Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Nitin Ganatra: 'Masood could return to Eastenders'

by LAUREN CODLING

FORMER EastEnders star Nitin Ganatra has hinted that he could make a return as his popular character Masood in the future, as his new play debuted in London last week.


Ganatra left the show in February after more than a decade playing Masood Ahmed in the long-running BBC series.

He first appeared as the much-loved character in 2007 with his family, which included Nadia Wadia as his fictional wife Zainab. Audiences were devastated when he announced his departure earlier this year. However, much to the delight of fans, it may not be the last time that they see Masood.

Admitting that he missed his fellow EastEnders co-stars, Ganatra revealed he had not ruled out returning to the popular soap in the future.

“Masood is a forever unexplored character – he still has a lot more to give,” the London-based star said. “It wasn’t hard saying goodbye to the show, because he is still alive, and he

could always come back.”

Since his departure from the show, Ganatra has been busy. He has spent the summer working on roles in Midsomer Murders and Netflix’s The Worst Witch, both which are due to air next year.

Now, the Kenyan-born actor is gearing up to star in God’s Dice, the latest showing at London’s Soho Theatre.

Written by comedian David Baddiel, the plot centres on physics professor Henry Brook (played by Jonathan Creek star Alan Davies), whose world is turned upside down when a student appears to scientifically prove the existence of God.

Ganatra plays the role of Tim, Brook’s “chirpy sidekick”.

The actor believes that the play, which is Baddiel’s first, is sure to spark lengthy discussions among the audience.

“It will definitely open conversations,” Ganatra said. “There is a lot of science in it, but there is a lot of human relatability. We are looking at love, marriage, sex, religion and friendship and what it all means if you don’t believe in something. Watching how it has evolved in rehearsals, it is a very moving show.”

This is the second time that Ganatra has graced the stage in recent times. After taking a 16-year break from theatre, he returned last July in the Park Theatre’s black comedy End of the Pier. The critically acclaimed production saw Ganatra win an Eastern Eye Arts Culture & Theatre Awards (ACTA) for his performance.

The awards, which are designed to celebrate diversity in the arts, primarily recognise British Asian talent in the industry.

Ganatra said that although it was always wonderful to receive praise for a role, the award was particularly poignant for him as it came from the Asian community. As an Asian actor, he added, trying to survive in the white mainstream industry often got tiring. Expressing his irritation, Ganatra admitted it could be a frustrating process when Asian actors typically did not get leading roles in productions, unless it was an Asian project.

So, the recognition from initiatives such as the ACTAs was particularly special for the actor, he said.

“For the ACTAs to turn around and say, ‘we love you and we celebrate what you’ve done’, that means so much to me,” he revealed. “I was very touched by that. To be rewarded by your own community is very special.”

Ganatra’s career has spanned over more than two decades. He has had a series of roles in television and film, including a short cameo role in Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2005.

However, it hasn’t always been easy for him, Ganatra explained. He had encountered a lack of diversity in the industry and admitted having experienced feelings of frustration when he saw ethnic actors being given secondary roles. He was keen to celebrate the actors who continue to work in the industry, despite the hardships they may have encountered.

“There is a certain generation of (British Asian) actors who have been doing it for over 25 years and we are still doing it. We haven’t walked away. We have all been through that thing when we’ve had to go into an audition and do the crap Indian accent,” Ganatra said. “The good thing that I celebrate is we haven’t given up.”

God’s Dice is at Soho Theatre in London until November 30

More For You

Asian tycoon Sudhir Choudhrie  backs Liberal
Democrats with £23,000

Sudhir Choudhrie

Asian tycoon Sudhir Choudhrie  backs Liberal Democrats with £23,000

BUSINESSMAN Sudhir Choudhrie has emerged as one of the biggest British Asian donors to the Liberal Democrats in the last quarter of 2024, according to the latest data from the Electoral Commission.

Choudhrie, currently an advisor on India to the leader of the Liberal Democrats, contributed on six different occasions to the party between October and December 2024, totalling more than £23,000. He contributed in a similar fashion in the previous quarter as well.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sunak is ‘content in his MP role
and has no desire to move to US’

(From left) Rishi Sunak with wife Akshata Murty, and parents Usha and Yashvir Sunak

Sunak is ‘content in his MP role and has no desire to move to US’

RISHI SUNAK “loves being an MP” and has no intention of flying to California to begin a new life in America, as his enemies alleged during the general election campaign last year.

And, unlike Boris Johnson, he is not striving to be prime minister again, even though he is still only 44.

Keep ReadingShow less
LEAD Amit 1 INSET Rishi Sunak GettyImages 1258681655
Rishi Sunak
Getty Images

'I am English': Sunak asserts as ethnic minorities debate identity politics in Britain

FORMER prime minister Rishi Sunak has made cultural and sociological history by becoming the first prominent personality to say a brown person can be not only British, but also English.

He dismissed as “ridiculous” the suggestion from his former home secretary, Suella Braverman, that Englishness “must be rooted in ancestry, heritage, and, yes, ethnicity” – in other words, the person has to be white.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tesco plans to give away expiring food in waste reduction trial

Tesco’s latest move comes as part of a broader effort by supermarkets to address this issue

Getty images.

Tesco plans to give away expiring food in waste reduction trial

In a groundbreaking move to reduce food waste, Tesco, the UK's largest supermarket chain, is set to trial a new initiative where expiring food will be given away to customers for free at the end of each day. This trial is part of Tesco’s wider strategy to cut food waste in half by the end of 2025 and contribute to the global push for sustainability. The initiative will involve offering already discounted "yellow sticker" items foods nearing their expiration date at no cost to customers after 21:30 in selected Tesco Express stores.

This plan has the potential to make a significant impact on food waste reduction, especially in the context of rising food insecurity and growing environmental concerns. The trial will be rolled out in a small number of Tesco Express stores across the UK, although the specific locations and start dates have not yet been disclosed. Tesco’s decision follows an ongoing commitment to sustainability and aims to address the dual challenges of food waste and food insecurity in the UK.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sara Sharif: Court upholds jail terms for relatives

Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool and Faisal Malik. (Image credit: Surrey Police)

Sara Sharif: Court upholds jail terms for relatives

https://www.easterneye.biz/sara-sharif-s-parents-appeal-life-sentences/A COURT on Thursday (13) upheld lengthy prison terms handed to the father and stepmother of a 10-year-old British-Pakistani girl who was killed after suffering years of torture and abuse.

The trial of Urfan Sharif and his wife Beinash Batool caused waves of revulsion in the country at the horrific way they had treated Sara Sharif.

Keep ReadingShow less