# Soubin Shahir

Soubin Shahir (born 12 October 1983) is an Indian actor, director and producer who works in Malayalam cinema. He began his film career as an assistant director in 2003 and worked under several directors. Soubin made his acting debut in 2013 with a supporting role in Annayum Rasoolum. He made his directorial debut with the drama Parava (2017).
His breakthrough role came in 2015 with his comic character in Premam. In 2018, he won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor for his leading role in Sudani from Nigeria, which was also a major commercial success. He portrayed one of the main characters in Manjummel Boys, which went on to become the highest grossing Malayalam film ever, which he also produced.

## Early life

Soubin was born and raised in Fort Kochi, Kerala, India. He has a brother and sister. His father Babu Shahir was an assistant director and production controller who had worked in films such as Manichithrathazhu, Godfather, In Harihar Nagar among others.

## Career

Soubin started his film career as an assistant director in the industry with Siddique's Chronic Bachelor (2003). He assisted directors like Fazil, Siddique, Rafi-Mecartin, P. Sukumar, Santhosh Sivan, Rajeev Ravi, and Amal Neerad. He made his acting début in Fazil's Kaiyethum Doorath (2002) while working as an assistant director. He got a breakthrough role with Alphonse Putharen's Premam (2015) where he played the role of a PT teacher. This led to his popularity as an actor in the industry. His popular roles include in films Charlie (2015), Maheshinte Prathikaaram (2016), Kali (2016), Darvinte Parinamam (2016), Kammatipaadam (2016), Anuraga Karikkin Vellam (2016), Mayanadhi (2017), Comrade in America – CIA (2017), and Kumbalangi Nights. His first full lead role was in the film Sudani from Nigeria (2018) for which he won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor.
In 2024, he played the part of Siju David aka "Kuttan" in Manjummel Boys. He also produced the movie. It went on to receive critical acclaim and set several box-office records, becoming the highest grossing Malayalam film, and the first film from the industry to earn more than ₹200 crore.
He is also a partner in Parava Films, a production company that has produced hits like Manjummel Boys.

## Personal life

On 16 December 2017, he married his fiancée Jamia Zaheer. Jamia is a marketing professional, based in Kochi. The couple has a son born in May 2019.

## Filmography

Key :
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |

### As actor

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1992 | Vietnam Colony | | Child artist |
| 1992 | Pappayude Swantham Appoos | | Child artist |
| 1993 | Kabooliwala | | Child artist |
| 2002 | Kaiyethum Doorath | Bus Passenger | Cameo appearance |
| 2005 | Pandipada | Peacock Man in Function | Cameo appearance |
| 2010 | Bodyguard | College Student | Cameo appearance |
| 2011 | Urumi | Tribal Gang Member | |
| 2012 | Da Thadiya | Himself | Cameo appearance |
| 2013 | Annayum Rasoolum | Collin | |
| 2013 | Kadal Kadannoru Mathukkutty | | |
| 2013 | 5 Sundarikal | Poovalan | Anthology film; Segment: Kullante Bharya |
| 2014 | Masala Republic | Althaf | |
| 2014 | Iyobinte Pusthakam | Ivan's Henchman | |
| 2015 | Chandrettan Evideya | Sumesh | |
| 2015 | Premam | Shivan Sir | |
| 2015 | Loham | Street Rowdy | |
| 2015 | Rani Padmini | Madan | |
| 2015 | Charlie | Sunikuttan | |
| 2016 | Maheshinte Prathikaaram | Crispin | |
| 2016 | Hello Namasthe | Abu | |
| 2016 | Kali | Prakashan | |
| 2016 | Darvinte Parinamam | Willy | |
| 2016 | Mudhugauv | Kumari | |
| 2016 | Kammatipaadam | Karate Biju | |
| 2016 | Happy Wedding | Matrimony Consultant | |
| 2016 | Anuraga Karikkin Vellam | Fakru/Fakrudheen | |
| 2016 | Popcorn | Milton | |
| 2017 | Comrade in America – CIA | Joemon | |
| 2017 | Achayans | Qi | |
| 2017 | Parava | Drug addict | Cameo appearance; directorial debut |
| 2017 | Solo | Pattu | |
| 2017 | Solo | Shekhar's friend at his birthday party | Tamil film; special appearance in the song "Thoovanam" |
| 2017 | Mayaanadhi | Sameera's Ikka | Cameo appearance |
| 2018 | Street Lights | Subin | |
| 2018 | Carbon | Aanakkaran Rajesh | |
| 2018 | Rosapoo | Sajeer | |
| 2018 | Sudani from Nigeria | Majeed | |
| 2018 | Kuttanadan Marpappa | Freddy | |
| 2018 | Mohanlal | Mr. Who | |
| 2018 | Mangalyam Thanthunanena | Himself | Special appearance |
| 2019 | Kumbalangi Nights | Saji | |
| 2019 | Mera Naam Shaji | Shaji | |
| 2019 | Oru Yamandan Premakadha | Vicky | |
| 2019 | Virus | Unnikrishnan | |
| 2019 | Ambili | Ambili | |
| 2019 | Vikruthi | Sameer | |
| 2019 | Android Kunjappan Version 5.25 | Subramanian / Chuppan | |
| 2019 | Valiyaperunnal | Hanumanth Sheonayi | |
| 2020 | Trance | Mathew Thomas (Mathaai) | |
| 2020 | Halal Love Story | Azad | |
| 2021 | Irul | Alex | |
| 2021 | Meow | Dusthackeer | |
| 2021 | Churuli | Mayiladumparambil Joy | |
| 2022 | Bro Daddy | Happy Pinto | |
| 2022 | Kallan D`Souza | D’Souza | |
| 2022 | Bheeshma Parvam | Ajas Ali | |
| 2022 | Third World Boys | Soubin | |
| 2022 | CBI 5: The Brain | Paul Meijo / Sandeep / Manzoor | |
| 2022 | Jack N' Jill | Kuttaps | |
| 2022 | Ela Veezha Poonchira | Madhu | |
| 2022 | Gold | Mittu | |
| 2023 | Djinn | Dhanapalan | |
| 2023 | Romancham | Jibin Madhavan | |
| 2023 | Vellari Pattanam | K.P Suresh | |
| 2023 | Ayalvaashi | Thaju | |
| 2023 | Live | Sriram | |
| 2023 | King of Kotha | Suitcase Leslie | Cameo appearance |
| 2024 | Manjummel Boys | Siju David "Kuttan" | Also producer |
| 2024 | Nadikar | Bala | |
| 2025 | Pravinkoodu Shappu | Kannan | |
| 2025 | Machante Maalakha | Sajeevan | |
| 2025 | Coolie † | Dayal | Tamil film |

### As voice actor

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2023 | Valatty | Haridas/Karidas(voice) | |

### As director

List of films directed :
| Year | Title | Production company | Notes |
| 2017 | Parava | Anwar Rasheed Entertainments | Debut as a director |

### As producer

List of films produced :
| Year | Title | Production company | Notes |
| 2024 | Manjummel Boys | Parava Films | Debut production |

## Awards

* 2018: Kerala State Film Awards for Best Actor, for the movie, Sudani From Nigeria
* 2018: 66th Filmfare Awards South for Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor – Malayalam for the movie, Sudani from Nigeria

## Controversy

The Enforcement Directorate is investigating money laundering allegations related to the Malayalam movie Manjummel Boys. A case has been registered, and notices have been issued to the film's producers and actors Soubin Shahir, Babu Shahir, and Shawn Antony.