Bio and further more about him
Born, brought up & in Pune, Maharashtra, India. Completed 5 years of sailing in the merchant navy, then won the personality pageant 'Grasim Mr. India 2005
.
Campaigns, ramp shows & music videos, TV commercials & TV anchoring came post that. Most notably Limca 2010 campaign.
Discovered as an actor in one of India's first & most successful television mini series MahiWay produced by Yashraj Films for Sony Entertainment.
Following which was Kismat, 2011, a daily soap format mini-series, with the same producers.
The Limca 2010 summer campaign, add to that and the portrayal of the perfect guy' character of Shiv'; in MahiWay, (a Yashraj films TV venture on Sony entertainment) and you've probably figured what Viraf Phiroz is all about.
He is ; Grasim Mr India 2005 and been there done that' as a model and been a DJ while growing up in Pune and been a sailor in the merchant navy for 5 years.
Flash back
A friend suggested he pose for a portfolio with her and there has been no looking back since then. Thanks to his encouraging brothers and MTV VJ Cyrus Broacha who egged him to participate in the pageant; Viraf under guidance from his elder brother and motivational speaker Minocher Patel and health guru Mickey Mehta, set foot in the Grasim Mr. India contest and won top honours. Cyrus helped him meet Boman Irani who in turn kept Viraf aware and in sync with what matters the most to stick around in the glamour world - ability with the craft'.
Body of work
First television promotion was for multinational Nestl's orange juice, made by Pralhad Kakkar which, ironically, was for the Pakistan market!
This was just the beginning. Magazine covers & editorials followed. Viraf's first music video was for DJ Suketu - Meri nazar, directed by Ahmed Khan and then Shaan's Tishnagi. Viraf steadily built his modelling brand profile with premium ones like Snicker chocolates, Visa, LG etc.
Viraf has also been the face of the country's largest garment retail brand Pantaloon between 2005 ~09. On the ramp, he has walked for the most sought after designers on the most watched platforms like India Fashion week, Lakme Fashion week et al, right until he started work on his TV debut.
Sony Handycam, Sony Bravia, Maruti Alto, TVS Apache are just some of the brand films one would have seen Viraf in. Most notable ones being ICICI mutual fund TVC 2009 & Limca 2010 summer campaign film & Bank of India home loan 2011.
As an actor
Post the Mr. India pageant, Viraf went on to work with Kishore Namit Kapoor, Vidur Chaturvedi, Barry John, Mahabanu Kotwal, Neeraj Kabi over a period of 4 years to learn his craft.
As a person
A Gemini by birth, Viraf has also anchored TV shows and is passionate about of photography among many other interests.
Viraf loves listening to music, conversation, movies and long drives back home to Pune.
Equally at ease in the kitchen as he is in front of the camera, Viraf picked up his culinary skills from his mom and honed them while at sea. He loves cooking for friends and quips; "These days way to a woman's heart is through her stomach".
Way forward
His mantra "My attitude will decide my altitude."
Having worked with some the most revered names behind the camera including Aditya Chopra who cast him in Mahiway as the perfect guy' and Kismat, which remains as the Yash Raj Film TV's most ambitious project thus far; this Parsi lad seems to be poised and greedy for a promising acting career.
Source :
http://virafpatel.com/enter/profile/