Sarita Choudhury

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Sarita Choudhury
Choudhury at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival
Born
Sarita Catherine Louise Choudhury

(1966-08-18) 18 August 1966 (age 57)
Blackheath, London, England
OccupationActress
Years active1990–present
Children1[1]

Sarita Catherine Louise Choudhury (born 18 August 1966) is a British actress. She made her screen debut starring in the romantic drama film Mississippi Masala (1991). She later appeared in American and international film productions, including A Perfect Murder (1998), Restless (1998), She Hate Me (2004), The War Within (2005), Lady in the Water (2006), Midnight's Children (2012), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015), A Hologram for the King (2016), and The Green Knight (2021).

Choudhury played the leading roles in a number of films, most notably the experimental film Fresh Kill (1994), the historical erotic romance Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996), the drama For Real (2009), and the supernatural horror film Evil Eye (2020).[2] On television, she starred as Mira Berenson in the Showtime thriller series Homeland (2011–2017), and as Kith Lyonne in the Netflix superhero series, Jessica Jones (2019). In 2021, Choudhury began starring as Seema Patel in the HBO Max comedy-drama series, And Just Like That....

Early life[edit]

Choudhury was born in Blackheath, London, England, and is of half Bengali Indian and half English descent. Her mother, Julia Patricia (née Spring), is English, and her father, Prabhas Chandra Choudhury, a scientist, is Indian. They married in 1964 in Lucea, Jamaica. Choudhury studied economics and film at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. She has one younger brother, Kumar Michael Choudhury, and one older brother, Chandra Paul Choudhury.[3][4]

Career[edit]

Choudhury made her big screen debut starring opposite Denzel Washington in the 1991 romantic drama film Mississippi Masala directed by Mira Nair, for which she received her Screen Actors Guild (SAG) card.[5][6][7] She was still working as a waitress in Manhattan's East Village to make ends meet while the film was in theatres.[6] The film was positively received by critics. After her debut film Mississippi Masala became an art house hit, Choudhury acted as a Pakistani country-western singer in the British comedy film Wild West (1992), a Chilean maid who is raped in Bille August's adaptation of The House of the Spirits, and a lesbian mother in the experimental film Fresh Kill directed by Shu Lea Cheang.[8]

Choudhury (right) at the Indian Panorama Feature Film Press Conference in 2009

After appearing in the American comedy film The Perez Family and the made-for-television drama Down Came a Blackbird in 1995, Choudhury starred as Tara, the Indian princess in the historical erotic romance film Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996) directed by Mira Nair. The film generated controversy at the time of its release and was banned in India due to its erotic theme and sexual content.[9] The following years, she acted primary in American productions, notable playing the recurring role on the NBC police drama series, Homicide: Life on the Street for five episodes during the 1998–99 season as Dr. Kalyani, a medical examiner. In 1998, she appeared in the crime thriller film A Perfect Murder and the romantic drama film Restless. The following year, she had a minor role in the thriller film Gloria directed by Sidney Lumet. She had a recurring roles on the short-lived television dramas Deadline (2000) and 100 Centre Street (2001–2002), and later appeared in the comedy films It Runs in the Family (2003) and She Hate Me (2004).

In 2005, Choudhury starred in the independent political drama film The War Within and the following year appeared in the psychological thriller Lady in the Water by M. Night Shyamalan.[10] In 2007, she played the role of the King's mistress, Helen Pardis, in the NBC short-lived drama series, Kings. The series was based upon the Biblical story of King David but set in modern times. Her character's Biblical counterpart was Rizpah, a concubine of King Saul. She worked with independent film director Sona Jain in the 2009 drama film For Real. In an interview with The Statesman, she said, "After Mississippi Masala and Kama Sutra I started getting offers in New York... doing theatres... I just went with the flow. One fine day, I thought that I haven't been back to India, haven't shot there and that's something I wanted to. There were Bollywood offers but it was not until Sona's script that made me look at India."[11] The film had a commercial release in September 2010.

In 2011, Choudhury was cast as Saul Berenson's wife, Mira in the Showtime political thriller series, Homeland. She was promoted to series regular during the third season.[12] Along with cast, she received Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. After Homeland, she co-starred in the romantic comedy-drama film, Learning to Drive (2014), and played Egeria, the Capitol's Minister of Interior in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015). In 2015–2016, she appeared as the Deputy White House Political Director Sophia Varma in the NBC crime drama series Blindspot. In 2016, she starred opposite Tom Hanks in the comedy-drama film A Hologram for the King.[13]

Choudhury appeared in the independent films The Last Photograph (2017) and After Louie (2018), and was a regular cast member during the third and final season of Hulu drama series, The Path in 2018. In 2019, she starred as Kith Lyonne in the Netflix series Jessica Jones and the following year appeared in the Hulu miniseries Little Fires Everywhere. In 2020, she played the leading role in the supernatural horror film Evil Eye.[14] She also starred in the Spanish drama film It Snows in Benidorm (2020), and appeared in the science fiction drama After Yang and The Green Knight (2021).

In 2021, Choudhury joined the cast of HBO Max comedy-drama series And Just Like That..., a Sex and the City revival series.[15] She plays Seema Patel, a real estate broker who becomes a new friend for Carrie Bradshaw. Choudhury received wide press coverage for her performance in the series.[16][17] Some of critics dubbed her as "the new Samantha Jones".[18] The A.V. Club named her the best part of the series.[19] After her And Just Like That... performance, HBO Max announced that Choudhury will be starring and executive producing the family drama series The Colony based on the 2019 film Stray Dolls.[20]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Mississippi Masala Meena
1992 Wild West Rifat
1993 The House of the Spirits Pancha Garcia
1994 Fresh Kill Shareen Lightfoot
1995 The Perez Family Josette
1996 Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love Tara, the Queen
1998 High Art Joan Uncredited
A Perfect Murder Raquel Martinez
Restless Jane Talwani
1999 Gloria Angela
2000 Come On Sarita
2001 3 A.M. Box
Trigger Happy Alison
2002 Just a Kiss Colleen
Refuge Girl
2003 Rhythm of the Saints Mariela
It Runs in the Family Suzie
2004 Marmalade Angela
She Hate Me Song
The Breakup Artist Mona
Indocumentados Mrs. Guerrero
2005 The War Within Farida S. Choudhury
L'est de la brúixola Dabashree
2006 Lady in the Water Anna Ran
2008 The Accidental Husband Sunny
2009 Entre nos Preet
For Real Priya
2011 Aazaan Menon
2012 Gayby Ushma
Generation Um... Lily
Midnight's Children Indira Gandhi
BMW: Bombay's Most Wanted
2013 Admission Rachel
Innocence Dr. Vera Kent
2014 The Disinherited Anna
Learning To Drive Jasleen
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 Egeria
Roman Buildings Sarita
2015 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 Egeria
Sweets Sweets
2016 A Hologram for the King Zahra
2017 The Last Photograph Hannah
After Louie Maggie
2020 Evil Eye Usha Kharti
It Snows in Benidorm Alex
2021 After Yang Cleo
The Green Knight Mother

Short Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1997 Dinner Party Rosie
Story of the Red Rose Infanta
2004 Exactly Lily
2006 Lady in a Box Ms. Pullman
2008 Woman in Burka Sarita
2009 Coup de Grâce
2012 Monarchs and Men Nadzia
2013 Give Into the Night Veena
2015 Love Comes Later
2016 Wake O Wake Lila
2019 Human Terrain Adelah Nasser
2020 Here Comes Frieda Yvonne

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Down Came a Blackbird Myrna Television film
1997 Subway Stories Humera Television film; segment: "Honey-Getter"
1998–1999 Homicide: Life on the Street Dr. Kalyani Recurring
2000–2001 Deadline Sahira Ondaatje 3 episodes
2001–2002 100 Centre Street Julia Brooks Recurring
2004 Law & Order Nadira Harrington Episode: "Paradigm"
PBS Hollywood Presents Charmaine Episode: "Cop Shop"
2007 Damages Sleep Therapist Episode: "She Spat at Me"
2009 Kings Helen Pardis Recurring
The Philanthropist Rhada Shivpuri Episode: "Kashmir"
Possible Side Effects Callie Television film
2010 Mercy Dr. Carrozzi Episode: "Wake Up, Bill"
The Good Wife Simran Verma Episode: "Mock"
Bored to Death Lakshmi Episode: "Forty-Two Down!"
2011 Bar Karma Sarita Episode: "Man Walks Out of a Bar"
Death in Paradise Avita Episode: "Music of Murder"
2011–2017 Homeland Mira Berenson Main role season 3; recurring (seasons 1, 4); guest (seasons 2, 6)
2015–2016 Blindspot Sofia Varma Recurring
2016 Elementary Gira Pal Episode: "A Study in Charlotte"
Divorce Courtney Episode: "Church"
2016–2017 Madam Secretary Prime Minister Jaya Verma 2 episodes
2018 The Path Lilith Main role season 3
Instinct Mayor Myers 2 episodes
Strangers 3 episodes
2019 Jessica Jones Kith Lyonne Main role (season 3)
Modern Love Therapist Episode: "Rallying to Keep the Game Alive"
2020 Mira, Royal Detective Great-Aunt Rupa (voice)
Little Fires Everywhere Anita Rees 3 episodes
2021 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Vanessa Blake Episode: "In the Year We All Fell Down"[21]
2021–present And Just Like That... Seema Patel Main role
2022 Ramy Olivia Guest; 3 Episodes
2024 Fallout Moldaver Recurring

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Sarita Choudhury to shift her base to India". Gulf News. IANS. 13 September 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Sarita Choudhury: 'My career has never been up and up'". Mintlounge. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  3. ^ "From Queen's to Homeland". Queen's University. 2013. Archived from the original on 2 January 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  4. ^ "Sarita Choudhury". IMDb.
  5. ^ "Sarita Choudhury: I feel like if I don't go to India once a year, I lose my sense of roots - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  6. ^ a b "How Did You Get Your SAG-AFTRA Card?" TV Guide. 13 January 2014. p. 10.
  7. ^ "I only do nudity when I trust the director". Rediff.
  8. ^ Thomas, Kevin (19 April 1996). "Vital 'Fresh Kill' Dissects Life's Absurdities". Los Angeles Times.
  9. ^ "9 films banned in India that you will really want to watch". India Today.
  10. ^ "Lady in the Water - Rotten Tomatoes". rottentomatoes.com. 21 July 2006.
  11. ^ "People want escapism by Mathures Paul". The Statesman. 16 September 2010. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010.
  12. ^ Willmore, Alison (19 November 2013). "Sarita Choudhury on Getting Involved in the Spy Side of 'Homeland'". IndieWire.
  13. ^ "Sarita Choudhury Talks Working with Tom Hanks in A Hologram for the King: It Made My Parents 'Proud'". People.
  14. ^ "Evil Eye - Rotten Tomatoes". rottentomatoes.com. 13 October 2020.
  15. ^ "Sarita Choudhury joins Sex and the City revival drama series, will play Manhattan real estate broker". Hindustan Times. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  16. ^ Bastién, Angelica Jade (28 June 2023). "Blow Her, Don't Shrink Her". Vulture.
  17. ^ "As The Only Single One Among My Friends, Seema Patel Is My New Heroine". British Vogue. 9 August 2023.
  18. ^ "AJLT's Sarita Choudhury On Samantha Comparisons, Woke Criticism, And Team Aidan Or Big". ELLE. 19 June 2023.
  19. ^ "Seema is the only And Just Like That... character true to SATC's ethos". The A.V. Club. 1 August 2023.
  20. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (12 April 2022). "Sarita Choudhury To Star In 'The Colony' Drama In Works At HBO Max From 'Stray Dolls' Duo Based On Their Film".
  21. ^ "Listings - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC | TheFutonCritic.com".

External links[edit]

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