognisable characters.
He plays Ganesh, the famously disgruntled groom who arrives in Phulera for his wedding and is unimpressed by the arrangements made for him. His frustration eventually produced the line, “Gajab beizzati hai yaar,” which became widely circulated as a meme. The character later returned to the series and became more involved with the residents of Phulera.
Aasif has continued working in films alongside his OTT appearances. Among his more recent projects is the 2025 horror-comedy The Bhootnii, in which he had a larger role. He has also worked in Kakuda.
Aasif Khan Was Hospitalised In 2025
Aasif also made headlines in 2025 after being hospitalised. Initial speculation suggested that the actor had suffered a heart attack, causing concern among his fans.
Aasif later clarified that reports describing his health scare as a heart attack were incorrect.
The episode briefly shifted attention away from his work, but he subsequently returned to acting.
Aasif Khan Enters Bigg Boss 20
With Bigg Boss 20, Aasif is moving from scripted characters into a reality show where audiences will see him without Babar, Ganesh or any of the other roles attached to his name.
His participation also puts an actor closely associated with India’s streaming boom inside Salman Khan’s house. Aasif’s name had been circulating among the prospective contestants ahead of the September 6 grand premiere, alongside personalities from television, music, sports, social media and esports.
For viewers who recognise his face before remembering his name, the shorthand remains simple: he is the actor behind Panchayat’s “Damaad Ji,” Mirzapur’s Babar and memorable supporting turns across several OTT shows. Bigg Boss 20 now puts Aasif Khan himself at the centre of the frame.
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