| Ray Panthaki | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 January 1979 London, England, UK |
| Occupation | Actor, Film producer |
Ray Panthaki is a British-born actor, film producer and writer.
Born in London, Panthaki is best known for the roles he played on BBC soap opera EastEnders as Ronny Ferreira (2003–2005) and as 'Hassan B' the nemesis to Sacha Baron Cohen's Ali G in Ali G Indahouse. He also appeared in the hit British films 28 Days Later, Ali G Indahouse, REHAB, Tube Tales, Bollywood Queen, Provoked, and the 2006 cult box office hit Kidulthood which he also produced. In 2006 he was nominated for "Best Actor in a Play" at the TMA Theatre Awards for his role in Gladiator Games, which was based on the highly-publicised true story of teenager Zahid Mubarek who was beaten to death by his racist cellmate in Feltham Young Offenders' Institution. Later that year he set up the London-based production company Urban Way.
Known for tackling gritty projects in both his acting and producing, he lived homeless on the streets in preparation for his role as a homeless heroin addict in the controversial movie The Feral Generation, which was awarded "Best UK Feature" at the Swansea Film Festival 2008. Panthaki is currently filming the lead role in City Rats alongside Danny Dyer, Tamer Hassan and Susan Lynch produced by Urban Way Productions and will make his West End debut in July 2008 in the hard hitting play In My Name at the Trafalgar Studios.
Has worked with some of the UK's finest Film Directors including Danny Boyle, Gurinder Chadha, Armando Ianucci, Ben Elton, Antonia Bird and Mark Mylod
Panthaki dated his former Eastenders co-star actress Brooke Kinsella, from 2005, but ended in 2010
He was in It's a Wonderful Afterlife Directed by Gurinder Chadha
Is currently starring in 'The Man Inside' alongside Peter Mullan, Ashley 'Bashy' Thomas and Michelle Ryan. He is also producing the Film through his company Urban Way
In Oct 2011 it was announced that Panthaki will appear on stage at The Royal Court Theatre for the second time in his career in the play The Westbridge by Rachel De-Lahay.