As the show’s title character in season 1 of United States of Al, Adhir Kalyan received a lot of attention and praise for his stellar performance.  

Adhir played the role of Awalmir, also known as Al, an interpreter from Afghanistan. Al helped US Marine Riley to deal with his PTSD while also trying to fix his relationship with his wife.

To get you pumped up for season 2, here are some interesting facts about your favourite leading man. You can thank us later. 😉

Proudly South African

Adhir was born and raised in Durban, South Africa. In his early twenties, the aspiring thespian moved to London to further his career, which led to memorable stints on multiple BBC series such as Holby City Vlll and Spooks V.

Background in theatre

Like many actors who have been formally trained, Adhir began his career on stage. He was in several plays, including A Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist.

Adhir scoops leading lady

Adhir is married to actress Emily Wilson who is best known for her role in General Hospital. The couple started dating in 2011 and after three years of togetherness, Adhir popped the big question.

Human rights matter

When it comes to issues surrounding human rights, Adhir has never been shy about sharing his opinion. With this said, he once participated in a virtual protest called Blackout Tuesday which was aimed at raising awareness for the Black Lives Matter Movement.

First time marathon runner

Adhir was able to cross a milestone off his bucket list prior to the pandemic by running his first marathon in March 2020!

Catch Adhir Kalyan on United States of Al season 2 every Friday at 19:00, starting 20 May 2022 on M-Net.