Lead
Kushal Dubey, Indian film actor, and creative personality best known for his leading role in the critically acclaimed international drama film Santosh (2024). Dubey has portrayed the role of Vikram in the movie, demonstrating his acting skills.
Dubey was born and raised in Uttar Pradesh, where he developed his passion for acting and storytelling. He graduated from the prestigious Bharatendu Natya Academy in Lucknow, where he studied dramatic arts. After his graduation, he pursued theater and appeared in more than thirty plays. In addition, he participated in over a hundred street dramas in various cities and states. It allowed him to hone his acting skills and gain experience communicating with ordinary people and realising social issues.
Besides being an actor, Dubey is a popular creative personality on social media. He regularly posts short films and comedic sketches about everyday affairs and social issues. His performances are viewed by a large audience of millions of followers. Thus, Dubey has achieved popularity both in traditional art, such as theater, and in modern Internet culture.
The role in Santosh, a film directed by Sandhya Suri and released at the Cannes Film Festival, has significantly improved Dubey’s acting career. The film, which explores moral dilemmas in the context of rural life, received critical acclaim, and positive feedback from both local and international critics. This role demonstrated Dubey’s acting talent to a wider audience and helped him take another step in his career growth.
At the moment, Kushal Dubey continues to work in the film industry. He actively participates in the performing arts, does filming, and creates video content for social media. This versatile and successful actor continues to develop his acting skills, drawing attention both in traditional art and in modern Internet culture. Dubey’s work ethic, simplicity, and professionalism inspire audience members and colleagues to follow his example.
Early Life and Education
Kushal Dubey was born on October 22, 1998, in the small village of Khaparaha in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. He spent his childhood and grew accustomed to the simple life of the villagers who live there. He had the advantage of observing and studying the local color and the traditional background and customs of this community. This had a major impact on him and influenced his understanding of the regional stories and narrations, as well as the overall behavior and interaction patterns of the people there. This allowed him to realize and acknowledge the intricate cultural details and nuances of this community and its members’ lifestyles.
- Full Name: Kushal Dubey
Profession(s):
- Actor
- Theatre Artist
- Digital Content Creator
- Date of Birth: October 22, 1998
- Height: 5' 10" (Approx. 178 cm)
- Eye Colour: Black / Dark Brown (Standard professional headshots)
- Hair Colour: Black
- Home Town: Khaparaha Village, Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
- College / Institute: Bharatendu Natya Academy (BNA), Lucknow
- Education Qualification: Professional Diploma in Acting & Dramatic Arts
- Religion: Hinduism
- Relationship / Marital Status: Single / Unmarried
- Siblings: Vishal Dubey (Older Brother & Co-founder of The Asstag)
- Language Known: Hindi, Bhojpuri, and English
Early Life & Artistic Roots
The inclination towards performing and acting had been there since his tender age, Kushal was always fond of being a part of any play or performance that was happening around him. He grew up with his elder brother Vishal Dubey in the state of U.P. And Kushal's proximity to the local legends and the folktales nurtured his inclination for the performing art. But it was during his school days that the young Kushal got exposed to drama and theatre and he realized that he has a real passion for acting. And thus began his journey of theatre which eventually led him to pursue acting more seriously and professionally.
Education & Theatrical Training
To hone his craft and prepare himself for a professional acting career, Kushal went to Lucknow, the state capital, to pursue his dramatic studies:
- Acting Diploma: Kushal enrolled at the prestigious Bharatendu Natya Academy (BNA), one of the city’s most renowned institutions for dramatic arts, where he earned a professional diploma in acting.
- Stage Experience: While studying at BNA, and in the years that followed, he sharpened his dramatic skills through more than 30 traditional stage plays and over 100 street plays (Nukkad Natak) in several Indian cities.
This extensive experience with India’s traditional theatrical forms served as an excellent foundation for his later career as a co-founder of the popular online channel The Asstag and landing a role in the forthcoming international production Santosh (2024).
Film & Acting Career
Santosh (2024): Kushal Dubey stars as Aayush in this Hindi-language crime drama from Sandhya Suri. The film has had critical success, having debuted in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it received worldwide acclaim, and has since been entered in the UK as their official entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
Theater & Creative Background
- Stage Performance: Prior to establishing his film career, Dubey had been performing as a theater actor in various stage plays and independent dramatic productions before gaining recognition in the film industry.
- Writing & Direction: Apart from his acting career, Dubey is a writer, screenplay writer, and director of short-format videos and short plays.