# Dino Morea
**Dino Morea** (born 1975, [Bangalore](https://www.edgepedia.org/bangalore), India) is an Indian actor, model, and producer who works across Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and [Telugu cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/telugu-cinema), best known for the 2002 hit horror film *Raaz* and, more recently, the antagonist role of Shaybani Khan in the 2021 streaming series *The Empire*.[1](https://ifann.net/wiki/dino-morea) • [2](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/dino-morea-on-raaz-clocking-20-years-the-off-screen-romance-with-bipasha-helped-us-on-screen-101643652992644.html) • [3](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/lifestyle/arts/its-good-to-be-bad-sometimes-dino-morea-on-making-a-comeback-with-telegu-action-thriller-alongsi?amp=1) He came to film through modeling, won the Gladrags Manhunt competition in 1999, and after a hit debut decade saw his film offers decline before rebuilding a career through streaming series, South Indian cinema, and business ventures.[4](https://www.kavitachhibber.com/2008/11/04/dino-moria/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975, Bangalore, India; father Italian, mother Indian[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1166751-dino_morea) • [6](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/dino-morea-chat/story-5L94HgTqS5KwPg9WUkF3iI.html) |
| Modeling start | Won the Gladrags Manhunt competition in 1999; placed 2nd in the international competition against 70 contestants[4](https://www.kavitachhibber.com/2008/11/04/dino-moria/) |
| Film debut | *Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi* (1999), directed by Raj Kaushal, opposite Rinke Khanna and Sanjay Suri[7](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/dino-morea) |
| Breakthrough | *Raaz* (2002), a Vikram Bhatt supernatural thriller with Bipasha Basu, released 1 February 2002[2](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/dino-morea-on-raaz-clocking-20-years-the-off-screen-romance-with-bipasha-helped-us-on-screen-101643652992644.html) |
| Output peak | Between 2000 and 2012 he shot 18 movies, working nearly every day[3](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/lifestyle/arts/its-good-to-be-bad-sometimes-dino-morea-on-making-a-comeback-with-telegu-action-thriller-alongsi?amp=1) |
| Comeback | The antagonist Shaybani Khan in *The Empire* (2021), then Telugu debut *Agent* (2023)[3](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/lifestyle/arts/its-good-to-be-bad-sometimes-dino-morea-on-making-a-comeback-with-telegu-action-thriller-alongsi?amp=1) |
| Production credits | *Jism 2* (2012) and *Helmet* (2021, on which he also played a biker)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1166751-dino_morea) |
| Recent screen work | Ricky Khanna in *Mere Husband Ki Biwi* (2025)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1166751-dino_morea) |
## Modeling and entry into film
Morea grew up in Bangalore in a close-knit family; his name is Italian because his father is Italian and his mother Indian.[6](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/dino-morea-chat/story-5L94HgTqS5KwPg9WUkF3iI.html) He got his start when a photographer spotted him in Bengaluru for an advertisement paying Rs 500, which he described as a large sum at a time when he was not even making Rs 10.[8](https://www.ndtvprofit.com/lifestyle/dino-morea-talks-art-of-pivoting-from-modelling-to-investing-9864382) Within 18 months he was working in Mumbai and representing India at an international modeling competition in Singapore.[8](https://www.ndtvprofit.com/lifestyle/dino-morea-talks-art-of-pivoting-from-modelling-to-investing-9864382) In 1999 he won the Gladrags Manhunt competition with long hair and an eight-pack physique, then placed second in the international round of the contest.[4](https://www.kavitachhibber.com/2008/11/04/dino-moria/)
Film offers followed quickly. Raj Kaushal cast him in the lead of the romantic comedy *Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi* (1999), set in a performing arts college and co-starring Rinke Khanna and [Sanjay Suri](https://www.edgepedia.org/sanjay-suri); the film received mixed reviews but its songs became chart hits.[7](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/dino-morea) Morea has said he jumped into films without knowing whether he wanted to act, simply as the next step after modeling, and was hooked after shooting his first film.[3](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/lifestyle/arts/its-good-to-be-bad-sometimes-dino-morea-on-making-a-comeback-with-telegu-action-thriller-alongsi?amp=1)
## Breakthrough with Raaz and the 2000s
The turning point was *[Raaz](https://www.edgepedia.org/raaz-2002-film)* (2002), [Vikram Bhatt](https://www.edgepedia.org/vikram-bhatt)'s supernatural thriller co-starring [Bipasha Basu](https://www.edgepedia.org/bipasha-basu), then his girlfriend. It combined romance, mystery, and horror and became one of the biggest successes of 2002; Morea has said the off-screen relationship helped the on-screen chemistry, and he later called the film one of the most iconic of the 2000s.[2](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/dino-morea-on-raaz-clocking-20-years-the-off-screen-romance-with-bipasha-helped-us-on-screen-101643652992644.html) • [9](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/dino-morea-calls-bipasha-basu-his-favourite-co-star-says-raaz-was-one-of-the-most-iconic-films-of-2000s-9087571/) • [10](https://dpiff.in/news/raaz-bipasha-basu-dino-morea-horror-classic/) After *Raaz* he said the industry finally accepted him.[11](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/features/2007/dino-morea-interview-290507.html)
**A busy decade, mostly in thrillers.** From 2000 to 2012 he worked nearly every day and shot 18 movies, listing *Gunaah* (2002), *Baaz* (2003), *Plan* (2004), *Fight Club: Members Only* (2006), and *[Aksar](https://www.edgepedia.org/aksar)* (2006) among the ones that did well.[3](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/lifestyle/arts/its-good-to-be-bad-sometimes-dino-morea-on-making-a-comeback-with-telegu-action-thriller-alongsi?amp=1) Most of these were dark-subject films that, in one retrospective account, did not match *Raaz*'s impact, with [Pooja Bhatt](https://www.edgepedia.org/pooja-bhatt)'s *Holiday* (2006) as his attempt at something different.[11](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/features/2007/dino-morea-interview-290507.html) A 2007 interview with him noted that aside from *Raaz*, big hits had continued to evade him; he answered that as an outsider he had learned to be more selective about filmmakers, and that his big hit was yet to come.[12](https://openthemagazine.com/shorts/a-conversation-with-dino-morea) He also took a small role alongside [Mammootty](https://www.edgepedia.org/mammootty) in the Tamil film *Kandukondain Kandukondain* (2000), his first work with the actor he would later share a screen with again in 2023.[3](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/lifestyle/arts/its-good-to-be-bad-sometimes-dino-morea-on-making-a-comeback-with-telegu-action-thriller-alongsi?amp=1)
## Decline, hiatus, and comeback
By the 2010s offers had dried up. In a 2021 interview Morea said he had been out of work for about seven years, a gap he described as a conscious decision because he was unhappy with the roles on offer, and he joined an acting school during the period.[13](https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/interviews/interview-dino-morea-joining-acting-school-being-out-work-7-years-and-finally-making-comeback-876018) He has said that having no work can be scary and that he survived because he was adamant on staying in the industry.[14](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/dino-morea-having-no-work-can-be-scary-i-survived-because-i-was-adamant-on-being-a-part-of-this-industry-big-interview/articleshow/99875339.cms) Streaming work rebuilt his visibility: he played the antagonist Shaybani Khan in the 2021 series *The Empire*, a performance director Surender Reddy saw and liked enough to cast him in *[Agent](https://www.edgepedia.org/agent-film)* (2023), a Telugu action thriller in which Morea plays the villain opposite [Akhil Akkineni](https://www.edgepedia.org/akhil-akkineni) and shares scenes with Mammootty.[3](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/lifestyle/arts/its-good-to-be-bad-sometimes-dino-morea-on-making-a-comeback-with-telegu-action-thriller-alongsi?amp=1) • [15](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2023/epaper/april/vijayawada-english-edition-2023-04-21.pdf) He continued with further South Indian and Hindi work, including the 2025 romantic comedy *Mere Husband Ki Biwi*.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1166751-dino_morea)
## Production and business ventures
Morea turned producer with *Jism 2* (2012) and later *Helmet* (2021), on which he also appeared on screen as a biker.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1166751-dino_morea) Business has become a second career. His first venture was the Crepe Station Cafe in 2004, drawing on his family's existing cafe business.[8](https://www.ndtvprofit.com/lifestyle/dino-morea-talks-art-of-pivoting-from-modelling-to-investing-9864382) He then co-founded the celebrity merchandise brand Cool Maal, which signed cricketers [Yuvraj Singh](https://www.edgepedia.org/yuvraj-singh) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni; he has described the inventory-heavy business as his first failure in entrepreneurship.[8](https://www.ndtvprofit.com/lifestyle/dino-morea-talks-art-of-pivoting-from-modelling-to-investing-9864382) • [12](https://openthemagazine.com/shorts/a-conversation-with-dino-morea) His current ventures include the cold-pressed juice brand Fresh Press, which he said was eyeing 250 to 300 stores and aiming for a model like [Jamba Juice](https://www.edgepedia.org/jamba-juice) or Joe & the Juice, and Pet Fed, which is entering pet food using data from its pet carnivals.[8](https://www.ndtvprofit.com/lifestyle/dino-morea-talks-art-of-pivoting-from-modelling-to-investing-9864382) He began investing in the stock market in 2014, naming [Rakesh Jhunjhunwala](https://www.edgepedia.org/rakesh-jhunjhunwala), Radhakishan Damani, and Ashish Kacholia as influences, and holds long-term positions while keeping a small allocation for calculated bets.[8](https://www.ndtvprofit.com/lifestyle/dino-morea-talks-art-of-pivoting-from-modelling-to-investing-9864382)
## Legal investigation
The Economic Offences Wing of the Mumbai Police, investigating the multi-crore Mithi River desilting scam, reported that Rs 1.8 million (Rs 18 lakh) was transferred to UBO Ridez, a company in which his brother Santino Morea serves as a director.[16](https://svaindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Publication-of-AFR-for-the-Quarter-and-Year-ended-31.03.2025.pdf) A June 2025 newspaper report separately noted that the [Enforcement Directorate](https://www.edgepedia.org/enforcement-directorate) had conducted a raid at his residence in connection with the matter.[17](https://epaper.thedailyguardian.com/media/2025-06/tdg_07_june.pdf)
## Reception and reputation
Morea's screen reputation has swung widely across his career. Aggregated review data on Rotten Tomatoes gives his 2006 film *Holiday* an audience score of 76% and *Raaz* 53%, against lows such as *Anamika: The Untold Story* at 17%.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1166751-dino_morea) He has repeatedly connected his fluctuating film career to market logic; in his own framing, "an actor's career is like the stock market: sometimes low, sometimes no one's buying, but if someone sees value, they invest. OTT helped raise my stock again."[8](https://www.ndtvprofit.com/lifestyle/dino-morea-talks-art-of-pivoting-from-modelling-to-investing-9864382)
## References
1. [Dino Morea | Wiki, Net Worth, Awards & iFAMOUS Rankings (2026) | iFANN](https://ifann.net/wiki/dino-morea)
2. [Dino Morea on Raaz clocking 20 years, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/dino-morea-on-raaz-clocking-20-years-the-off-screen-romance-with-bipasha-helped-us-on-screen-101643652992644.html)
3. ['It's good to be bad sometimes': Dino Morea on making a comeback with Telugu action thriller alongside Mammootty, Khaleej Times](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/lifestyle/arts/its-good-to-be-bad-sometimes-dino-morea-on-making-a-comeback-with-telegu-action-thriller-alongsi?amp=1)
4. [Dino Moria, KavitaChhibber.com interview (2008)](https://www.kavitachhibber.com/2008/11/04/dino-moria/)
5. [Dino Morea – Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1166751-dino_morea)
6. [Dino Morea chat, Hindustan Times (2003)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/dino-morea-chat/story-5L94HgTqS5KwPg9WUkF3iI.html)
7. [Dino Morea – Filmography & Biography, Indian Film History](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/dino-morea)
8. [From Modelling To Investing, Dino Morea Talks Art Of 'Pivoting', NDTV Profit (2025)](https://www.ndtvprofit.com/lifestyle/dino-morea-talks-art-of-pivoting-from-modelling-to-investing-9864382)
9. [Dino Morea calls Bipasha Basu his favourite co-star, The Indian Express (2024)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/dino-morea-calls-bipasha-basu-his-favourite-co-star-says-raaz-was-one-of-the-most-iconic-films-of-2000s-9087571/)
10. [Raaz: How Bipasha Basu and Dino Morea's Horror Classic Endures, DPIFF](https://dpiff.in/news/raaz-bipasha-basu-dino-morea-horror-classic/)
11. [Dino Morea speaks about his up-coming films and co-stars, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/features/2007/dino-morea-interview-290507.html)
12. [A Conversation with Dino Morea, Open magazine (2008)](https://openthemagazine.com/shorts/a-conversation-with-dino-morea)
13. [INTERVIEW: Dino Morea on joining an acting school, being out of work for 7 years and finally making a comeback, Pinkvilla (2021)](https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/interviews/interview-dino-morea-joining-acting-school-being-out-work-7-years-and-finally-making-comeback-876018)
14. [Dino Morea: Having no work can be scary; I survived because I was adamant on being a part of this industry, Times of India (2023)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/dino-morea-having-no-work-can-be-scary-i-survived-because-i-was-adamant-on-being-a-part-of-this-industry-big-interview/articleshow/99875339.cms)
15. [The Pioneer, Vijayawada English edition (April 21, 2023)](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2023/epaper/april/vijayawada-english-edition-2023-04-21.pdf)
16. [Publication of AFR for the Quarter and Year ended 31.03.2025 (EOW Mithi River scam reporting), svaindia.com](https://svaindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Publication-of-AFR-for-the-Quarter-and-Year-ended-31.03.2025.pdf)
17. [The Daily Guardian e-paper, June 7, 2025](https://epaper.thedailyguardian.com/media/2025-06/tdg_07_june.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Hindi film actors, 1990s–2000s › Surnames K to P*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license