Ayesha Dharker
Ayesha Dharker | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 March 1978 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Spouse |
Robert Taylor (m.2010) |
| Children | 1[1] |
Ayesha Dharker(born 16 March 1978) is a British actress, known for her appearance asQueen Jamillia,the Queen ofNaboo,inStar Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones,and for her stage performances.[2]
Her other film roles include starring as a young woman brainwashed into contemplating becoming a suicide bomber in theTamilfilmThe Terrorist(1997), for which she was awarded Best Artistic Contribution by an Actress at theCairo International Film Festivaland nominated for aNational Film Award for Best Actress.[citation needed]
She has also appeared inOutsourcedandThe Mistress of Spices,television series such asArabian Nights,and theWest EndandBroadwaymusicalBombay Dreams.
Family
[edit]Dharker was born on 16 March 1978 inMumbai,India.[3]
She is the daughter ofImtiaz Dharker,a poet, artist and documentary film-maker, andAnil Dharker,a columnist and an ex-editor of the Indian men's magazineDebonair.[4][5]Her father is from India and her mother, born inLahore,was also raised in the United Kingdom.[3][6]
In May 2010 she married Robert Taylor inSt Giles Cripplegate,London.[7][8]
Career
[edit]Dharker made her screen debut in the 1989François VilliersfilmManika, une vie plus tard.She subsequently went on to star in many American, French and Indian films. She has had manytelevisionroles in the UK, particularly inCutting ItandLife Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee,in which she co-starred withMeera Syal.
In the international award-winning filmThe Terrorist(1999), she played the lead character Malli, a role that earned her a nomination for theNational Film Award for Best Actressin India and theCairo Film Festivalaward for Best Artistic Contribution by an Actress.
Dharker's most internationally recognised role came in 2002 when she playedQueen Jamillia,the Queen ofNaboo,inStar Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.In the same year she appeared in the critically acclaimedAnita and Me.Dharker starred in theAndrew Lloyd WebbermusicalBombay Dreams,both inLondon's West End and on Broadway (2004). She also starred inThe Mistress of Spices(2005).
She has appeared in the episode "Planet of the Ood"of the long-runningBBCsci-fi television series,Doctor Whoas Solana Mercurio.
In 2006, she played the role of Asha in the filmOutsourced.
In 2008, she played the role ofTara Mandalin theITVsoap operaCoronation Street.[9]
In 2010, she played doctor's wife Kamini Sharma oppositeSanjeev Bhaskarin the BBC's comedy-drama seriesThe Indian Doctor.
In 2017, Dharker began playing Nina Karnik in a returning role on the long-running BBC dramaHolby City.
In 2020, she appeared as Dr Sarai inThe Father,which was nominated for anAcademy Award.On 16 January 2022, Dharker appeared in Vera in the episode "As the Crow Flies" in the role of Anika Naidu.
Audiobooks
Dharker was the narrator for the audiobook version ofBrick LanebyMonica Ali(2003).
Filmography
[edit]Films
[edit]| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Manika, une vie plus tard | Manika Kallatil | |
| 1992 | City of Joy | Amrita H. Pal | |
| 1997 | Saaz | Kuhu Vrundavan | |
| 1999 | Split Wide Open | Leela | |
| The Terrorist(Tamil:Theeviravaathi) | Malli | Cairo International Film FestivalAward for Best Artistic Contribution by an Actress | |
| 2000 | The Mystic Masseur | Leela | |
| 2002 | Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones | Queen Jamillia | |
| 2002 | Anita and Me | Daljeet Kumar | |
| 2005 | The Mistress of Spices | Hameeda | |
| Colour Me Kubrick: A True...ish Story | Dr. Stukeley | ||
| 2006 | Outsourced | Asha Bhatawdekar | |
| 2007 | Loins of Punjab Presents | Opama Menon | |
| 2010 | Red Alert: The War Within | Radhakka | |
| 2020 | The Father | Dr. Sarai |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Misteri della giungla nera, I | Young girl | |
| 1995 | A Mouthful of Sky | ||
| 2000 | Arabian Nights | Coral Lips | |
| 2001 | Doctors | Meena Chauhan | |
| 2002 | Cutting It | Sunni Khadir | |
| 2003 | Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee | Chila | |
| Doctors | Mina Patel | ||
| 2005 | Waking the Dead | Mary Sharman | "Subterraneans" S5:E5&6 |
| 2008 | Doctor Who | Solana Mercurio | Episode: "Planet of the Ood" |
| 2008–09 | Coronation Street | Tara Mandal | |
| 2010-2013 | The Indian Doctor | Kamini Sharma | |
| 2015 | Waterloo Road | Yasmeen Khan | |
| 2017 | Holby City | Nina Karnik | Regular Role |
| 2021 | Finding Alice | Tanvi Lal |
Theatre
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Final Solutions | Daksha[10] | NCPA |
| 2001 | The Ramayana | Sita | Birmingham Rep/Royal National Theatre |
| 2002 | Bombay Dreams | Rani | Apollo |
| 2006 | Doctor Faustus | Mephistophilis | Bristol Old Vic |
| 2010 | Arabian Nights | Shaharazade | Royal Shakespeare Company |
| 2010 | Disconnect | Vidya | Royal Court |
| 2013 | The Djinns of Eidgah | Dr Wani[11] | Royal Court |
| 2015 | Othello | Emilia | Royal Shakespeare Company |
| 2015 | Anita and Me | Daljit | Birmingham Rep / Theatre Royal Stratford East |
| 2016 | A Midsummer Night's Dream:A Play for the Nation | Titania | Royal Shakespeare Company |
| 2016 | The Island Nation | Arcola | |
| 2017 | Hijabi Monologues | Bush Theatre | |
| 2018 | Pericles | Simonida | Olivier Theatre |
| 2019 | Richard II | Aumerle | Sam Wanamaker Playhouse |
| 2022 | The Book of Dust, La Belle Sauvage | Marisa Coulter | Bush Theatre |
References
[edit]- ^"Actress Ayesha Dharker on motherhood and career regrets".21 October 2019.
- ^"Ayesha Dharker".Black Gold Cooperative Library System.Retrieved11 October2022.
- ^abRoy, Amit (15 May 2016)."The rise and rise of Ayesha Dharker".The Telegraph (Kolkota).Retrieved19 July2019.
- ^SAWNET: Who's Who: Ayesha DharkerArchived25 June 2016 at theWayback Machine
- ^"Who Is Ayesha Dharker Husband Robert Taylor? Inside 12 Years Of Married Life Of Actress".Thelocalreport.in.2 June 2022.Retrieved19 February2023.
- ^"The rise and rise of Ayesha Dharker".telegraphindia.Retrieved19 February2023.
- ^"Ayesha Dharker's London Wedding".30 May 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 3 June 2010.
- ^"Indo-Brit wedding for Ayesha".The Times of India.ISSN0971-8257.Retrieved19 February2023.
- ^Indian actress castArchived24 August 2008 at theWayback MachineITV
- ^Challenging Religious Communalism With Theatre: Mahesh Dattani's Final SolutionsPillai, Sohini,(2012). Honors Thesis Collection, Wellesley College. Retrieved 18 July 2019
- ^The Djinns of EidgahRoyal Court Theatre, royalcourttheatre. Retrieved 18 July 2019
External links
[edit]- Ayesha DharkeratIMDb
- Ayesha Dharker and Manu Narayan–Downstage Centerinterview atAmerican Theatre Wing.org
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- Living people
- 1978 births
- 21st-century British actresses
- Actresses from Mumbai
- Actresses in Hindi cinema
- Actresses in Tamil cinema
- British actresses of Asian descent
- British expatriate actresses in India
- British soap opera actresses
- English expatriates in India
- English film actresses
- English musical theatre actresses
- English radio actresses
- English stage actresses
- English television actresses
- European actresses in India
- Indian emigrants to the United Kingdom
- British people of Indian descent