Firdous Bamji was born in Bombay and grew up in Bahrain, Kodaikanal (South India) and Columbia, South Carolina. He has appeared in numerous plays in New York and around the country, and has played leading parts in premiere productions of plays by such noted playwrights as Tony Kushner, Tom Stoppard, Rebecca Gilman and Eric Bogosian. In 2006 he was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in the film "The War Within".