Sarita Choudhury
Encyclopedia
Sarita Catherine Louise Choudhury (born 18 August 1966) is an English
actress.
, London
, England
, of half Bengali
-Indian and half English descent. Her parents, Prabhas Chandra Choudhury, a scientist, and Julia Patricia Spring, married in 1964 in Lucea, Jamaica
. She 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.
She is best known for her roles in the Mira Nair
-directed feature films Mississippi Masala
(1992), The Perez Family (1995) and Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love
(1996).
After her debut film Mississippi Masala became an art house hit, Sarita Choudhury acted as a Pakistani country-western singer in Wild West, a Chilean maid who is raped in Bille August's adaptation of The House of the Spirits
, and a lesbian mother in Fresh Kill.
By the late 1990s, Choudhury added to her repertoire with supporting roles in the glossy Hitchcock remake, A Perfect Murder
and the John Cassavetes retread Gloria
. In 2002 she starred in Just a Kiss
. She played a lesbian virgin in Spike Lee's She Hate Me
and acted as Anna Ran in Lady in the Water
, a 2006 thriller/fantasy film written, produced, and directed by M. Night Shyamalan
.
She appeared on Homicide: Life on the Streets for five episodes during the 1998-1999 season as Dr. Kalyani, a medical examiner.
Choudhury most recently played the role of the King's mistress, Helen Pardis, in the NBC drama 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 recently worked with independent film director Sona Jain in 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." The film had a commercial release in September 2010.
She appears as character Saul Berenson's wife in Homeland (TV series)
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actress.
Biography
Choudhury was born in BlackheathBlackheath, London
Blackheath is a district of South London, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich to the north and Lewisham to the west...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, of half Bengali
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
-Indian and half English descent. Her parents, Prabhas Chandra Choudhury, a scientist, and Julia Patricia Spring, married in 1964 in Lucea, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. She studied Economics and film at Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
in Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She has one younger brother, Kumar Michael Choudhury, and one older brother, Chandra Paul Choudhury.
She is best known for her roles in the Mira Nair
Mira Nair
Mira Nair is an Indian film director and producer based in New York. Her production company is Mirabai Films.She was educated at Delhi University and Harvard University. Her debut feature film, Salaam Bombay! , won the Golden Camera award at the Cannes Film Festival and also earned the nomination...
-directed feature films Mississippi Masala
Mississippi Masala
Mississippi Masala is a romantic drama film directed by Mira Nair, based upon a screenplay by Sooni Taraporevala, starring Denzel Washington, Sarita Choudhury, and Roshan Seth. Set primarily in rural Mississippi, the film explores interracial romance between African Americans and Indian Americans...
(1992), The Perez Family (1995) and Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love
Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love
Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love is a 1996 American drama film directed by Mira Nair. The film takes its title from the ancient Indian text, the Kama Sutra, but this only serves as a common link between the characters....
(1996).
After her debut film Mississippi Masala became an art house hit, Sarita Choudhury acted as a Pakistani country-western singer in Wild West, a Chilean maid who is raped in Bille August's adaptation of The House of the Spirits
The House of the Spirits (film)
The House of the Spirits is a 1993 German-Danish-Portuguese dramatic film starring Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder and Antonio Banderas. The supporting cast includes Vanessa Redgrave, María Conchita Alonso, Armin Mueller-Stahl and Jan Niklas...
, and a lesbian mother in Fresh Kill.
By the late 1990s, Choudhury added to her repertoire with supporting roles in the glossy Hitchcock remake, A Perfect Murder
A Perfect Murder
A Perfect Murder is a 1998 American thriller film directed by Andrew Davis and starring Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen. It is a modern remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 film, Dial M for Murder, though the characters' names are all changed, and over half the plot is completely...
and the John Cassavetes retread Gloria
Gloria (1999 film)
Gloria is a remake of the 1980 film written and directed by John Cassavetes. It was directed by Sidney Lumet and starred Sharon Stone as Gloria. It is also notable as George C. Scott's final film...
. In 2002 she starred in Just a Kiss
Just a Kiss (2002 film)
Just a Kiss is a dark comedy and was the first feature film directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Fisher Stevens. Fisher also is credited with playing the harmonica . Patrick Breen wrote the screenplay adapted from his own off-Broadway play and starred in the film...
. She played a lesbian virgin in Spike Lee's She Hate Me
She Hate Me
She Hate Me is a 2004 independent comedy-drama film directed by Spike Lee and starring Anthony Mackie, Kerry Washington, Ellen Barkin, Monica Bellucci, Brian Dennehy, Woody Harrelson, Bai Ling and John Turturro....
and acted as Anna Ran in Lady in the Water
Lady in the Water
The soundtrack was composed by James Newton Howard. The last four tracks are non-soundtrack songs from singer/songwriter Amanda Ghost, Indie rock band A Whisper in the Noise, and rock 'n' roll revivalists Silvertide. Each of the four songs was written by Bob Dylan...
, a 2006 thriller/fantasy film written, produced, and directed by M. Night Shyamalan
M. Night Shyamalan
Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan,known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, is an Indian-born American screenwriter, film director, and producer known for making movies with contemporary supernatural plots that climax with a twist ending. He is also known for filming his movies in and around...
.
She appeared on Homicide: Life on the Streets for five episodes during the 1998-1999 season as Dr. Kalyani, a medical examiner.
Choudhury most recently played the role of the King's mistress, Helen Pardis, in the NBC drama Kings
Kings (U.S. TV series)
Kings is an American television drama series which aired on NBC. The series' narrative is loosely based on the Biblical story of King David, but set in a kingdom that culturally and technologically resembles the present-day United States....
. The series was based upon the Biblical story of King David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
but set in modern times. Her character's Biblical counterpart was Rizpah
Rizpah
Rizpah was the daughter of Aiah, and one of Saul's concubines. She was the mother of Armoni and Mephibosheth .After the death of Saul, Abner took her as wife, resulting in a quarrel between him and Saul's son and successor, Ishbosheth. The quarrel led to Abner's going over to the side of David, ...
, a concubine of King Saul
Saul
-People:Saul is a given/first name in English, the Anglicized form of the Hebrew name Shaul from the Hebrew Bible:* Saul , including people with this given namein the Bible:* Saul , a king of Edom...
.
She recently worked with independent film director Sona Jain in For Real. In an interview with The Statesman
The Statesman
The Statesman is an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper founded in 1875 and published simultaneously in Kolkata, New Delhi, Siliguri and Bhubaneswar. The Statesman is owned by The Statesman Ltd., its headquarters at Statesman House, Chowringhee Square, Calcutta and its national...
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." The film had a commercial release in September 2010.
She appears as character Saul Berenson's wife in Homeland (TV series)
Homeland (TV series)
Homeland is an American psychological thriller television series developed by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, based on the Israeli series Hatufim, also known as Prisoners of War, which was created by Gideon Raff...
.
External links
- Rediff Interview
- Heyoka magazine Interview with John LeKay