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Nisha Nayar

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Nisha Nayar
Born
Nisha K. Nayar

Oyster Bay, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
OccupationActress
Years active1987–present

Nisha K Nayar is a British actress. After coming to prominence in the 1993 film Bhaji on the Beach, she had starring roles as Debra Kumar in the film Out of Hours in 1998 and as Elaine "the Pain" Boyak in the CBBC series The Story of Tracy Beaker from 2002 to 2005. She also appeared as Joyce Hammond in the ITV crime drama Rose and Maloney between 2004 and 2005 and starred as Fran Keeley in the Channel 4 drama Before We Die in 2021.

Life and career

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Nisha K. Nayar was born in Oyster Bay, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania before her family relocated to Toronto, Canada when Nayar was six years old. [1] Her family then relocated again to the United Kingdom, and Nayar grew up in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England and later trained at The Anna Scher Theatre School.[1]

Nayar made her acting debut in 1987, in the BBC sci-fi television programme Doctor Who in which she played the uncredited role of Red Kang.[2] In 1991, Nayar appeared in her first major stage role in Our Own Kind.[1] Nayar appeared as a nurse in an episode of Full Stretch, before landing the role of Ladhu in the film Bhaji on the Beach directed by Gurinder Chadha.[3] The same year, she appeared as Jamila in 4 episodes of The Buddha of Suburbia.[4] In 1994, she appeared in Medics as Jawinder and played the role of Shanti in the BBC mini-series Siren Spirits.[5] In 1995, Nayar appeared in 2 episodes of Cone Zone as Jess, and played Nasreen in Cardiac Arrest.[2] In 1996, she played Angela in the film Different for Girls, Olive in My Wonderful Life and Shaila in 4 episodes of London Bridge.[2] In 1997, Nayar portrayed Tina in the film Sixth Happiness and in an episode of Holding On as Karen.[6] She starred as Debra Kumar in the BBC medical drama series, Out of Hours in 1998. Between 1999 and 2001, she appeared as Stephanie in Big Bad World.[2]

In 2002, Nayar began starring as Elaine Boyak in the CBBC series The Story of Tracy Beaker, based on the Jacqueline Wilson book of the same name.[7] Elaine was introduced in the first series as the social worker of the title character, Tracy Beaker (Dani Harmer).[8] Her nature earned her the nickname "Elaine the Pain" from the children in care and staff alike. Nayar appeared as a main character in all five series of the show and made her final appearance in the last episode in 2005.[9] She also appeared as Elaine in Tracy Beaker: The Movie of Me and the Children in Need special Tracy Beaker Parties with Pudsey in 2004.[10] Between 2004 and 2005, Nayar appeared as Joyce Hammond in the ITV crime drama series Rose and Maloney starring Sarah Lancashire and Phil Davis.[11] In 2005, Nayar appeared in two episodes of Doctor Who, Bad Wolf and The Parting of the Ways, portraying a female programmer who is exterminated by the Daleks.[2] Nayar is also a voice-over artist and has provided voice over work for various television commercials including Deezer, Nivea, Heinz and Dove.[12] She has also narrated various stories on podcasts and radio.[13][14][15] She has also starred in audio plays including The Jungle Book.[16]

In September 2017, Nayar appeared as Samira Kohli in the medical soap opera Doctors on a recurring basis.[17][18][19] In 2019 she appeared as Dr. Rahael Malik in The Bay.[20][21] In 2021, Nayar starred in the Channel 4 drama Before We Die as Fran Keeley.[22] Nayar also made a cameo appearance as Elaine Boyak in the music video for "Someday" by Keisha White, the theme song for My Mum Tracy Beaker.[23]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1987 Doctor Who Red Kang Uncredited; 4 episodes [2]
1989 The Bill Nasreen Shah Episode: "All Part of the Job" [2]
1993 Full Stretch Nurse Coyle Episode: "Ivory Tower" [2]
Bhaji on the Beach Ladhu Film [3]
The Buddha of Surburbia Jamila Miniseries; all 4 episodes [2]
1994 The Bill Kate Jaffrey Episode: "One of Them" [2]
Medics Jawinder Episode: "In the Dark" [2]
Siren Spirits Shanti Episode: "Memsahib Rita" [2]
Memsahib Rita Television film [2]
1995 Cone Zone Jess 2 episodes [2]
Cardiac Arrest Nasreen Supporting role; 5 episodes [2]
1996 Different for Girls Angela Film [2]
True Love Olive Television film [2]
My Wonderful Life Episode: "True Love" [2]
London Bridge Shaila 4 episodes [2]
1997 Sixth Happiness Tina Film [2]
Holding On Karen Pope Series 1: Episode 8 [2]
1998 Out of Hours Debra Kumar All 6 episodes [2]
1999–2001 Big Bad World Stephanie Recurring role; 6 episodes [2]
1999 The Darkest Light Nisha Film [2]
Underground Seema Television film [2]
2001 A Loving Act Rani Dayal Short film [2]
2002–2005 The Story of Tracy Beaker Elaine "the Pain" Boyak Regular role; 72 episodes [2]
2002 In America Debra Kumar Film [2]
Sirens D.C. Kate Oakley Two-part drama series [2]
2003 The Principles of Lust Olivia Film [2]
Holby City Shazia Aslam Episode: "A Kind of Loving" [2]
Merseybeat Anne Dawson 2 episodes [2]
2004 Tracy Beaker's Movie of Me Elaine "the Pain" Boyak Television film [10]
2004–2005 Rose and Maloney Joyce Hammond Main role; 9 episodes [11]
2004 Tracy Beaker Parties with Pudsey Elaine "the Pain" Boyak Children in Need special [2]
2005 Doctor Who Female Programmer Episodes: "Bad Wolf" and "The Parting of the Ways" [2]
2006 Cracker D.S. Saffron Saleh Television film [2]
2010 The Bill Tanisha Baker Episode: "New Beginnings" [2]
2011 Casualty Anjna Chawhan Episode: "Altered States" [2]
2013 Count Arthur Strong Ghita Episode: "Doctor Two" [2]
2014 Law & Order: UK Namita Cresswell Episode: "Repeat to Fade" [2]
2015 Midwinter of the Spirit Professor Nasira Khan Series 1: Episode [2]
2016 Alleycats WPC Sehmi Film [2]
2017 uk18 Kate [2]
Doctors Samira Kohli Recurring role; 6 episodes [17]
2019 The Bay Dr. Rahael Malik Series 1: Episode 6 [20]
Chronos Liz Short film [2]
2021 Before We Die Fran Keeley Main role; 6 episodes [22]
2023 Unicorns Shamim

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Nisha Nayar - Biography". Nisha Nayar. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq "Nisha Nayar" (PDF). Scott Marshall. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Bhaji on the Beach - Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Nisha Nayar interview". Tresa. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  5. ^ "White Men Are Cracking Up: Siren Spirits". Horrified Magazine. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  6. ^ "Nisha Nayar at Royal Court Theatre". Royal Court Theatre. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Home truths". The Guardian. 13 March 2002. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  8. ^ ""The Story Of Tracy Beaker" Was A Cultural Reset – Here Are 19 Iconic Moments From The Original Series". BuzzFeed. 12 February 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  9. ^ "The Story of Tracy Beaker". BBC. 9 December 2005. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Tracy Beaker's The Movie of Me". BBC. 22 February 2004. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Rose and Maloney". Radio Times. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Nisha Nayar at Soho Voices". Soho Voices. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  13. ^ "Out of thin air: the mystery of the man who fell from the sky – podcast". The Guardian. 17 May 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  14. ^ "Cold comfort: how cold water swimming cured my broken heart – podcast". The Guardian. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  15. ^ "Ordinary Heroes (Omnibus)". BBC Radio 4. 28 April 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  16. ^ "Rudyard Kipling - The Jungle Book". BBC. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  17. ^ a b "Doctors, Series 19, Breaking the Cycle". BBC. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  18. ^ "Doctors spoiler: 'Breaking the Cycle'". Digital Spy. 27 August 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  19. ^ "Doctors, Series 19, Tipping Point". BBC. 19 September 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  20. ^ a b "The Bay viewers loved this Tracy Beaker star cameo - did you spot it?". Digital Spy. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  21. ^ "Tracy Beaker's Elaine The Pain makes surprise appearance in The Bay much to everyone's delight". Metro. 18 April 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  22. ^ a b "Meet the cast of Before We Die". Radio Times. 9 June 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  23. ^ "Dani Harmer reunites with Tracy Beaker co-stars in music video for show's theme song 'Someday'". The Independent. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
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