Meet Abhishek Singh, ex-IAS officer who quit after 12 years to pursue his passion, now shines at Cannes 2025 for his...

Abhishek Singh, a former IAS turned actor scripted history by becoming the first Indian bureaucrat to walk the prestigious red carpet at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. His journey from bureaucracy to Bollywood began in 2020 when he made his acting debut with the short film, titled Char Pandrah. He also played a brief and significant role in the Netflix series Delhi Crime Season 2. Now, the ex-bureaucrat has made his silver screen debut with the film "1946: Direct Action Day", and now making headlines for his Cannes debut. He walked the red carpet in a black tuxedo, looking all dashing. His pictures from the global event are all over the internet making noise for this landmark moment. 

Who is Abhishek Singh?

Abhishek Singh, born on August 22, 1983, in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, belongs to a distinguished family. Born to IPS father, Kripa Shankar Singh, he pursued his graduation in B.com from Delhi University. At 19, he faced a significant personal setback when he experienced a heartbreak, which led to depression. After heartbreak, he motivated himself to focus on UPSC preparation. With hard work and dedication, he cracked the exam on his first attempt, securing an impressive All India Rank 94 in 2011. 

In 2015, Abhishek was posted to the national capital for three years before his tenure was extended for another two years. He was deputed to his parent cadre, Uttar Pradesh in 2020 following his medical leave. It was in the same year, he came into the limelight after he entered the glamour world. In 2020, he made his acting debut with a psychological thriller short film, titled Char Pandrah. He was also seen playing an important role in the Netflix series, Delhi Crime Season 2. However, in 2023, Singh resigned from his IAS post to pursue acting full-time. He has since appeared in notable projects.

In July 2024, the ex-bureaucrat was under fire after his dance and gym videos went viral on social media. Following this, the netizens called out for greater transparency and accountability in the selection process. These videos raised questions because Singh had secured his position in the civil services under the Locomotor Disability (LD) category.