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Award-winning actor and comedian Asim Chaudhry has opened up about the "fear and shame" he experienced growing up in west London, offering a stark rebuke to far-right narratives while reflecting on his journey from a "working-class boy" in Feltham to Hollywood blockbusters.
The 38-year-old star, best known for his BAFTA-winning portrayal of Chabuddy G in People Just Do Nothing, discussed his upbringing in a revealing interview with The i newspaper. Chaudhry, who was born into a Pakistani-Muslim family in Hounslow, detailed the hostility he faced in his youth, specifically referencing the menacing presence of the National Front.
"I grew up in a lot of fear and shame," Chaudhry told the publication. "I’m from Feltham in west London, which was super racist." He recalled being "beaten up many times by The NF," referring to the fascist political party that saw a surge in popularity during the 1970s and 80s.
A Journey to Cultural Pride
Born on November 24, 1986, to parents hailing from Lahore and Karachi, Pakistan, Chaudhry admitted that he felt compelled to hide his heritage for years. "I had to suppress my culture until I got to secondary school, when I began to discover Asian poetry and cinema," he explained.
This suppression has since transformed into a fierce pride for his identity and his home city. "Now I think London is a beautiful place. I’m very proud of how different we are, and we should celebrate the otherness of our beautiful country," he said, adding bluntly that "anyone who says multiculturalism has failed are f***ing idiots."
Career Evolution: Beyond Chabuddy G
While he made his name playing the hapless entrepreneur Chabuddy G—a role he insists "could have been any race"—Chaudhry has successfully pivoted to major international projects. He noted that his recent roles have been largely "race colour blind," marking a significant shift from the stereotypical casting he encountered early in his career.
Fans have recently seen Chaudhry in massive global franchises. He voiced Teefs in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, played Abel in Netflix’s hit series The Sandman, and appeared as a Mattel warehouse employee in Greta Gerwig’s cultural phenomenon Barbie. He also stars in the Apple TV+ series The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin.
Controversy: The Laurence Fox Feud
Chaudhry also touched upon his willingness to confront public figures who spread divisive rhetoric. He notably recalled mocking actor Laurence Fox following Fox’s controversial comments regarding Sam Mendes’ World War I film, 1917.
Fox had sparked outrage by claiming the inclusion of a Sikh soldier in the film was "incongruous" and "forcing diversity." Chaudhry ridiculed this selective outrage, pointing out the absurdity of accepting Hollywood action tropes while drawing the line at historical diversity. He highlighted the irony of audiences accepting a protagonist surviving a plane crash and running through flares, yet finding the presence of a "brown guy" unbelievable.
News Daily Dazzling Dawn Fact Check
In light of the resurfaced comments regarding the 1917 controversy, we examined the validity of the claims that sparked the feud.
The Claim: Laurence Fox argued that the inclusion of a Sikh soldier in a World War I British regiment was historically inaccurate and performed solely for the sake of diversity.
The Verdict: FALSE.
Historians have extensively documented that the British Indian Army played a critical role in World War I. Over 1.3 million Indian soldiers served in the conflict, with Sikhs making up a significant portion of these troops despite being a minority in India. Sikh soldiers were present on the Western Front as early as 1914. Therefore, the representation of a Sikh soldier in the film 1917 is historically grounded, and the claim that it was "forced diversity" is factually incorrect.
Personal Life and Political Disillusionment
Away from the screen, Chaudhry is enjoying life with his wife, Sevan, whom he married four years ago. The couple is now looking toward the future. "We’re on the right track to start a family," he shared. "I think it would be the greatest joy. It was just me and my sister and my mom for so long. I like that sense of big family, but I also like close family as well."
However, his optimism for his family's future does not extend to the current political landscape. Speaking about former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Chaudhry expressed deep skepticism regarding representation in politics.
"If you told me 25 years ago that there could be an Asian prime minister, I’d be like, ‘You’re smoking crack,’" he admitted. "But this doesn’t feel like the same thing. It’s not representation. Because he’s not representing us. Priti Patel doesn’t represent us. They do not have empathy."
Chaudhry concluded with a damning assessment of the political elite: "The way they got there, through the lies, the horrible behaviour, the bullying. That’s not how you win, not how you get on top."
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