His father was an ethnic Kashmiri from Lahore[9] and Muslim,[5][10] whereas his mother was a Punjabi Christian who converted to Islam.

He stayed in New York for seven years, then returned to Pakistan for a vacation, where he took up the family business, Riaz Shahid Films.

After the success of Waar, he appeared in Jami & Summer Nicks's O21 with a supporting cast of Aamina Sheikh, Iman Ali, Shamoon Abbasi and Ayub Khoso.

In 2000 he directed Mujhe Chand Chahiye starring himself, Noor, Reema Khan, Moammar Rana, Javed Sheikh and Atiqa Odho.

He then directed Moosa Khan (2001), which starred him, Saima, Abid Ali, Jan Rambo and Noor.

In 2012, he announced that he is set to direct one film that stayed under production for several years, Mission Allahu Akbar opposite Juggan Kazim in Thailand.

Shaan, with his extensive education and grooming and the ability to project class and elegance through his stature and expressions, has been a hot attraction for many brands and campaigns; several of them have had the pleasure of hosting him.

His character was a man whose demanding lifestyle has him juggling between work and family and Indigo helps him breeze through this life successfully.

[14] Shaan was the Goodwill Ambassador for 'One Pack = One Vaccine', a campaign launched by UNICEF, Procter & Gamble and the Ministry of Health in a bid to eradicate tetanus from Pakistan.

Shaan has committed himself to the cause and has been visiting many areas and cities across the country, including malls and stores in Karachi and Lahore, to bring awareness amongst parents, especially mothers, about this deadly disease and how one can fight to eliminate it.

Shaan joined PSL franchise, Lahore Qalandars as brand ambassador ahead of the second season.