Dharker, Ayesha

Ayesha Dharker

Photo of Ms. Dharker © L. Mangue (2006 Palm Springs International Film Festival Gala Opening - Premiere of Outsourced)

Ayesha Dharker was born on March 16, 1977 in Bombay, India to  Anil Dharker (engineering lecturer/author/columnist) and Imtiaz Dharker (Poet/artist/documentary filmmaker). Her mother, raised in Scotland since she was one, and father, met in Scotland in the 70's. Dharker was raised in Scotland and is considered a Scot.

Dharker participated in a number of plays throughout her school years and never showed a hint of stage fright.  Dharker's parents were quite supportive from the time she was much younger.  Dharker was just nine when she started to act and had a natural affinity for the craft.

It is said that Samuel L. Jackson, after seeing Ayesha in The Terrorist, recommended her to George Lucas for a part in Ep II (Robin Gurland, stopped by to visit Jackson in New York after trying to see Ayesha in a show and missed her.  Jackson happened to have a tape of her in The Terrorist and Gurland borrowed it for viewing)

Dharker is married to vitamin company director Robert Taylor (2010)

Film
Playback~2014 (short) -
Jubilee~2009 (short) -
The Lady Behaves~1999 (short) - Model (with John Malkovich)
Mumbai Chakachak~2009 -

Red Alert: The War Within~2010 - Radhakka
Mad Sad & Bad~2009 - Roxy
Loins of Punjab Presents~2007 - Opama Menon
The Contest~2006 -
Outsourced~2006 - Asha Bhatawdekar
Mistress of Spices~2006 - Hameeda - Haroun's Neighbor
Colour Me Kubrick~2005 - Dr. Stukeley (see Actor Connections - Film)
Hideous Man~2002 - Unnamed cast member (seated) (dir: John Malkovich)

Anita and Me~2002 -  Mrs. Deljeet Kumar (mama)
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones~2002 - Queen Jamillia

The Mystic Masseur, The~2001 - Leela G. Ramseyor
Split Wide Open~1999 - Leela
The Terrorist~1999 - Malli
Saaz~1997 - Kuhu Vrundavan
City of Joy~1992 - Amrita Pal - Rickshaw Puller's Daughter
Manika, une vie plus tard~1989 - Manika Kallatil
India Belongs to Me~ - Amrita Sher-Gil

TV
Indian Summers~2015 - Nalini in 1.3 & 1.9
Critical~2015 - Mrs. Alice Murkherjee in 1.1
Waterloo Road~2015 - Yasmeen Khan in 10.18
The Indian Doctor~2010-2013 - Kamini Sharma (15 episodes)
Little Crackers~2010 - Mama in Meera Syal's Little Cracker: Uncle Santa
Coronation Street~2008-2009 - Tara Mandal (54 episodes)
The British Soap Awards 2009~2009 - Herself
Hell's Kitchen~2009 - Herself in 4.13
Loose Women~2009 - Herself in 13.150
Doctor Who Confidential~2008 - Herself in Oods and Ends
Doctor Who~2008 - Solana Mercurio in Planet of the Ood
The Commander: The Fraudster~2007 - Grace Kandola
Bodies~2006 - Farah Hamid in The Finale
Waking the Dead~2005 - Mary Sharman in Subterraneans: Parts 1 & 2
Life Isn't all Ha Ha Hee Hee~2005 - Chila in 1.1-1.3
The House Across the Street~2003 - Mala
Doctors~2001-2003 -
     Mina Patel in Assumptions
     Meena Chauhan in Rock-a-Bye-Baby
Spotlights & Saris: Making Bombay Dreams~2002 - Herself
Cutting It~2002 - Sunni Khadir in 2.6 & 2.7
Omnibus~2002 - Herself in Spotlights & Saris: Making Bombay Dreams
Arabian Nights~2000 - Coral Lips in 1.1 & 1.2
Mouthful of Sky, A~1995 - Shivani (series regular)
Mysteries of the Dark Jungle (I misteri della giungla nera)~1991 - Kead - Young Girl
Manika, une vie plus tard~1989 - Manika Kallatil
Mumbai Mail~ - Anchor
Zameen Aasmaan~1995 - lead

Theatre
A Midsummer Night's dream: A Play for the Nation~2016 - Titania (RSC, ) (see a video special clip HERE)

Othello~2015 - Emilia  - wife of Iago (RSC, ) (see Actor Connections - Theatre)

Disconnect~2010 - Vidya (Vicki) (Royal Court Theatre, London, England, UK)
Arabian Nights~2010 - Shaharazade (RSC, )
Doctor Faustus~2006 - Mephistopheles (Old Vic, London, UK)

Goddess~2006 - reader (Rubin Museum of Art, New York, NY)
Bombay Dreams~2004  - Rani (New York)
Bombay Dreams~2002 - Rani (Apollo Victoria Theatre, London, UK)
The Ramayana~2001 - Sita (National Theatre, Birmingham, England, UK)
The Djinns of Eidgah
Final Solutions~1994-1995 - Daksha (NCPA, Mumbai, India)
Anita and Me~ -  (Birmingham Rep, Stratford East)


Audio Books
Tiger Hills~2011 - Narrator
The Far Pavilions~1997 (2011 re-release) - Narrator
Brick Lane~2003 - Narrator
Bombay Mumbai~2005 - Reader

Radio
Tiaan~2007 - Amerjit (BBC 4)
The Spiritual Centre~2007 - Mrs. Varma (BBC 4)
Silver Street~2004-2006 - Ambika (BBC Asian Network)
A Suitable Boy~2002 - Lata (BBC 4)

Awards, Honors, and Nominations
Cairo International Film Festival:
Rec'd 1998 Best Artistic Contribution by an Actress for The Terrorist
Chlotrudis Awards:
Nom 2001 Best Actress for Theeviravaathi: The Terrorist
Indian National Film awards:
Nom 2000 Best Actress for The Terrorist
Outer Critics Circle:
Nom 2004 Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for Bombay Dreams

Miscellany
In 2002 - #173 On the Sunday Express's list of most beautiful women ahead of Madonna and Natalie Portman.