Kiran Shah

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Not to be confused with Deep Roy.
Kiran Shah
Kiran Shah, 2006.jpg
Shah in 2006
Born (1956-09-28) September 28, 1956 (age 58)
Nairobi, Kenya
Occupation Actor/Stuntman
Years active 1977–present
Height 4' 2" (1.26 m)
Religion Jainism

Kiran Shah (born September 28, 1956) is a Kenyan-Indian actor and a stuntman.

Shah was born in Nairobi, Kenya. He lived in Kenya until he was twelve years old, when he moved to India with his family. While living in India, he became interested in films, and when his family moved to London, he became involved in the show business. His first film was the 1977 movie Candleshoe, as a stand-in for a girl called Sara Tamakuni, and when stunt coordinator Bob Anderson asked him to do her stunts as well, his career was started. Kiran played the part of Bolum in the 1977 movie The People That Time Forgot

Kiran is often confused with Deep Roy; they are both dwarf Kenyan actors of Indian descent who got their starts in film and television in the late 70s. Although he is most well known for being the world's shortest stuntman according to the Guinness book of World Records, he has appeared as an actor in 31 films, compared to his 37 as stuntman or body double.

Stand-in, Stunt, and Background Work[edit]

He has been in several blockbuster movies since, such as Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), The Dark Crystal (1982), Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), Indiana Jones - Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Legend (1985), Aliens (1986), The Sign of Four (1987), Braveheart (1995), and Titanic (1997) where he stunt doubled all the children in the film.

He has appeared as a stunt double or stand-in in all 6 Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings films movies. He was the scale double for Elijah Wood as Frodo.[1] He doubled Bilbo Baggins as played by both Martin Freeman (in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies) and Ian Holm (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring). He is one of only 3 actors to play the titular character in Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy.

Character Work[edit]

The most featured of these was as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, where he played Ginarrbrik. He also portrayed an aboriginee in a Sherlock Holmes film, The Sign of Four. A favorite movie role is when he played the monster who came out of a painting and attacked Natasha Richardson in the 1987 film Gothic. In addition to doubling for Martin Freeman as Bilbo, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey he also appeared as the Goblin Scribe.

Shah appeared as the mysterious Figure in the Steven Moffat scripted "Listen", the fourth episode of the eighth series of Doctor Who starring Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman


In addition to being an actor and a stuntman, Kiran is also a poet. His poetry has been published in Great Britain and the U.S., and is based on his personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences.


  1. ^ J.W. Braun, The Lord of the Films (ECW Press, 2009).

External links[edit]