Virdee Cast: Meet the Bradford Crime Drama Characters

Anyone who isn’t missing Luther could do worse than watch the newest violence crisis Virdee in Bradford. Captain Harry Virdee may not be as smart as DCI John Luther, but he still manages to navigate a similar gray area between law and impunity.[]…]

The first article on Den of Geek was Virdee Cast: Join the Bradford Crime Drama Characters.

Anyone who isn’t missing Luther could do worse than watch the newest crime crisis Virdee in Bradford. Captain Harry Virdee may not be as smart as DCI John Luther, but he does have a similar gray area between the law and criminal justice. He also has good fists, and he fights a monster in series one whose methods are so crude and outrageous that they could have stepped straight out of the Idris Elba-led episode. You thought Luther&#8216, s sisters were deranged? Be tuned.

What sets Virdee apart from Luther, aside from their differing British cultural contexts ( Harry is Sikh with Indian heritage and lives in Bradford, John is a Black Londoner ), are their marriages. Harry and his wife Saima are very much a group, even if he keeps items from her, in contrast to the separated and painfully widowed Luther who were later separated. The foundation of both their lives are their children, and finally what will prevent Harry Virdee from following too far a darkish path.

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Find out who the Virdee players are from below and match the characters.

Staz Nair as Harry Virdee

Captain Hardeep &#8220, Harry &#8221, Virdee is a 39-year-old Bradford officer with troubled interests to his beloved woman Saima and younger brother Aaron, his brother-in-law Riaz, his career, and his town. He&#8217, s the lead character in AA Dhand&#8217, s five-strong Harry Virdee book series ( Streets of Darkness, Girl Zero, City of Sinners, One Way Out, The Blood Divide ) and is played in this BBC One series by actor and singer Staz Nair.

Television viewers will understand English actor Nair for his roles in US dramas Game of Thrones, in which he played Dothraki public Qhono, Krypton, in which he appeared as Dax-Baron, and for his regular position in Supergirl as William Dey, and in Zack Snyder&#8217, s Rebel Sun. He previously played the guitar on The X Factor band, Times Red, and played Rocky in a 2016 TV show called The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Vikash Bhai as Riaz Hyatt

Riaz is a Bradford crime kingpin, and Harry &#8217, s brother-in-law. The two grew up together, and despite going in different directions after Riaz was sentenced to prison, the bond between them remains &#8211, unbeknownst to Harry &#8217, s wife and Riaz&#8217, s sister Saima. He&#8217, s played by Vikash Bhai, an actor familiar to fans of sci-fi series Pandora, as well as BBC thriller Crossfire, US sci-fi series Hanna, and many more. Bhai&#8217, s voice might also be recognised by listeners to Big Finish&#8217, s audio Doctor Who adventures, of which he&#8217, s recorded many.

Aysha Kala as Saima Hyatt

Saima Hyatt is a nurse, mother of young son Aaron, married to Harry, and the sister of drug kingpin Riaz &#8211, not that she knows that her brother &#8217, s operating an organised crime group out of his cash-and-carry warehouse. Clever and independent, Saima is a proud Muslim of Pakistani heritage who&#8217, s not prepared to compromise her faith to placate her bigoted father-in-law. She&#8217, s played by screen and stage actor Aysha Kala, seen recently in Apple TV + crime drama Criminal Record and known previously on TV for ITV&#8217, s Indian Summers, as well as recent National Theatre roles in The Motive and the Cue, and The Father and the Assassin.

Kulvinder Ghir as Ranjit Virdee

Ranjit is Harry &#8217, s father, though he has n&#8217, t seen him &#8211, or met his grandson Aaron &#8211, for eight years by the time that Virdee begins. A Pakistani Sikh who disowned his son when he married Saima, and who continues to refuse to acknowledge him to this day, is an Indian Sikh. He&#8217, s played by Kulvinder Ghir, a very familiar face on British TV for his time as a castmember on beloved comedy series Goodness Gracious Me, as well as Beecham House, Still Open All Hours, and recently, Apple TV + sci-fi Foundation.

Tomi May as Enzo Tobin

Enzo is Riaz&#8217, s right-hand man in Bradford West, and the one who gets his hands dirty when violence is called for in the fight against Vasil Sharma&#8217, s rival gang. Tomi May is best known for playing Miroslav Minkovicz, a member of the organized crime group that is being pursued by AC-12&#8217, s police officers, in the film Line of Duty. May has also appeared in Killing Eve, The Trouble With Maggie Cole, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Headhunters and an episode of the videogame-to-TV adaptation Halo.

Danyal Ismail portrays DS Khalil Amin.

No TV crime drama would be complete without a new DS for our lead to show the ropes and explain things to ( and, consequently, to us ) along the way. In Virdee, that &#8217, s Khalil, a new recruit to Harry &#8217, s Bradford team. Khalil quickly understood that his new boss who &#8220, does n&#8217, t do desks &#8221, also does n&#8217, t quite follow the rules, and the question is, will he support or report Harry for it? This is Ismail&#8217, s fourth crime drama TV role, following parts in ITV&#8217, s Vera, Madonald &amp, Dobbs and Ridley.

Elizabeth Berrington portrays DS Clare Conway

DS Conway is Harry &#8217, s police colleague ( and are we sure that she&#8217, s only a DS as she&#8217, s credited? She acts more like DCI Virdee&#8217, s boss ). She&#8217, s a supporting character about whom little is known, and she&#8217, s played by Elizabeth Berrington. Where has Elizabeth Berrington previously been seen? Everywhere. From The Office to Waterloo Road to Stella to The Responder to Good Omens, via basically every British TV show made in the last 20 years, Berrington&#8217, s been in it.

Elaine Tan as Rebecca Armitage

Rebecca Armitage is part of the UK Crime Agency, a fictional organisation in Virdee&#8216, s world. A well-known investigation into a ritualistic killer is brought on by the UKCA. She&#8217, s played by Elaine Tan, who recently appeared in ITV thriller Red Eye and Sky sci-fi drama The Lazarus Project, and before that Tom Clancy &#8216, s Jack Ryan, Acquitted and multiple episodes of British soap EastEnders in the role of Li Chong.

Nicola Burley as Sophie Brodenham

Sophie is a mystery at the start of Virdee, but is soon established as Riaz&#8217, s confidante. As the series ‘ season draws to its conclusion, her backstory will be revealed. She&#8217, s played by Nichola Burley, who was recently in ITVX crime drama Protection, as well as playing Brenda in BBC true-crime drama The Gold, appearing in Netflix fantasy thriller Behind her Eyes, and many more.

Ramon Tikaram as Jai Pawa

No spoilers here for anyone who hasn’t yet binged every episode of the Virdee series one. Jai Pawa is a powerful figure from Virdee&#8217, s past who returns to Bradford set on vengeance. He&#8217, s played by another very familiar face on British TV: Ramon Tikaram, seen recently in Netflix fantasy KAOS, but also Brassic, Pennyworth, multiple Doctor Who audio adventures, Stella, EastEnders, and many others, including, of course, for the role of Ferdy in 1990s favourite This Life.

ALSO APPEARING

&#8211, The Lazarus Project and Waterloo Road&#8216, s Nina Singh as Harry &#8217, s niece Tara Virdee-Duggal.

&#8211, We Are Lady Parts, Mary Poppins Returns and theatre actor Sudha Bhuchar as Harry &#8217, s mother Jyoti Virdee

&#8211, Gangs of London and The Gentlemen&#8216, s Andi Jashy as Vasil Sharla, the leader of a rival drug operation going up against Bradford West.

&#8211, Newcomer Charlie Mann as Paul King, a local Bradford thief.

On BBC iPlayer, you can now stream every Virdee episode.

The first article on Den of Geek was Virdee Cast: Join the Bradford Crime Drama Characters.