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Devi Khajishvili (Georgian: დევი ხაჯიშვილი) also known as Devi K. is a Georgian actor, musician and model born in Batumi, Georgia on 9 January 1991.
Khajishvili was born to the family of Nodar Khajishvili, the president[1] of the World Shotokan Karate-Do Federation[2] in Georgia and Nana Khajishvili a piano teacher. He is of Georgian descent from his paternal side and Russian, Ukrainian, Spanish and Iranian from his maternal grandparents.[3] Since he was six years old, he trained in Shotokan Karate under his father's mentorship, and later after competing in numerous national and international tournaments, became a two time World Champion.[4] In his late teens, he was recruited by the national Shotokan Karate Team composed of top athletes who traveled the world competing and representing their country. In 2008, he was the youngest person included in a list of the most successful athletes of Georgia.[4]
In 2023, he defended his fifth-degree black belt in an examination conducted by Sensei Kasuya Hitoshi, President of the World Shotokan Karate-Do Federation (WSKF).
In 2014, Khajishvili graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelors in Political Science[5] and moved to Washington D.C. to work for Congressman Beto O'Rourke.[6][7] While working in Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s office, Devi Khajishvili built ties with multiple high-ranking government officials of his native country, like the former Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili, former Georgian Ambassador to the United States Archil Gegeshidze, and the founder of the Georgian Labour Party Shalva Natelashvili.[8][9]
Khajishvili then pursued Master of Science in International Affairs[10][11] and worked as a teaching assistant for undergraduate courses in Public Policy.[12] In 2024, as a PhD candidate in History at Texas Tech University, Khajishvili was awarded the prestigious Fulbright-Hays DDRA Fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, to support one year of research in Georgia.[13] His research focuses on Georgia’s tea history during the Soviet era and its role in shaping the country’s post-Soviet identity.
Khajishvili speaks five languages; Georgian, Russian, French, Spanish and English.[14]
Khajishvili performed as a dancer with the Georgian National Dance Ensemble for seven years, with whom he toured Europe and did shows nationally and internationally. After moving to the United States, he staged numerous dance performances showcasing Georgian culture to Western audiences. His most notable work centered around the play The Knight in the Panther's Skin by Shota Rustaveli. His talent for dancing was later noticed by a Time Warner advertising director who cast him in a commercial for Mercedes Benz where he performed the Tango.
Khajishvili's career in the United States took off when he was discovered by well known Los Angeles based photographer Michael Stokes who featured him as a model in one of his books Bare Strength in 2014.[15] Author Jen Frederick also used one of Michael Stokes photos of Devi Khajishvili as the book cover for her USA Today best selling book Jock Blocked in 2016.[16] Next Devi Khajishvili moved into acting co-starring with Richard Riehle in the 2017 romantic-comedy You Have a Nice Flight.[17] Due to Khajishvili's martial arts background he was invited to train with Wesley Snipes who helped to educate Khajishvili in stage combat. Khajishvili's talents for action roles led to him being cast as a lead role in a new television pilot Wednesday The Film where he plays the role of a member of an elite team of the Russian Special Forces. Wednesday The Film has begun filming in Los Angeles and is scheduled to continue with some filming to be done in Georgia.
In 2017, DEL Records a Latin independent entertainment company headquartered in Los Angeles cast Khajishvili as the lead actor in a music video by Los Del Arroyo - Por Si Te Interesa.
Devi K., the musical alias of Devi Khajishvili, made his debut in the music scene with his first album, “The Runaway Train,” on 22 February 2020. [18] Characterized by its acoustic guitar arrangements and rooted in the singer-songwriter genre, this album marked his entry into the industry. In 2024, he released his second full-length album, The War Within, a 14-track rock record written and produced entirely by Khajishvili. The album reflected his transition into heavier musical styles, incorporating elements of rock and heavy metal.[19][20]
One of Devi K.’s notable deviations was a passion project in the form of a Spanish reggaeton song titled “Una Asesina.”
In addition to his genre-spanning works, Devi K. released a personal track named “300 Aragvians,” an homage to the 300 Georgians who defended Tbilisi from Persian forces in the 1795, celebrating his Georgian heritage and the valor of his ancestors.[21]
