Ajit Shidhaye Wiki, Height, Age, Wife, Family, Biography & More

Ajit Shidhaye is an Indian actor, hotelier, musician, and corporate trainer. He is known for playing the role of Choudhary in the Netflix web series Ghoul (2018).

Wiki/Biography

Ajit Shidhaye was born on Saturday, 16 November 1972 (age 51 years; as of 2022) in Pune, Maharashtra. His zodiac sign is Virgo. Ajit did his schooling at Modern English School, Pune. Later, he attained Fergusson College, Pune and Maharashtra State Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Pune.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 6′

Hair Colour: Salt and Pepper

Eye Colour: Hazel Green

Family

Parents & Siblings

Ajit Shidhaye’s father, Anand Shidhaye, used to work at the State Bank of India. Ajit’s mother, Shaila Shidhaye, is a homemaker.

Ajit Shidhaye’s younger sister, Anagha Khare, is a journalist.

Wife & Children

Ajit Shidhaye’s wife, Sonali Shidhaye, works at Cumins India Limited, an engine equipment manufacturing company. Ajit has two children named Advay Shidhaye and Siya Shidhaye.

Religion

Ajit Shidhaye follows Hinduism.

Career

Hotelier

Before venturing into the field of acting, Ajit worked as a hotelier. He has worked for hotel chains like F&B Manager Intercontinental Hotels Group. He has also worked as a training and development manager in India and abroad for various hotel chains like Westin Hotels & Resorts, Six Senses Hotel Resorts Spas, and Royal Caribbean International. In an interview, Ajit talked about his career as a hotelier and said that he has travelled to more than 80 countries for his work. He said,

I hate comfort zones because nothing ever grows there. I have enjoyed the luxury of waking up in a different country every week during my stint with the best cruise lines in the world. I began as a hotelier and was part of the core opening team for some of the most prestigious hotels in India and abroad. I have travelled to more than 80 countries.”

Films

Marathi

In 2016, Ajit made his acting debut with the Marathi film Bandh Nylon Che in which he played the role of Michael.

He has worked in various Marathi films like Manjha (2017), Bhikari (2017), and Boyz 2 (2018).

Hindi

In 2017, Ajit made his Bollywood debut with the film Yeh Hai India in which he played the role of Micky’s father.

He has worked in a supporting role in various Hindi films like URI: The Surgical Strike (2019), Saaho (2019), War (2019), Panipat (2019), and Khuda Haafiz (2020).

Television Shows

In 2017, Ajit made his television debut with Sony TV’s episodic show CID in which he played the role of Murali. In the same year, Ajit worked in the Marathi show Chuk Bhul Dyavi Ghyavi in which he played the role of Dilip.

Web Series

In 2016, Ajit made his digital debut with the SonyLIV mini-series Hadh. Subsequently, Ajit has worked in various web series like Breathe (2018), Damaged (2018), Ghoul (2018), Special OPS (2020), and Modern Love Mumbai (2022).

Facts/Trivia

• Ajit has been featured in print advertisements for many brands like Vistara, sterling, MRF, and Raymonds. He has also worked in TV commercials for brands like Netmeds and Rajnigandha.
  

  Ajit Shidhaye in a still from the commercial for the brand Rajnigandha

• In an interview, Ajit recalled his initial days in his modelling career and shared that he got his first portfolio shot in the 1990s which costs him around Rs 4500. Further, Ajit said that with the portfolio pictures, he got the opportunity to walk the ramp in a fashion show. Ajit said,
  

  I remember getting my portfolio done for Rs 4,500 which was a steep amount in the ’90s, and everyone thought it was a humongous waste of money. What with the investment landing me just an opportunity to walk the ramp in a fashion show! My mother, however, was more supportive.”

• Ajit is an avid dog lover and has a pet dog named Joffra. He often posts pictures of Joffra on various social media platforms. He also has a separate Instagram page for his pet dog titled ‘jofra_the_cockerspaniel.’
  

  Ajit Shidhaye and his pet dog, Jofra

• According to Ajit, during his childhood, he never thought of choosing acting as a career; however, he was fond of mimicry and stand-up comedy and used to perform in front of his family. In an interview, Ajit talked about this and said,
  

  Growing up, I had no idea what acting was. I studied in a school that didn’t encourage theatre or drama as such. I was the family entertainer garnering applause and attention for mimicry and stand-up comedy when I didn’t even know what stand-up comedy was. My family has very strong ties with music and culture, but acting was an untrodden territory.”

• In 2020, Ajit was nominated for the Indian Television Academy Awards for the Hindi web series Special Ops.

• In an interview, Ajit said that his favourite actor was Paresh Rawal.

• Besides being an actor, Ajit is also a musician. He plays the Tabla and has performed in various musical events in India and abroad. Ajit’s father, Anand Shidhaye, is also a Tabla player. In an interview, Ajit talked about this and said,
  

  I have rendered Tabla recitals on cruise lines as well as on stage, and garnered a lot of praise. I knew it was time I pursued my fourth passion — acting, with all my heart.”

• At the age of 44, Ajit quit his hotelier job to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. According to Ajit, initially, he watched around six to eight movies every day to learn the nuances of acting. In an interview, he talked about this and said,
  

  Only when the realisation struck that I had already fulfilled the first three of my four main passions — training, travelling, music — in the exact same order. I hate comfort zones because nothing ever grows there. With no supporters for my passion, especially since I was throwing away a well-paying job at the age of 44 for a career that promised no future, I asked my folks to give me two years to prove myself. My car became my vanity van and my TV set was my only school. I watched around six-eight movies every day, the good ones as well as the bad, since there was a lot to learn from each one.”

• In an interview, Ajit said that he was rejected 113 times in the acting auditions before he bagged the web series Ghoul (2018), starring Radhika Apte. ^[1]Bridge Chronicle

• Ajit is a fitness fanatic and he practices yoga regularly. He often shares pictures and videos of himself doing yoga on various social media platforms.

• Ajit is often spotted consuming alcohol on various occasions.

• According to Ajit Shidhaye’s social media handle, he used to smoke cigarettes; however, in a Facebook post, Ajit talked about his smoking habit and shared that he decided to quit smoking amid the COVID pandemic. On Facebook, Ajit shared a photo of himself smoking a cigarette along with a caption that read,
  

  THINK before u light up!!!it’s World No Tobacco Day. It always starts with one drag n then u r left dragging all ur life…This lockdown has been a boon in disguise for me..for I haven’t smoked at all and hope to continue the same..that would be my true freedom after lockdown!”