Phaldut "Paul" Sharma is a Welsh actor and dancer. He is perhaps best known for his small role in the 2013 science fiction move Gravity, and is also known for playing Achmed in Gavin & Stacey and AJ Ahmed in EastEnders.
Early life
Sharma was born in the UK to Guyanese Hindu parents, whose ancestors came from Uttar Pradesh.
Career
Television and film
Sharma played Vinnay Ramdas in Casualty and then Damon Lynch in 2011, Rajiv in comedy-drama Roger Roger and Paul in Meet the Magoons. He has also appeared in episodes of Life on Mars, Dalziel and Pascoe and the BBC daytime series Doctors. also appeared in one episode of Ultimate Force Series 4 Episode 3 "the dividing line".
Sharma was in the first episode of the UK comedy The Office, playing Sanj, and was Stacey Shipman's (Joanna Page) ex-fiancé, Achmed, in Gavin & Stacey. In 2009, Sharma appeared as Hindu nationalist Harish Dhillon in an episode of Spooks. In 2012, Sharma was cast in EastEnders as Masood Ahmed's (Nitin Ganatra) brother AJ, a regular character. He left the soap opera in 2014. He also appeared in episode six of Hunted.
In 2013, Sharma garnered notable attention from South Asian outlets for a small role in the 2013 science fiction move Gravity, where he chose to sing a short portion of the popular Hindi song Mera Joota Hai Japani.
In 2015, Sharma released 'I Gotta Be Me' - a ten-part web comedy in which he plays Paul Shah - a semi-autobiographical character based on his experience as a Sammy Davis Junior tribute act. He also appeared as Leigh in episodes four and five of Cucumber. In 2019, he appeared as Tom, the father of Sophie who befriends the titular character in season 1 of Hanna.
In 2021, Sharma appeared as DCI Ram Sidhu in the fourth series of ITV drama Unforgotten. In 2023 he filmed the BBC television feature Men Up, about the first clinical trials for the drug Viagra that took place in Swansea in 1994. He plays Peetham "Pete" Shah.
Stage
Sharma played Sammy Davis Jr in the West End production of Rat Pack Confidential in 2003.
From September to October 2010, he appeared in Factory Theatre Company's Boiling Frogs at Southwark Playhouse, London.
References
- https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/phaldut-sharma/bio/3000534508/
- ^ https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/lounge/phaldut-sharma-astronaut-shariff-gravity-george-clooney-sandra-bullock/articleshow/25653448.cms?
- ^ https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/raj-kapoors-song-was-perfect-for-gravity-says-phaldut-sharma-614648
- Casualty semi-regulars
- Meet the Magoons episode guide on Channel 4
- Kilkelly, Daniel (1 June 2012). "'EastEnders' casts Masood's brother AJ". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
- Klompus, Jack (24 September 2013). "'EastEnders' axes four stars: AJ, Poppy, Carl and Kirsty to leave soap". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- Raj Kapoor's song Mera joota hai Japani was perfect for Gravity: Phaldut Sharma, DNA India, 1 November 2013
- "Home". igottabeme.net.
- Cripps, Charlotte (3 March 2021). "Unforgotten, series 4 episode 2 recap: Could Cassie and Sunny's new case involve corrupt coppers?". The Independent. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- Ritman, Alex (1 March 2023). "Viagra Trial Drama 'Men Up' Coming to BBC From Russell T. Davies, 'Industry' Writer, 'It's a Sin' Producer". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- Colderick, Stephanie (14 September 2023). "BBC releases new pictures of Wales-filmed drama Men Up". WalesOnline. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
- Rat Pack Confidential transfers to West End Archived 2011-06-15 at the Wayback Machine
- Boiling Frogs Review
- Boiling Frogs Review in The Independent
External links
Categories:
- Living people
- 1981 births
- Male actors from Newport, Wales
- Alumni of the Guildford School of Acting
- 21st-century British male actors
- British people of Indo-Guyanese descent
- Guyanese Hindus
- Male actors from London
- People educated at Bassaleg School
- Welsh male film actors
- Welsh male stage actors
- Welsh male television actors