Varada Sethu
Indian-born British actress (born 1992)
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Varada Sethu (born Varada Sethumadhavan,[1] 12 May 1992) is an Indian-born British actress. Her most notable credits include playing Detective Sergeant Mishal Ali in Hard Sun (2018), Lance Corporal Manisha Chetri in Strike Back: Vendetta (2020), Cinta Kaz in Andor (2022–2025), and Belinda Chandra in Doctor Who (2025).
12 May 1992
Varada Sethu | |
|---|---|
| Born | Varada Sethumadhavan 12 May 1992 Kerala, India |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom |
| Education | Dame Allan's Schools, Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Alma mater | University of Bristol |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2010–present |
Her credits also include Sket (2010), English: An Autumn in London (2012), Doctors (2015), New Blood (2016), Doctor Foster (2017), Hanna (2019), Strike Back: Vendetta (2020), Jurassic World Dominion (2022), and Annika (2023).
Early life
Varada Sethumadhavan was born on 12 May 1992 in Kerala, India.[2][3][4] She and her twin sister Abhaya are of Malayali ancestry.[4][5] Sethu's parents are doctors.[1] She moved to the North East of England at a young age and she grew up in Benton, Tyne and Wear,[6] near Newcastle upon Tyne. Sethu attended Dame Allan's Schools and was a member of the National Youth Theatre.[6] During her final year of sixth form, Sethu won the 2010 Miss Newcastle competition.[1][7] She went on to study at University of Bristol.[1][7]
Sethu has been performing the Indian classical dance traditions of both Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam from a young age.[7][4] Sethu continued her acting education at the Identity School of Acting in London.[8][9]
Career
In 2010, Sethu made her debut appearance on screen in the short film Impressions as Samena.[10] In 2011, Sethu landed the role of Kiran in the feature film Sket,[6] then as Meghana Scariah in English: An Autumn in London in 2012.[11] In 2015 she made an appearance as PC Kylie Green in the 2000 TV series Doctors.[11]
Her career continued in 2016 appearing as Peaseblossom in a 2016 TV movie version of A Midsummer Night's Dream.,[8] Now You See Me 2 and New Blood.[11]
In 2017, Sethu appeared as Aisha in two episodes of Doctor Foster.[11] In 2018, Sethu starred as DS Mishal Ali for six episodes in the BBC apocalyptic TV crime series Hard Sun.[12]
In 2019, Sethu performed as a series regular in season seven of Strike Back: Revolution as Lance Corporal Manisha Chetri of the British Army.[13][14] In 2022, She played rebel Cinta Kaz in both seasons of Andor.[5]
In 2025, Sethu portrayed the companion Belinda Chandra in Doctor Who alongside Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor in series 15.[15][16] Prior to this, she played Mundy Flynn in the series 14 episode "Boom".[17]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Impressions | Sameena | Short film[10] |
| 2011 | Sket | Kiran | [6] |
| 2013 | English | Meghana Scariah | Indian film |
| 2016 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Peaseblossom | [18] |
| Now You See Me 2 | Tressler Assistant | [18] | |
| 2018 | Special Delivery | Parminder | Short film |
| 2020 | Bad News | Mindi | |
| 2022 | Jurassic World Dominion | Shira | |
| I Came By | Naserine 'Naz' Raheem | ||
| 2025 | 100 Nights of Hero | Esa |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Doctors | PC Kylie Green | 1 episode |
| 2016 | New Blood | Indian Nurse | 3 episodes[18] |
| 2017 | Doctor Foster | Aisha | 2 episodes[12][18] |
| 2018 | Hard Sun | DS Mishal Ali | 6 episodes[12] |
| 2019 | Strike Back: Revolution | Lance Corporal Manisha Chetri, British Army | 10 episodes[14] |
| Hanna | CIA Analyst McArthur | 2 episodes | |
| 2020 | Strike Back: Vendetta | Lance Corporal Manisha Chetri, British Army | 9 episodes |
| 2021-2023 | Annika | DS Harper Weston | 10 episodes |
| 2022–2025 | Andor | Cinta Kaz | 10 episodes |
| 2024 | Doctor Who | Mundy Flynn | Series 14: "Boom" (guest role) |
| 2025 | Belinda Chandra | Series 15 (main cast) | |
| 2026 | The Other Bennet Sister | Ann Baxter | 3 episodes |