Ray Panthaki

{{Infobox person

| name = Ray Panthaki

| image = Ray Panthaki in 2016.jpg

| caption = Panthaki at the 6th Asian Awards 2016

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1979|01|20}}

| birth_place = London, England

| death_date =

| other_names =

| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|screenwriter|director|film producer}}

| years_active = 1999–present

| spouse =

| website =

}}

Ray Panthaki ({{IPAc-en|p|ə|n|ˈ|θ|ɑː|k|i}};{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThLIuOfEb0c|title=Ray Panthaki: Breakthrough Brit in 2014|publisher=BAFTA|date=28 October 2014|access-date=12 May 2021}} born 20 January 1979) is a British actor, producer, screenwriter and director best known for the roles he played in Marcella (2016–2020), Away (2020), and the movie Boiling Point (2021), for which he was nominated for the 2021 BIFA for Best Supporting Actor.

Other credits include Tube Tales (1999), Ali G Indahouse (2002), 28 Days Later (2002), Bollywood Queen (2003), Kidulthood (2006), Provoked (2006), Convenience (2013), It's a Wonderful Afterlife (2010), Screwed (2011), Interview with a Hitman (2012), Convenience (2013), Colette (2018), Official Secrets (2019), Gangs of London (2020), and The Serpent Queen (2022).

Early life

Panthaki was born in London to second-generation Indian parents.{{cite web|title='Colette' Star Ray Panthaki on Helping Remove Racial Casting Barriers |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/colette-star-ray-panthaki-helping-remove-racial-casting-barriers-1116257|publisher=Hollywood Reporter|accessdate=25 May 2020|date=1 June 2018|author=Alex Ritman}} His parents belong to India's Parsi minority community.{{Cite web |last=Lacey |first=Hester |date=12 February 2022 |title=Ray Panthaki: 'I need to continue making films. I don't know why' |url=https://www.ft.com/content/549cf2ea-5b9e-491c-a2b8-2d4ce59078ca |website=Financial Times}}

Career

Panthaki is best known for the roles he played on ITV and Netflix series Marcella and Netflix series Away alongside Hilary Swank. He appeared as Hassan B in Sacha Baron Cohen's Ali G Indahouse. He appeared in the films Colette, 28 Days Later, Official Secrets, Convenience, Tube Tales, Provoked, Interview with a Hitman, It's a Wonderful Afterlife, and the 2006 film Kidulthood which he also produced.{{cite web |title=Ray Panthaki Credits |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ray-panthaki/credits/3000336444/ |work= tvguide.com |access-date= 8 April 2024}}

In 2006, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Play at the TMA Theatre Awards for his role in Gladiator Games. Later that year, he set up the London-based production company Urban Way.{{cite web|title=Vicky McClure to star in Convenience|url=http://www.screendaily.com/news/production/vicky-mcclure-to-star-in-convenience/5042658.article|publisher=Screen International|accessdate=15 January 2015}} Panthaki made his West End theatrical debut in July 2008 in the play In My Name at the Trafalgar Studios.{{cite web |title=Cruelly funny black comedy thriller.. |url=http://www.remotegoat.com/uk/review_view.php?uid=2199 |publisher=Remotegoat |accessdate=17 January 2015 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231714/http://www.remotegoat.com/uk/review_view.php?uid=2199 |url-status=dead }} He has performed twice at the Royal Court Theatre in London in Where Do We Live by Christopher Shinn and The Westbridge by Rachel De-Lehay. He went on to play a leading role in Tanika Gupta's The Empress for the Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Emma Rice.

In 2013, Panthaki's directorial debut Life Sentence, a film which he also wrote, won Best UK Short at the East End Film Festival 2013.{{cite web|title=Halley wins top prize at East End Film Festival|url=http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/halley-wins-top-prize-at-east-end-film-festival/5058248.article|publisher=screendaily|accessdate=17 January 2015}}{{cite web|title=SHORTS: LIFE SENTENCE/THE UNDREAM|date=17 July 2013 |url=http://www.eastendfilmfestival.com/enewsletter/8968/shorts-awards-life-sentence-the-undream|publisher=Eastendfilmfestival.com|accessdate=15 January 2015}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.takeonecff.com/2013/youth-of-today|title=Youth of Today : TAKE ONE|website=www.takeonecff.com|date=12 January 2013 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-05-16}} In 2013, Panthaki produced and starred in the comedy film Convenience starring alongside Vicky McClure and Adeel Akhtar.{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/film/convenience/|title=Convenience|website=British Comedy Guide|access-date=17 January 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/oct/01/convenience-review-fun-fuelled-comedy-caper|title=Convenience review – fun-fuelled comedy caper|website=The Guardian|last=Felperin|first=Leslie|date=1 October 2015|access-date=17 January 2022}} The film's director Keri Collins won Best Breakthrough at the 2014 BAFTA Cymru for his work on the film.{{cite web|last1=Cooper|first1=Sarah|title=The British independent comedy is being produced by Ray Panthaki for his company Urban Way.|url=http://www.screendaily.com/news/production/vicky-mcclure-to-star-in-convenience/5042658.article|publisher=Screen International|accessdate=17 January 2015}}{{Cite news|url=https://news.sky.com/story/ray-panthaki-why-im-open-about-cost-of-film-10344762|title=Ray Panthaki - Why I'm Open About Cost Of Film|work=Sky News|access-date=2018-05-16|language=en-GB}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehollywoodnews.com/2015/09/29/convenience-review-090267/|title=Convenience review: "Highly recommended"|last=Lalji|first=Aly|date=2015-09-29|work=The Hollywood News|access-date=2018-05-16|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.raindance.org/10-actorproducers-you-should-already-know-about/|title=10 Actor/Producers you should already know about! - Raindance|date=2013-10-25|work=Raindance|access-date=2018-05-16|language=en-GB}}

In 2014, he was announced as one of 18 BAFTA Breakthrough Brits a celebration of Britain's stars of tomorrow alongside fellow actors Stacy Martin, Katie Leung and Callum Turner.{{cite web|title=Thesps Among BAFTA's Breakthrough Brits|date=28 October 2014 |url=https://variety.com/2014/biz/news/bafta-selects-breakthrough-brits-1201340925/|publisher=Variety|accessdate=17 January 2015}} In 2016, Panthaki was cast as DCI Rav Sangha in Hans Rosenfeldt's Nordic noir detective series Marcella.{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/02/marcella-viewers-obsessed-as-rav-confronts-her-undercover-in-ireland-14011236/|title=Marcella viewers 'obsessed' as Rav confronts her in Ireland after faking her own death|website=Metro|last=Adejobi|first=Alicia|date= February 2021|access-date=17 January 2022}}

In 2017, it was announced that Panthaki had signed on to Wash Westmoreland's Colette, a biopic about the French novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, to play real-life French playwright Pierre Veber.{{Cite news|url= https://deadline.com/2017/07/ray-panthaki-joins-wash-westmoreland-colette-killer-films-keira-knightley-dominic-west-number-9-films-bold-films-1202125877/|title=Ray Panthaki Joins Keira Knightley & Dominic West In Wash Westmoreland's 'Colette'|last=Lodderhose|first=Diana|date=2017-07-10|work=Deadline|access-date=2018-05-16|language=en-US}} Panthaki attended the world premier at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival alongside co-stars Keira Knightley and Dominic West, where the film received positive reviews.{{Cite news|url=https://www.scpr.org/news/2018/01/27/80191/sundance-market-cools-few-breakouts-oscar-pics/|title=Sundance market cools with few breakouts or Oscar pics|date=2018-01-27|work=Southern California Public Radio|access-date=2018-05-16}}

In 2020, Panthaki appeared in the Netflix series Away, alongside Hilary Swank, as Group Captain Ram Arya, second in command on a mission to Mars.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danafeldman/2020/09/06/ray-panthaki-says-the-unifying-message-of-away-comes-at-the-perfect-time/|title=Ray Panthaki Says the Unifying Message of Away Comes at the Perfect Time|website=Forbes|last=Feldman|first=Dana|date=6 September 2020|access-date=17 January 2022}}

At the British Independent Film Awards 2021, Panthaki was nominated for the BIFA for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Freeman in Boiling Point alongside Stephen Graham.{{cite web|title=Ali G Indahouse (2002)|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2002/03/12/alig_in_da_house_2002_review.shtml|publisher=BBC Online|accessdate=15 January 2015}}{{cite news|title=Can Sacha Baron Cohen take Ali G to the big screen and still keep his legions of fans? Very probably, writes Peter Bradshaw|newspaper=The Guardian |date=22 March 2002 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2002/mar/22/artsfeatures1|publisher=theguardian.com|accessdate=15 January 2015|last1=Bradshaw |first1=Peter }}

Filmography

class="wikitable"

|+Key

| style="background:#FFFFCC;"| {{dagger|alt=Not yet released}}

|Denotes works that have not yet been released

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" ! scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| Role ! scope="col" \| Notes
scope="row" \| 1998 \| The Bill \| Charlie \| Episode: "Taking Sides"
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| 1999 \| Jump Boy \| Shamil \| Short film
Tube Tales \| Mo \| Segment: "Grasshopper"
scope="row" \| 2000 \| Losing It \| Ray \| Television film
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| 2001 \| The Armando Iannucci Shows \| \| Episode: "Communication"
My Family \| Gary \| Episode: "Trust Never Sleeps"
scope="row" rowspan="5" \| 2002 \| Blood Strangers \| Zafar Wahid \| Television film
Ali G Indahouse \| Hassan B \|
Spooks \| Chalak Ahmed \| Episode: "One Last Dance"; uncredited
Licks \| Pizza man \| Short film; also co-producer
28 Days Later \| Private Bedford \|
scope="row" rowspan="3" \| 2003 \| Bollywood Queen \| Anil \|
Rehab \| Naz \| Television film
Doctors \| Duncan Marks \| Episode: "Donations"
scope="row" \| 2003–2005 \| EastEnders \| Ronny \| 158 episodes
scope="row" \| 2005 \| Blessed \| Lance \| 8 episodes
scope="row" rowspan="3" \| 2006 \| Kidulthood \| Mark \| Also co-producer
Provoked \| Ravi \|
Strictly Confidential \| Ali \| Series 1 Episode 3
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| 2007 \| Veils \| Samir \| Short film
The Feral Generation \| Vincent \| Also producer
scope="row" \| 2009 \| City Rats \| Dean \| Also executive producer
scope="row" \| 2010 \| It's a Wonderful Afterlife \| Jazz Sethi \|
scope="row" \| 2011 \| Screwed \| Neil \|
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| 2012 \| Interview with a Hitman \| Franco \|
The Man Inside \| Bose \| Also executive producer
scope="row" rowspan="3" \| 2013 \| Jadoo \| \|
Life of Crime \| DS Nabeel Kothari \| Episode: "1997"
Convenience \| Ajay \| Also producer
scope="row" rowspan="3" \| 2014 \| DCI Banks \| Jeff Kitson \| Episodes: "Bad Boy Parts 1 & 2"
Cryptic \| Cochise \|
The Wrong Mans \| Khalil \| 2 episodes
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| 2015 \| World War Dead: Rise of the Fallen \| Marcus \|
Crackanory \| Nasim \|
scope="row" rowspan="3" \| 2016 \| One Crazy Thing \| Jay Veer \| Also producer
Oysters Have Feelings Too \| Jay \| rowspan="2" \| Short film
Ghosted \| Paul
scope="row" \| 2016–2020 \| Marcella \| DI/DCI Rav Sangha \| 24 episodes
scope="row" \| 2018 \| Colette \| Veber \|
scope="row" \| 2019 \| Official Secrets \| Kamal Ahmed \|
scope="row" rowspan="4" \| 2020 \| Dreams \| Dreams architect \| Video game voice only
Gangs of London \| Jevan Kapadia \| 8 episodes
Away \| Ram Arya \| 10 episodes
Ernie \| \| Writer and producer
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| 2021 \| SAS: Red Notice \| Prime Minister Atwood \|
Boiling Point \| Freeman \| Also executive producer
scope="row" \| 2022 \| The Serpent Queen \| Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine \|
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| 2023 \|Bonus Track{{Cite web \|last=Dalton2022-08-17T09:36:00+01:00 \|first=Ben \|title=Bankside boards Sky-backed UK feature Bonus Track as production begins (exclusive) \|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/bankside-boards-sky-backed-uk-feature-bonus-track-as-production-begins-exclusive/5173491.article \|access-date=2023-03-24 \|website=Screen Daily \|language=en}} \|Mr. Zeppelin \|
Boiling Point \| Freeman \| BBC television series
scope="row" {{TBA}} \|style="background:#FFFFCC;"\| Fortunate Sons {{dagger\|alt=Not yet released}} \| \|

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! scope="col" | Notes

scope="row" | 1998

| The Bill

| Charlie

| Episode: "Taking Sides"

scope="row" rowspan="2" | 1999

| Jump Boy

| Shamil

| Short film

Tube Tales

| Mo

| Segment: "Grasshopper"

scope="row" | 2000

| Losing It

| Ray

| Television film

scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2001

| The Armando Iannucci Shows

| Episode: "Communication"

My Family

| Gary

| Episode: "Trust Never Sleeps"

scope="row" rowspan="5" | 2002

| Blood Strangers

| Zafar Wahid

| Television film

Ali G Indahouse

| Hassan B

Spooks

| Chalak Ahmed

| Episode: "One Last Dance"; uncredited

Licks

| Pizza man

| Short film; also co-producer

28 Days Later

| Private Bedford

scope="row" rowspan="3" | 2003

| Bollywood Queen

| Anil

Rehab

| Naz

| Television film

Doctors

| Duncan Marks

| Episode: "Donations"

scope="row" | 2003–2005

| EastEnders

| Ronny

| 158 episodes

scope="row" | 2005

| Blessed

| Lance

| 8 episodes

scope="row" rowspan="3" | 2006

| Kidulthood

| Mark

| Also co-producer

Provoked

| Ravi

Strictly Confidential

| Ali

| Series 1 Episode 3

scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2007

| Veils

| Samir

| Short film

The Feral Generation

| Vincent

| Also producer

scope="row" | 2009

| City Rats

| Dean

| Also executive producer

scope="row" | 2010

| It's a Wonderful Afterlife

| Jazz Sethi

scope="row" | 2011

| Screwed

| Neil

scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2012

| Interview with a Hitman

| Franco

The Man Inside

| Bose

| Also executive producer

scope="row" rowspan="3" | 2013

| Jadoo

Life of Crime

| DS Nabeel Kothari

| Episode: "1997"

Convenience

| Ajay

| Also producer

scope="row" rowspan="3" | 2014

| DCI Banks

| Jeff Kitson

| Episodes: "Bad Boy Parts 1 & 2"

Cryptic

| Cochise

The Wrong Mans

| Khalil

| 2 episodes

scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2015

| World War Dead: Rise of the Fallen

| Marcus

Crackanory

| Nasim

scope="row" rowspan="3" | 2016

| One Crazy Thing

| Jay Veer

| Also producer

Oysters Have Feelings Too

| Jay

| rowspan="2" | Short film

Ghosted

| Paul

scope="row" | 2016–2020

| Marcella

| DI/DCI Rav Sangha

| 24 episodes

scope="row" | 2018

| Colette

| Veber

scope="row" | 2019

| Official Secrets

| Kamal Ahmed

scope="row" rowspan="4" | 2020

| Dreams

| Dreams architect

| Video game voice only

Gangs of London

| Jevan Kapadia

| 8 episodes

Away

| Ram Arya

| 10 episodes

Ernie

| Writer and producer

scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2021

| SAS: Red Notice

| Prime Minister Atwood

Boiling Point

| Freeman

| Also executive producer

scope="row" | 2022

| The Serpent Queen

| Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine

scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2023

|Bonus Track{{Cite web |last=Dalton2022-08-17T09:36:00+01:00 |first=Ben |title=Bankside boards Sky-backed UK feature Bonus Track as production begins (exclusive) |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/bankside-boards-sky-backed-uk-feature-bonus-track-as-production-begins-exclusive/5173491.article |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Screen Daily |language=en}}

|Mr. Zeppelin

Boiling Point

| Freeman

| BBC television series

scope="row" {{TBA}}

|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| Fortunate Sons {{dagger|alt=Not yet released}}