| Varada Sethu | |
|---|---|
 Sethu in 2022 | |
| Born | Varada Sethumadhavan (1992-05-12) 12 May 1992 (age 32) Kerala, India |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Dame Allan's Schools, Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Alma mater | University of Bristol |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Known for | Hard Sun (2018) Strike Back (2019–2020) Star Wars: Andor (2022–present) Doctor Who (2025–) |
Varada Sethu (born Varada Sethumadhavan, 12 May 1992) is a British actor, best known for playing Detective Sergeant Mishal Ali in BBC television series Hard Sun (2018), Cinta Kaz in the Disney+ Star Wars series Andor (2022–present) and Belinda Chandra in the BBC-Disney+ co-production Doctor Who (2025–present). In 2010, Sethu won the Miss Newcastle beauty pageant competition.
Early life
Sethu and her twin sister, Abhaya, were born in Kerala, India, and are of Malayali descent. Sethu's parents are both doctors. Having moved to the North East of England at a young age, she grew up in Benton, Tyne and Wear, near Newcastle upon Tyne. Sethu attended Dame Allan’s Schools and was a member of the National Youth Theatre. During her final year of sixth form, Sethu won the 2010 Miss Newcastle competition. She went on to study veterinary medicine at University of Bristol, later switching to physiology. Sethu has been performing both Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam from a young age. Sethu continued her acting education at the Identity School of Acting in London.
Career
In 2010, Sethu made her debut appearance on screen in the short film Impressions as Samena. In 2011, Sethu landed the role of Kiran in the feature film Sket, then as Meghana Scariah in English: An Autumn in London in 2012. In 2015 she made an appearance in the 2000 TV series Doctors as PC Kylie Green.
Her career continued in 2016 appearing as Peaseblossom in a 2016 TV movie version of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Also in 2016, Sethu acted alongside Michael Caine and Daniel Radcliffe in Now You See Me 2 and as an Indian nurse in New Blood.
In 2017, Sethu starred as Aisha in 2 episodes of Doctor Foster.
In 2018, Sethu starred as DS Mishal Ali for six episodes in the BBC apocalyptic TV crime Series Hard Sun.
In 2019, Sethu performed as a series regular in season seven of Strike Back: Revolution as Lance Corporal Manisha Chetri of the British Army.
She played rebel Cinta Kaz in the 2022 first season of Andor.
Sethu is set to portray the companion Belinda Chandra in Doctor Who alongside Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday in Series 15 in 2025. Prior to this, she played Mundy Flynn in the Series 14 episode "Boom".
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Impressions (short film) | Sameena |
| 2011 | Sket | Kiran |
| 2012 | English: An Autumn in London | Meghana Scariah |
| 2016 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Peaseblossom |
| Now You See Me 2 | Tressler Assistant | |
| 2018 | Special Delivery (Short film) | Parminder |
| 2020 | Bad News (short film) | Mindi |
| 2022 | Jurassic World Dominion | Shira |
| I Came By | Naserine 'Naz' Raheem |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Doctors | PC Kylie Green | 1 episode |
| 2016 | New Blood | Indian Nurse | 3 episodes |
| 2017 | Doctor Foster | Aisha | 2 episodes |
| 2018 | Hard Sun | DS Mishal Ali | 6 episodes |
| 2019 | Strike Back: Revolution | Lance Corporal Manisha Chetri, British Army | 10 episodes |
| Hanna | CIA Analyst McArthur | 2 episodes | |
| 2020 | Strike Back: Vendetta | Lance Corporal Manisha Chetri, British Army | 9 episodes |
| 2023–present | Annika | DS Harper Weston | 4 episodes |
| 2022–present | Andor | Cinta Kaz | 8 episodes; starring role |
| 2024 | Doctor Who | Mundy Flynn | Series 14: "Boom" (guest cast) |
| 2025 | Belinda Chandra | Series 15 (main cast) |
References
- ^ "Latest News". ukmalayalee.com. 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ^ Speicher, Jeffrey (30 October 2022). "Vel and Cinta's Relationship Shows Nothing Comes Before the Rebellion". Collider. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ "Geordie actress Aimee Kelly in line for film award". chroniclelive.co.uk. 2013. Archived from the original on 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Portfolio: Varada Sethu". identityschoolofacting.com. 2021. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021.
- N, Aswin V. (22 November 2022). "Kerala-born British actor Varada Sethu on playing a rebel in 'Star Wars' show 'Andor'". The Hindu.
- ^ "Impressions (Short Film)". dailymotion.com. 2010.
- ^ "Meet the cast of BBC1s hard Sun". radiotimes.com. 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- "Strike Back's Varada Sethu: 'It Really Is A Season Unlike Any Other'". nerdophiles.com. 28 February 2020.
- ^ "Strike Back: 10 Best Characters Killed Off Prematurely In The Show". Screen Rant. 24 April 2020.
- "Doctor Who - First Look at Ncuti Gatwa with Varada Sethu and Millie Gibson ahead of season two". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ James Hibbs (27 July 2024). "Doctor Who reveals who Varada Sethu will be playing". Radio Times. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- Stephen Kelly (15 May 2024). "Steven Moffat has written another Doctor Who classic". inew.co.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ "From Miss Newcastle to TV star and the other North East female stars making it big". chroniclelive.co.uk. 2018.
External links
Categories:- Living people
- 1992 births
- 21st-century English actresses
- Actresses from Newcastle upon Tyne
- Alumni of the Identity School of Acting
- English film actresses
- English television actresses
- Indian emigrants to England
- English people of Indian descent
- British people of Malayali descent
- People educated at Dame Allan's School
- Alumni of the University of Bristol
- National Youth Theatre members