Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Kiran Sonia Sawar: ‘There should be a more equal platform’ in theatre

Inclusion and diversity on and off stage a long way away, says sawar

Kiran Sonia Sawar: ‘There should be a more equal platform’ in theatre

AFTER seven years away starring in TV shows Black Mirror, Silent Witness and

The Nevers, actress Kiran Sonia Sawar returns to the stage to take a leading role in the play Brilliant Jerks.


From the writer of the acclaimed HBO/BBC series Industry, Joseph Charlton, Brilliant Jerks is centred on the creation of a multi-billion-dollar car-hailing app.

Inspired by Charlton’s time as a journalist covering Uber, audiences are taken behind the scenes of the big ideas that shape modern society, showing how tech giants inadvertently alter consumer behaviour as well as the dangers of ignoring the responsibility which comes with power.

“It’s a comment on the capitalist world we live in and how different people from different parts of that world have to manoeuvre themselves around a system to get what they need,” Sawar told Eastern Eye.

Sawar stars alongside Sean Delaney (Killing Eve), and Shubham Sharaf (Shantaram,

The Father and the Assassin).

All three actors play multiple roles alongside their main role – Sharaf portrays the app’s founder Tyler, Delaney is app coder Sean and Sawar’s character is Mia, a woman trying to battle the misogynistic work culture at the app’s offices.

“The play is three separate stories, about three different people from varied socio-economic backgrounds,” said Sawar.

“What I loved about it was it’s an actor’s dream - a proper actor’s play where we are doing multiple roles. We’re all playing four or five different characters, doing a variety of accents and having to be very specific with our body and voices.

“It’s just been a great segue into delving straight into a play in its rawest form, without all the tech and lights and big stages. It’s just really about three actors in one space,” she added. Sawar also plays a driver earning her living by picking up passengers booking through the app.

INSET 1a Brilliant Jerks at Southwark Playhouse © Nick Rutter @nickrutterarts 5 Sean Delaney (right) and Shubham Sharaf in Brilliant Jerks (Pic: Nick Rutter)

Charlton spoke of his delight at having such a “stellar” cast, describing them as “incredible actors”.

He added: “I’m astonished and colossally excited by the three actors we’ve assembled for Brilliant Jerks. I’ve followed Kiran, Sean, and Shubham for a few years and all three are incredible actors.

“The play is a mixture of direct address and vigorous multi-rolling throughout; and calls for a trio of supple, intelligent, and commanding actors.

“All three are special talents and I can’t wait to see them bring the play to life.”

Sawar said it’s a sign of progress that two Asian actors, in herself and Sharaf, perform parts not written as Asian characters. However, there is a long way to go when it comes to diversity and inclusion in theatre, she said.

LEAD Kiran Sonia Sawar 1c GettyImages 950073954 Kiran Sonia Sawar (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

Asked if there are more opportunities now for actors of Asian heritage in theatre, Sawar said, “Not really, if I’m honest.

“I think in terms of this play, it’s amazing because me and Shubham, these parts could be played by anybody. They’re not ethnicity specific which is what was amazing about the show in the first place.

“It’s nice to be in an Asian majority cast that’s not taking place in India or talking about terrorism. It’s amazing and I wish there was more of it.”

She added: “There are a lot of gatekeepers in the theatre world. It feels like quite a close-knit community I don’t particularly feel I’m a part of.

“There should be a more equal platform.

I feel very, very awkward when I’m in a theatre building and in a theatre space, even when just watching a play. I don’t know what that says.”

Though Sawar spoke of her pride to be playing a non-Asian role, she said she still is keen to also play Asian characters that can shine a light on issues affecting the community.

The 32-year-old’s breakthrough role was in 2016 when she played a victim of honour-based violence in the gripping BBC series Murdered By My Father.

“It was really, really hard work,” she said.

“It was only the second thing I’d ever filmed and it was very challenging. I was still learning and the subject matter was horrendous.

“I found it difficult as I hadn’t learned to distance myself from what I was doing.

“I remember it being a story that I really wanted to tell. I was completely invested in the stories and case studies I was reading and the documentaries I watched – all the stories of young girls. I just was not able to shake it off at the end of the day. It’s a shame that it’s still so relevant in society now. But all we can do is really ally ourselves with the stories we think are important in a world, especially as Asian actors.”

She added: “You get pigeonholed in certain brackets, but this was a bracket I was very much happy to speak about, something in our lifetime that should be able to be fixed.

“Forced marriages and honour killings are just not something that should be a narrative for any young people living next door to us in the UK and around the world,” she said.

Sawar will next be seen the channel 4 production True Love which comes from the team behind BAFTA award-winning series The End Of The F***ing World and has a cast including Lindsay Duncan (Rome, Sherlock), Clarke Peters (The Wire, Da 5 Bloods) and Sue Johnston (Downton Abbey, The Good Karma Hospital). And then she will be seen on the big screen opposite action star Jason Statham in Meg 2: The Trench.

“It was a cool experience. Action movies are a different beast, for sure. “But it was a really wonderful experience, very physically demanding and very different to my previous work.”

Talking about working with Statham, she said: “He’s so versed in the action genre. It’s interesting to watch someone like that, to learn from them. And that’s what I like to do, watch people and just learn. It’s the same as watching Sue Johnston or Clarke Peters. You watch them and you just go ‘wow, they’re amazing’.

More For You

Starmer-Getty

Starmer is facing a Labour backbench revolt over plans to reform special needs support in schools without guaranteeing existing legal rights. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images)

Starmer faces Labour pushback over SEND reform plans

KEIR STARMER is facing a backlash from Labour MPs over plans to reform special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support, after ministers stopped short of guaranteeing legal rights for parents.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the government was committed to reforming the current system, which costs £12 billion a year. However, she did not confirm if legally enforceable rights, such as those provided by education, health and care plans (EHCPs), would remain.

Keep ReadingShow less
Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit London

Londoners faced a wet and stormy start to the week

iStock

Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit London before 30°C heatwave

Key points

  • Heavy rain and thunderstorms drench London at the start of the week
  • Temperatures set to rise with highs of 31°C expected by Thursday
  • Heatwave could be declared by Friday if warm conditions persist
  • Night-time temperatures to remain high, increasing discomfort
  • UV and pollen levels forecast to be very high across the south

Thunderstorms soak London before summer heat returns

Londoners faced a wet and stormy start to the week as heavy rain and overnight thunderstorms swept through the capital. Monday morning saw widespread downpours, leaving commuters reaching for umbrellas and Wimbledon ticket hopefuls queuing in ponchos.

The unsettled conditions followed a burst of thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon and continued into the early hours of Monday, prompting caution across the city. The Met Office has not issued a formal weather warning for thunderstorms, but conditions remain unstable.

Keep ReadingShow less
National Trust sets vision to heal
nature and engage more Asians

Lisa Nandy, Steve Reed, René Olivieri and Hilary McGrady at a National Trust event marking its 130th anniversary

National Trust sets vision to heal nature and engage more Asians

THE National Trust, which is seeking to broaden its appeal to British Asians, is marking its 130th anniversary with a renewed commitment to restoring nature and widening access under a 10-year strategy.

Its director-general, Hilary McGrady, also aims to inspire more people to get involved in caring for the country’s natural resources.

Keep ReadingShow less
 7/7 bombings

The King said the public should draw on the 'extraordinary courage and compassion' shown in response to the attacks. (Photo credit: X/@RoyalFamily)

Starmer and King Charles pay tribute on 20th anniversary of 7/7 bombings

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer and King Charles on Monday paid tribute to the unity shown in the aftermath of the 7 July bombings in London, as the country marked 20 years since the attacks.

On 7 July 2005, four Islamist extremists carried out suicide bombings at Aldgate Station, Edgware Road, King's Cross and Tavistock Square. The attacks killed 52 people and injured hundreds more.

Keep ReadingShow less
Navroop Singh

Navroop Singh was convicted of five charges including rape and was sentenced on July 4 at Isleworth Crown Court. (Photo credit: Metropolitan Police)

Man jailed for life over rape and attempted rape in west London

A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for rape, attempted rape and firearm offences following a Metropolitan Police investigation in west London.

Navroop Singh, of Mellow Lane East, Hayes, was convicted of five charges including rape and was sentenced on Friday, July 4 at Isleworth Crown Court. He must serve a minimum of 14 years.

Keep ReadingShow less