Sanjeev Bhaskar
{{Short description|British actor, comedian and television presenter (born 1963)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sanjeev Bhaskar
| honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}}
| image = Sanjeev Bhaskar Asian Awards 2015.jpg
| caption = Bhaskar in 2015
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|10|31|df=y}}
| birth_place = Ealing, Middlesex, England
| spouse = {{marriage|Meera Syal|21 January 2005}}
| children = 1
| education = University of Hertfordshire
| occupation = Actor, comedian, television presenter
| years_active = 1991–present
| notable_works = See below
| module = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Sanjeev Bhaskar BBC Radio4 Desert Island Discs 12 Oct 2008 b00dtw41.flac|title={{center|Sanjeev Bhaskar's voice}}|type=speech|description={{center|Recorded October 2008 from the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs}}}}
}}
Sanjeev Bhaskar {{postnominals|country=GBR|OBE}} (born 31 October 1963) is a British actor, comedian and television presenter. He is best known for his work in the BBC Radio 4 and BBC Two sketch comedy series Goodness Gracious Me and as the star of the sitcom The Kumars at No. 42. He also presented and starred in a documentary series called India with Sanjeev Bhaskar, in which he travelled to India and visited his ancestral home in today's Pakistan. Bhaskar's more dramatic acting roles include the lead role of Dr Prem Sharma in The Indian Doctor and a main role as DI Sunny Khan in Unforgotten. Bhaskar became chancellor of the University of Sussex in 2009. In 2006, Bhaskar was appointed an OBE.
Early life and education
Bhaskar was born on 31 October 1963 in Ealing, Middlesex. His parents, Inderjit and Janak Bhaskar, came to the UK after the partition of India. His elder sister was born five years before him, and the family lived above their launderette{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/oct/09/sanjeev-bhaskar-my-family-values |title=Sanjeev Bhaskar: My family values |first=Tony |last=Padman |date=9 October 2015 |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=13 June 2020 |archive-date=17 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617164430/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/oct/09/sanjeev-bhaskar-my-family-values |url-status=live }} His parents worked hard, and Sanjeev started working part-time when he was 14.{{cite web|url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/fameandfortune/10054363/Sanjeev-Bhaskar-I-have-issues-with-inheritance-tax.-its-odd-that-you-get-taxed-for-dying.html |title=Sanjeev Bhaskar: 'I have issues with inheritance tax. it's odd that you get taxed for dying' |date=14 May 2013 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=13 June 2020 |archive-date=27 March 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090409/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/fameandfortune/10054363/Sanjeev-Bhaskar-I-have-issues-with-inheritance-tax.-its-odd-that-you-get-taxed-for-dying.html |url-status=live }} in Heston, Hounslow, Middlesex.{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/time-and-place-sanjeev-bhaskar-zfwt8tz3j7l |title = Time and place: Sanjeev Bhaskar | website=The Times | last1=Whitney | first1=Hilary }} He was raised as a Hindu.{{cite news |last1=Graff |first1=Vincent |title=Spam curry, chips - and our beautiful launderette |url= https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2007/aug/19/foodanddrink.features7 |access-date=29 October 2021 |work=The Observer |date=19 August 2007}}
He earned a degree in marketing from Hatfield Polytechnic before landing a job as a marketing executive at IBM.{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/e464b256-d002-11e3-a2b7-00144feabdc0 |title=The Inventory: Sanjeev Bhaskar |first=Hester |last=Lacey |date=2 May 2014 |newspaper=Financial Times |access-date=13 June 2020 |archive-date=16 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716235944/https://www.ft.com/content/e464b256-d002-11e3-a2b7-00144feabdc0 |url-status=live }}
Career
Bhaskar soon realised that he preferred comedy to marketing and joined forces with an old college friend, Nitin Sawhney, to start a musical comedy double act called The Secret Asians,{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00060wc |title=Desert Island Discs – Nitin Sawhney, musician, producer, composer |website=BBC Sounds |minutes=18:40 |access-date=18 June 2019 |archive-date=11 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011201858/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00060wc |url-status=live }} which they first performed in 1996 at the now-defunct Tom Allen Arts Centre in East London. This performance was featured on a BBC magazine show called Reportage.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} They also performed extensively at the Watermans Arts Centre with numerous other acts at a regular Asian comedy night called One Nation Under a Groove...Innit.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} Their real break came when they were performing a show at the Ovalhouse in South London where, after a strong review in Time Out magazine by journalist and playwright Bonnie Greer, they were approached by Anil Gupta, the producer of what was to become the BBC sketch series Goodness Gracious Me.
In 1994 or 1995, Bhaskar had his first paid job as a performer with Tara Arts, a theatre company in south London.
Bhaskar has starred in a number of British-produced films, including The Guru, Notting Hill (very briefly), and Anita and Me. He also had a cameo as a shop owner in Yash Raj Films' production Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. He had a major role in the 2019 film, Yesterday, in which he and his wife, Meera Syal, played a married couple.
Bhaskar, the Kumars and Gareth Gates collectively released the official single for Comic Relief in 2003, "Spirit in the Sky", which spent three weeks at the top of the UK Singles chart and was the second highest-selling single of the year.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} In 2008 Bhaskar made his musical theatre debut as King Arthur in Spamalot at London's Palace Theatre.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
As part of the BBC's series of programmes on the 60th anniversary of the independence of India and Pakistan, he filmed a BBC documentary series India with Sanjeev Bhaskar with director Deep Sehgal, which was broadcast in August 2007.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/indiapakistan/about.shtml |title=India & Pakistan 60th Anniversary of Independence |website=BBC |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821212909/https://www.bbc.co.uk/indiapakistan/about.shtml |archive-date=21 August 2007}} According to the BBC it included "an emotional journey" to his father's ancestral home, now in Pakistan. His first book, India with Sanjeev Bhaskar, based on the documentary series, became a Sunday Times bestseller in 2007. He also featured in a Channel 4 documentary series called The House That Made Me. This show, produced by Nutopia in 2010, recreated his childhood home and introduced him to the characters of his youth.
He wrote and starred in the ITV sitcom Mumbai Calling{{cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/goodness-gracious-ni-sanjeev-bhaskar-interview-2462517 |title=Goodness gracious Ni! – Sanjeev Bhaskar interview |date=30 June 2008 |newspaper=The Scotsman |access-date=13 June 2020 |archive-date=13 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613174901/https://www.scotsman.com/news/goodness-gracious-ni-sanjeev-bhaskar-interview-2462517 |url-status=live }} and the UK tour of the hit American improv show Totally Looped.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/features/why-comedians-are-dubbing-hollywood-1543507.html |title=Why comedians are dubbing Hollywood |date=3 February 2009 |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=13 June 2020 |archive-date=13 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613162353/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/features/why-comedians-are-dubbing-hollywood-1543507.html |url-status=live }}
On 31 October 2014, Bhaskar hosted Kermode and Mayo's Film Review, standing in for Simon Mayo on the BBC's flagship film show.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} He also played the lead character in the online animation Rajesh Finesse in 2014.{{cite web |url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/multiplatform/sanjeev-bhaskar-fronts-wildseed-pilot/5071832.article |title=Sanjeev Bhaskar fronts Wildseed pilot |first=Matthew |last=Campelli |date=16 May 2014 |work=Broadcast |access-date=13 June 2020 |archive-date=6 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106120432/https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/multiplatform/sanjeev-bhaskar-fronts-wildseed-pilot/5071832.article |url-status=live }}
From 2015 until the present (season 5, 2023), he plays a lead role as DI Sunny Khan in cold case mystery series Unforgotten.{{cite web |title=Sanjeev Bhaskar Interview: Unforgotten Season 5 |website=Masterpiece |date=14 September 2023 |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/specialfeatures/sanjeev-bhaskar-interview-unforgotten-season-5/ |ref={{sfnref|Masterpiece|2023}} |access-date=24 September 2024}}
In January 2021, Bhaskar was cast in the Netflix adaptation of The Sandman.[https://deadline.com/2021/01/the-sandman-tom-sturridge-gwendoline-christie-vivienne-acheampong-boyd-holbrook-charles-dance-asim-chaudhry-sanjeev-bhaskar-netflix-neil-gaiman-1234681995/ Neil Gaiman’s ‘The Sandman’ Casts Tom Sturridge, Gwendoline Christie, Vivienne Acheampong, Boyd Holbrook, Charles Dance, Asim Chaudhry And Sanjeev Bhaskar]
In 2022, he appeared in the title role in a television series based on the Inspector Singh novels.{{cite web | url=https://deadline.com/2022/11/britbox-international-sanjeev-bhaskar-inspector-singh-investigates-richard-harris-peter-o-toole-1235165016/ | title=BritBox International Signs Sanjeev Bhaskar for Drama Series 'Inspector Singh Investigates', Acquires Richard Harris and Peter O'Toole Docs | date=7 November 2022 }}
Guest appearances
File:Sanjeev Bhaskar Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2024.jpg
In October 2008, he was featured on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
He appeared as a guest on the BBC's Top Gear in 2003, setting a time of 1:51.0 around a wet Top Gear test track in a Suzuki Liana, placing him 32nd on the original leader board. In March 2010 he featured on the BBC Radio 4 comedy show I've Never Seen Star Wars. On 23 July 2010 he was guest on the BBC comedy panel game Would I Lie To You?.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
Recognition and awards
In 2003, Bhaskar was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.{{cite news |url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,1101477,00.html |title=The A–Z of Laughter (Part One) |newspaper=The Observer |location=London, UK |date=7 December 2003 |access-date=23 May 2010 |archive-date=3 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103081351/http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,1101477,00.html |url-status=live }}
In 2005, Bhaskar was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year Honours List.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
On 23 February 2009, he was appointed chancellor of the University of Sussex, and he was formally installed at the university's summer graduation ceremony on 22 July 2009.{{cite web |url=http://www.sussex.ac.uk/press_office/media/media727.shtml |title=Sanjeev Bhaskar is the new Chancellor of the University of Sussex |date=23 February 2009 |work=University of Sussex |access-date=2009-02-24 |archive-date=27 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227125034/http://www.sussex.ac.uk/press_office/media/media727.shtml |url-status=live }}
In April 2015, he was given the Outstanding Achievement in Television award at The Asian Awards.{{cite news |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/asian-awards-2015-winners-star-studded-5540464 |title=Asian Awards 2015: All the winners from the star-studded bash |first=Charlotte |last=Wareing |date=17 April 2015 |newspaper=Daily Mirror |access-date=13 June 2020 |archive-date=4 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704153019/https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/asian-awards-2015-winners-star-studded-5540464 |url-status=live }}
On 26 July 2019, Bhaskar was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Sussex in recognition of his ten years as chancellor.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
Personal life
In January 2005, Bhaskar married comedian Meera Syal in Lichfield, Staffordshire.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4205873.stm |title=Family wedding for Kumars stars |website=BBC News |date=25 January 2005 |access-date=23 August 2013 |archive-date=9 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609121219/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4205873.stm |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/secret-wedding-for-the-kumars-7171164.html |title=Secret wedding for The Kumars |newspaper=London Evening Standard |first=Paul |last=Scott |date=25 January 2005 |access-date=23 August 2013 |archive-date=31 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231012357/http://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/secret-wedding-for-the-kumars-7171164.html |url-status=live }} They have a son, Shaan, who was born at the Portland Hospital on 2 December 2005.
In February 2009, Bhaskar and other entertainers wrote an open letter to The Times protesting against the trial of leaders of the Baháʼí Faith then being held in Iran.{{Cite news |title=Stand up for Iran's Baha'is – Voices from the arts call for the imprisoned Baha'i leaders in Iran to receive a fair trial |newspaper=The Times |date=2009-02-26 |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article5804284.ece |location=London, UK |access-date=23 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814134123/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article5804284.ece |archive-date=August 14, 2011}} He is a Liverpool Football Club supporter.{{cite web | url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/sanjeev-bhaskar-i-loved-beatles-and-now-ive-been-red-53-years | title=Sanjeev Bhaskar: I loved the Beatles and now I've been a Red for 53 years - Liverpool FC | date=3 May 2023 }}
Politics
Before the 2010 general election Bhaskar was one of 48 celebrities who signed a letter warning against Conservative Party policy towards the BBC.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7631589/General-Election-2010-leading-stars-oppose-Tory-BBC-plans.html |title=General Election 2010: leading stars oppose Tory BBC plans |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=25 April 2010 |access-date=23 May 2010 |archive-date=30 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100430081853/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7631589/General-Election-2010-leading-stars-oppose-Tory-BBC-plans.html |url-status=live }}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
!Title !Role !Notes |
|---|
| 1996
| Zoo Rush 2: Destination New York | Ravi the Indian cobra | Voice role |
| 1998
| The Dance of Shiva | Sergeant Bakshi | Short film |
| 1999
| Loud Man in Restaurant | |
| rowspan="2"| 2001
| Beharry | |
| Inferno
| Jaz | Short film |
| rowspan="2"| 2002
| Mr Kumar | |
| The Guru
| Rasphal the Cook | |
| 2006
| Scoop | Poker Players | Credited as Sanjeev Bhasker |
| 2007
| Shopkeeper | |
| rowspan="4"| 2010
| Mr Bhatti the Curry Man | |
| Not the Messiah: He's a Very Naughty Boy
| Mountie | |
| Jackboots on Whitehall
| Rupee/Old Gil/King | Voice role |
| London Boulevard
| Sanji Raju | |
| rowspan="3'| 2011
| The Itch of the Golden Nit | Ten Heart Hero (voice) | Short film |
| Arthur Christmas
| Lead Elf | Voice role |
| Lazy Uncle
| Dad | Short film |
| 2013
| Doctor 1 | |
| 2015
| Ray | |
| 2016
| Thunderbirds 1965 | Himself | Short film |
| rowspan="2"| 2017
| And The Winner Isn't | Himself | Documentary film |
| Paddington 2
| Dr Jafri | |
| rowspan="2" | 2019
| Jed Malik | |
| Horrible Histories: The Movie - Rotten Romans
| Mr. Felix | |
| 2020
| Mad Doc | Voice role |
| 2023
|David Singh |{{Cite web |last=Cremona |first=Patrick |date=2023-06-15 |title=Meet the cast of The Flash: all the main stars and cameos |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/scifi/the-flash-cast-cameos/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Radio Times}} |
| 2024
|Dr Jafri |Cameo |
| class="wikitable"
|+Key | style="background:#FFFFCC;"| {{dagger|alt=Not yet released}} |Denotes works that have not yet been released |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
!Title !Role !Notes |
|---|
| 1991
| Various Roles | Unknown episodes |
| 1995
| Porkpie | Sanjay | Episode: "And Lead us not into Temptation" |
| 1996
| Bollywood or Bust | Himself (Host) | |
| rowspan="2" | 1997
| Adeel | 6 episodes |
| We Know Where You Live
| Various Characters | 12 episodes |
| rowspan="3" | 1998
| Doctor | Episode: "Black Canary" |
| Light Lunch
| Himself | Episode: "Goodness Gracious What a Great Show" |
| Keeping Mum
| Ahmed | Episodes: "The Card Game" and "The Morning After" |
| 1998–2015
| Various | 21 episodes |
| 1999–2001
| Rick Roy | 13 episodes |
| 2001
| We Know Where You Live | | Television film |
| 2001–2006
| Sanjeev Kumar | Lead role |
| 2002
| Graham Shah | Episode: "Mens Sana" |
| rowspan="3" | 2005
| Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee | Akaash | 3 episodes |
| Chopratown
| Vik Chopra | Television film |
| Angell's Hell
| John Angell | Television film |
| 2005–2008
| Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2006
| The Children's Party at the Palace | Robin Hood | Television special |
| 2007–2008
| Kenny Gupta | 8 episodes |
| 2009
| Narrator | Documentary series |
| 2010
| Rodger Splodger | Episode: "Great Aunt Loretta's Not-So-Great Plan" |
| 2010–2013
| Prem Sharma | 15 episodes |
| 2012
| Abdul Aziz | Episode: "And Then I Fell in Love" |
| rowspan="3"| 2014
| Armand Stone | Episode: "The Killings of Copenhagen" |
| The Kumars
| Sanjeev Kumar | 6 episodes |
| Doctor Who
| Colonel Ahmed | Episode: "Death in Heaven" |
| rowspan="3"| 2015
| Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell | Episode 1.8 |
| Bollywood and Beyond: A Century of Indian Cinema
| Himself (presenter) | Television film |
| Horrible Histories
| Various characters | Episode: "Naughty Napoleon Special", "Gorgeous George III", "Tricky Queen Vicky", "Wily Winston Churchill" |
| 2015–present
| DI Sunil "Sunny" Khan | |
| 2016
| Ethan Sullivan (voice) | Episode: "City Under the Sea" |
| 2017
| Singing Greek God | Episode: "Monstrous Musicians" |
| 2017–2019
| Porters | Mr Pradeep | 7 episodes |
| 2018–2020
| Shankar (voice) | UK & US versions |
| rowspan="4"|2019
| Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century | Category presenter ("Advocate") | 2 episodes, activists category and live final |
| Red Nose Bodyguard
| Interviewer | Red Nose Day 2019 special |
| Good Omens
| Giles Baddicombe | Episode: "The Very Last Day of the Rest of Their Lives" |
| The Switch
| Host | 20 episodes |
| 2020–present
| Les Vegas | Television miniseries |
| 2021–present
| Secrets of the Transport Museum | Narrator | Documentary series{{cite web|url=https://rts.org.uk/tags/secrets-transport-museum|title=Secrets of the Transport Museums|website=rts.org.uk|access-date=27 March 2021}} |
| 2022
| Cain | Episode: "Imperfect Hosts" |
| TBA
| Inspector Singh Investigates | Inspector Singh |
- The Way It Is (2000) as various characters
- Goodness Gracious Me: Back Where They Came From (2001) as various characters
- Comic Relief 2003 (2003) as Sanjeev Kumar
- Celebration's Advertisement (2004) – as himself
- L'Entente Cordiale (2006) as Commander Bashir
- India with Sanjeev Bhaskar (2007) as himself
- Dawn French's Boys Who Do Comedy – as himself
=Written=
- Goodness Gracious Me (1998)
- The Kumars at No. 42 (2001–06)
- Mumbai Calling (2007–08)
=Composed=
- Goodness Gracious Me (1998)
- Mumbai Calling Pilot Episode (2007)
=Stage=
See also
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|80276}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.earachevoices.com/sanjeevbhaskar.mp3 |title=Casting |format=MP3 |website=Earache Voices |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061215005804/http://www.earachevoices.com/sanjeevbhaskar.mp3 |archive-date=15 December 2006| df=dmy-all}}
- {{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/sep/20/comedy.theatre |title=Q&A: Sanjeev Bhaskar, comedian and actor |first=Rosanna |last=Greenstreet |date=2008-09-20 |newspaper=The Guardian}}
- {{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00dtw41 |title=Desert Island Discs: Sanjeev Bhaskar |date=17 October 2008 |website=BBC Radio 4}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhaskar, Sanjeev}}
Category:20th-century English comedians
Category:20th-century English male actors
Category:21st-century English comedians
Category:21st-century English male actors
Category:Actors from the London Borough of Ealing
Category:Alumni of the University of Hertfordshire
Category:Chancellors of the University of Sussex
Category:English male comedians
Category:English male film actors
Category:English male television actors
Category:English male voice actors
Category:English people of Indian descent
Category:Comedians from the London Borough of Ealing
Category:Male actors from London
Category:Male television writers