Jaideep Ahlawat is an Indian actor known for his intense screen presence across Hindi films and web series. Born in Haryana's Rohtak district, he began with theatre, having once aspired to join the Indian Army, and graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, in 2008. He then moved to Mumbai to pursue acting.

He began with a small role in the short film Narmeen in 2008 and made his feature debut with Khatta Meetha (2010). He gained wider attention as Shahid Khan in Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), followed by the villain AK-74 in Commando (2013), a performance that earned him a Best Actor in a Negative Role nomination. His film work also includes Gabbar Is Back, Raees, Raazi, Baaghi 3 and Jaane Jaan.

He rose to national prominence as police inspector Hathiram Chaudhary in the Amazon Prime Video series Paatal Lok, a performance that earned him a Filmfare OTT Award. His later work includes The Broken News, The Family Man and the Netflix heist thriller Jewel Thief. His other releases include Drishyam The Conclusion (2026), Prahaar (2026).