Kunal Nayyar is a British-born Indian actor best known for his role as Raj Koothrappali on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory.
He was born in Hammersmith, London in 1981 and moved to India with his family when he was 3 years old, growing up in New Delhi.
Nayyar moved to the United States in 1999 to study business at the University of Portland in Oregon, but later decided to pursue acting, earning a Master of Fine Arts degree from Temple University.
He first gained attention in the US for his role in the 2006 play Huck & Holden, and then landed his breakthrough role as Raj on The Big Bang Theory in 2007.
Nayyar has been nominated for several awards, including a BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the series Criminal: UK.
He has also voiced characters in animated shows like Sanjay and Craig and the Trolls franchise.
Net worth
Nayyar’s net worth stands at $45 million.
He amassed this wealth primarily through his role as Raj Koothrappali on the hit CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, which ran for 12 seasons from 2007 to 2019.
At the peak of the show, Nayyar was earning $800,000 per episode, which equated to around $18 million per season.
For several of the later seasons, his earnings escalated to a remarkable $20 million per season.
This made him one of the highest-paid television actors in the world, with Forbes listing him as the third highest-paid in 2015 and 2018.
In addition to his lucrative salary from The Big Bang Theory, Nayyar has also earned income from voice acting roles in animated films like the Ice Age and Trolls franchises, as well as his book, Yes, My Accent Is Real: and Some Other Things I Haven’t Told You, published in 2015.
Career
Nayyar’s acting career began in the early 2000s when he started performing in plays in Los Angeles, such as Huck and Holden where he played the role of Navin.
He then returned to London to perform in Love’s Labour’s Lost with the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford, UK.
Nayyar’s breakthrough role came in 2007 when he landed the part of Raj Koothrappali on the hit CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory.
He starred on the show for all 12 seasons until its conclusion in 2019.
At the peak of the show, Nayyar was earning $800,000 per episode, making him one of the highest-paid television actors in the world.
In addition to his work on The Big Bang Theory, Nayyar has also done voice acting roles in animated films like the Ice Age and Trolls franchises.
He voiced the character Guy Diamond in the Trolls movies and TV specials from 2016 to 2021.
More recently, Nayyar has appeared in live-action roles in shows like Suspicion, Criminal: UK, and the upcoming Night Court reboot.
He is also set to star in the films How to Date Billy Walsh and Christmas Karma: Scrooge in 2024 and 2025 respectively.
Awards and accolades
Nayyar has received several awards and accolades throughout his career.
In 2006, he won the Garland Award for Best Male Lead in a Play on the West Coast for his role in the play Huck and Holden.
This recognition marked an early milestone in his acting career, showcasing his talent on the stage.
Nayyar has also been nominated for numerous awards for his work on the hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory.
He has been nominated for six Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, a testament to the show’s enduring popularity and the cast’s chemistry.
Additionally, Nayyar was nominated for a People’s Choice Award for Favorite TV Bromance in 2014 and a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV: Chemistry in 2015.
The cast of The Big Bang Theory received a Merit – Honorary Award from the CinEuphoria Awards in 2020, recognizing their collective contributions to the show’s success.
This award is a fitting tribute to the show’s impact on popular culture.
In 2021, Nayyar was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the series, Criminal: UK.
This nomination highlights his versatility as an actor, as he has successfully transitioned from his iconic role in The Big Bang Theory to more dramatic and nuanced performances in other projects.
Real estate
Nayyar, known for his role in The Big Bang Theory, has owned several notable real estate properties.
In 2012, the actor and his wife Neha acquired a 4,100 square foot residence in the Hollywood Hills for $2.9 million.
Subsequently, in 2020, they sold their secluded compound in the Hollywood Hills for $3.895 million and upgraded to a 1920s Tudor home in Hancock Park, previously owned by Nicolas Cage, for $7.5 million.
This new property spans an acre and features a 7,100-square-foot home with luxurious amenities, showcasing their taste for upscale living.
Additionally, Nayyar previously owned a half-acre compound in Nichols Canyon, which included a Mediterranean villa and two guesthouses, sold for $3.895 million.
These transactions reflect Nayyar’s investments in high-end real estate properties in prestigious neighborhoods.
Personal life
Nayyar has been married to former Miss India Neha Kapur since 2011.
The couple met in an unexpected way, despite Kapur’s lack of familiarity with Nayyar’s role as Raj Koothrappali on The Big Bang Theory.
Nayyar and Kapur tied the knot in a traditional six-day Indian wedding ceremony in New Delhi, attended by over 1,000 guests.
Kapur, a fashion designer, graduated from New Delhi’s Pearl Academy and launched her luxury fashion brand Hensely in 2016.
The couple navigated the challenges of a long-distance relationship, as Kapur lived in New Delhi while Nayyar resided in Los Angeles.
After their marriage, Kapur moved to the U.S. to be with her husband.
They previously lived in a pink 1948 Spanish-style compound in the Nichols Canyon neighborhood of L.A., and in 2019 purchased a 9,000 square foot home in Hancock Park for $7.5 million.
