Aysha Kala
Alma materRoyal Welsh College of Music & Drama
OccupationActor, theatre maker
Years active2011–present

Aysha Kala is an English actress and theatre maker. On television, she is known for her roles in the Channel 4 series Shameless (2011) and Indian Summers (2015–2016), and the BBC One crime drama Virdee (2025). She was named a 2015 BAFTA Breakthrough Brit.

Early life and education

Aysha Kala grew up in Snaresbrook in east London, England.[1] Her father is a Gujarati Muslim from Gujarat, India.[2]

Kala attended Chigwell School.[3] She graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in 2013.[4][5]

Career

Kala made her television debut in 2011 when she joined the cast of Shameless on Channel 4 for its eighth series as Sita Desai.[citation needed] She then made her professional stage debut in 2012 with roles in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Much Ado About Nothing in Stratford-upon-Avon, for which she received an Ian Charleson Award nomination, and Khadija is 18 at the Finborough Theatre, for which she was nominated for an Off West End Award.[citation needed]

Upon graduating from drama school in 2013, Kala made her feature film debut in the comedy Jadoo. She also appeared in Farragut North at Southwark Playhouse and Djinns Of Eidgah at the Royal Court Theatre.[citation needed]

She was named a 2015 BAFTA Breakthrough Brit.[6]

In 2015 and 2016, Kala had a main role as Sooni Dalal in the Channel 4 drama Indian Summers.[7]

In the years following, Kala did more theatre, including PunkPlay at Southwark Playhouse in 2016, Obsession at the Barbican Theatre in 2017, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at the Theatre Royal, Bath in 2019, and The Welkin at the National Theatre in 2020.[citation needed]

Kala returned to television in 2021 with guest appearances in the BBC series Call the Midwife and the Netflix series Master of None. This was followed in 2022 by recurring roles in Man vs. Bee, also on Netflix, and the Channel 4 thriller The Undeclared War.[citation needed]

Kala returned to the National Theatre in 2023 when she originated the role of Jessica Levy in The Motive and the Cue, directed by Sam Mendes, and took over the role of Vimala in The Father and the Assassin.[8]

She had roles in the Paramount+ series The Doll Factory (2023)[citation needed] and the Apple TV+ series Criminal Record(2024).[citation needed]

She plays Saima, the wife of detective Virdee, in the BBC One crime drama Virdee, which premiered in February 2025. At time of the series release, she was filming season 2 of Criminal Record.[9]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013JadooSeema Chandana8 episodes (series 8)
2014Second ComingWaitress
2015ExmasIce QueenShort film
2019Osama Bin HidingMyraShort film
Home GirlRoyaShort film
The Deranged MarriageSonaShort film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2011ShamelessSita Desai8 episodes (series 8)
2013ViciousEmmaEpisode: "Clubbing"
2015–2016Indian SummersSooni DalalMain role
2021Call the MidwifeSarita Gupta1 episode
Master of NoneReshmiEpisode: "Moments in Love, Chapter 1"
2022Man vs. BeeDetective2 episodes
The Undeclared WarAmina3 episodes
2023The Doll FactoryAnanya3 episodes
2024Criminal RecordSonya Singh8 episodes
2025VirdeeSaima Virdee6 episodes

Stage

YearTitleRoleNotes
2012Much Ado About NothingMaidCourtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Khadija is 18KhadijaFinborough Theatre, London
2013Farragut NorthMollySouthwark Playhouse, London
Djinns Of EidgahAshrafiRoyal Court Theatre, London[10]
2016PunkPlayVariousSouthwark Playhouse, London
2017ObsessionAnitaBarbican Theatre, London
2018FrogmanFionaShoreditch Town Hall, London
An AdventureSonal / JoyBush Theatre, London
2019Vanya and Sonia and Masha and SpikeNinaTheatre Royal, Bath
2020The WelkinPeg CarterNational Theatre, London
2021Under the MaskRose Theatre, Kingston[11]
2022ScandaltownHannahLyric Theatre, Hammersmith
2023The Motive and the CueJessica LevyNational Theatre, London
The Father and the AssassinVimala
2026Teeth 'n' SmilesLauraDuke of York's Theatre, London

Audio

YearTitleRoleNotes
2015EarthseaTenarBBC Radio 4
2015The City of Woven StreetsNarratorNovel by Emmi Itäranta
2016Radio SilenceNarratorNovel by Alice Oseman
2018I Was Born for ThisNarratorNovel by Alice Oseman

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2012OffiesPlays: Female PerformanceKhadija is 18[12]
2013Ian Charleson AwardsMuch Ado About Nothing

References

  1. ^ "2015 BAFTA Breakthrough Brits, in partnership with Burberry". BAFTA. 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Aysha Kala is priming for her TV reign". Elle India. 20 April 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Drama". Chigwell Newsletter Autumn 2015. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Aysha Kala". #RWCMD. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Cardiff student snags Shameless role". Wales Online. 9 January 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Aysha Kala". BAFTA. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  7. ^ Ashenden, Amy & Earle, Toby (24 March 2015). "Aysha Kala from Channel 4's Indian Summers: 'Sooni Dalal is in a bit of a love triangle'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Aysha Kala". National Theatre. April 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  9. ^ Kala, Aysha (10 February 2025). "Virdee: Aysha Kala On Starring In The BBC's New Detective Drama". Country and Town House. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  10. ^ "Aysha Kala". Royal Court Theatre. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Cast & Creative - Under the Mask: Aysha Kala". Rose Theatre. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  12. ^ Admin (12 April 2019). "2012: Full Run: Plays: Female Performance – Aysha Kala – Khadija is 18". Offies. Retrieved 7 August 2023.