Ayad Akhtar is an American playwright, novelist, and screenwriter.
Born in Staten Island, New York to Pakistani parents, Akhtar's work deals with themes of immigration, religion, and American-Muslim identity. In 2013, Akhtar received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. His plays have also received Tony Award nominations.
In 2020, Akhtar became president of PEN America, a New York-based nonprofit organization that seeks to protect free expression through celebrating literature and human rights.
Ayad Akhtar's one-act play Disgraced is about Amir Kapoor, an American-born lawyer whose Muslim background interferes with his promotion to partner at his Jewish-run legal firm. Amir learns he has not made partner during a dinner party in his...
