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{{short description|British actress (born 1992)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use British English|date= January 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
| caption = Sethu in 2025
| name = Varada Sethu
| birth_name = Varada Sethumadhavan
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|05|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Kerala]], India
| occupation = Actor
| alma_mater = [[University of Bristol]]
| years_active = 2010–present
| known_for =
| education = [[Dame Allan's Schools]], Newcastle upon Tyne
}}
'''Varada Sethu''' (born '''Varada Sethumadhavan''',<ref name="miss"/> 12 May 1992) is an Indian-born British actress. Her most notable credits include playing [[Detective Sergeant]] Mishal Ali in ''[[Hard Sun]]'' (2018), Lance Corporal Manisha Chetri in ''[[Strike Back: Vendetta]]'' (2020), [[Cinta Kaz]] in ''[[Andor (TV series)|Andor]]'' (2022–2025), and [[Belinda Chandra]] in ''[[Doctor Who]]'' (2025).

Her credits also include ''[[Sket]]'' (2010), ''[[English: An Autumn in London]]'' (2012), ''[[Doctors (2000 TV series)|Doctors]]'' (2015), ''[[New Blood (TV series)|New Blood]]'' (2016), ''[[Doctor Foster (TV series)|Doctor Foster]]'' (2017), ''[[Hanna (TV series)|Hanna]]'' (2019), ''[[Strike Back: Vendetta]]'' (2020), ''[[Jurassic World Dominion]]'' (2022), and ''[[Annika (2021 TV series)|Annika]]'' (2023).

==Early life==
Varada Sethumadhavan was born on 12 May 1992 in [[Kerala]], India.<ref>{{cite Instagram |postid=DJjqGxpI8yD |title=Happy birthday to @abby_sethu, the other half of my heart |last=Sethu |first=Varada |user=varadasethu |date=12 May 2025 |access-date=23 June 2025 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20250622231703/https://www.instagram.com/p/DJjqGxpI8yD/ |archivedate=22 June 2025 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3e405g2e39o |title=New Doctor Who star: 'I don't want to be a cautionary tale' |last1=Sandhu |first1=Amber |last2=Swash |first2=Rebecca |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=1 April 2025 |accessdate=23 June 2025 }}</ref><ref name="dwm">{{cite magazine |date=July 2025 |title=Between Shifts with the Nurse |magazine=[[Doctor Who Magazine]] |issue=618 |pages=16–20}}</ref> She and her twin sister Abhaya are of [[Malayali]] ancestry.<ref name="dwm"/><ref name="andor"/> Sethu's parents are doctors.<ref name="miss"/> She moved to the North East of England at a young age and she grew up in [[Benton, Tyne and Wear]],<ref name="chron">{{cite web|url= https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/geordie-actress-aimee-kelly-line-1405842 |title=Geordie actress Aimee Kelly in line for film award |publisher=chroniclelive.co.uk |year=2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181016023029/https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/geordie-actress-aimee-kelly-line-1405842|archive-date=16 October 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> near [[Newcastle upon Tyne]]. Sethu attended [[Dame Allan's School, Newcastle upon Tyne|Dame Allan's Schools]] and was a member of the [[National Youth Theatre]].<ref name="chron"/> During her final year of [[sixth form]], Sethu won the 2010 Miss Newcastle competition.<ref name="miss">{{cite web|url= http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/evening-chronicle-news/2010/08/19/miss-newcastle-winners-secure-top-a-levels-72703-27095579/ |title= Miss Newcastle winners secure top A-levels |author= Colin George|work=chroniclelive.co.uk |date= August 19, 2010 |access-date= 19 January 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100824051905/http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/evening-chronicle-news/2010/08/19/miss-newcastle-winners-secure-top-a-levels-72703-27095579/ |url-status=dead|archive-date= 24 August 2010}}</ref><ref name="queen">{{cite web|url= http://www.ukmalayalee.com/latest-news/news.php?id=MTY1Ng== |title= Malayalee Newcastle beauty queen secure top A-Levels |work= ukmalayalee.com |date=August 20, 2010 |access-date= 19 January 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180119060643/http://www.ukmalayalee.com/latest-news/news.php?id=MTY1Ng== |url-status=dead|archive-date= 19 January 2018 }}</ref> She went on to study at [[University of Bristol]].<ref name="miss"/><ref name="queen"/>

Sethu has been performing the [[Indian classical dance]] traditions of both [[Bharatanatyam]] and [[Mohiniyattam]] from a young age.<ref name="queen"/><ref name="dwm"/> Sethu continued her acting education at the [[Identity School of Acting]] in [[London]].<ref name="mids"/><ref name="hindu">{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/interview-with-kerala-born-british-indian-star-wars-actor-varada-sethu/article66139458.ece|title=Kerala-born British actor Varada Sethu on playing a rebel in 'Star Wars' show 'Andor'|work=The Hindu|date=22 November 2022 |last1=N |first1=Aswin V.}}</ref>

==Career==

In 2010, Sethu made her debut appearance on screen in the short film ''Impressions'' as Samena.<ref name="imp">{{cite web|url= https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcuogn?retry |title= Impressions (Short Film) |publisher= dailymotion.com |year=2010 }}</ref> In 2011, Sethu landed the role of Kiran in the feature film ''[[Sket]]'',<ref name="chron"/> then as Meghana Scariah in ''[[English: An Autumn in London]]'' in 2012.<ref name="tv"/> In 2015 she made an appearance as PC Kylie Green in the 2000 TV series ''[[Doctors (2000 TV series)|Doctors]]''.<ref name="tv">{{cite web|url= https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/varada-sethu/credits/3060028408/ |title= Verada Sethu Credits |work= tvguide.com |access-date=April 1, 2025}}</ref>

Her career continued in 2016 appearing as Peaseblossom in a 2016 TV movie version of ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream (2016 film)|A Midsummer Night's Dream]]''.,<ref name="mids">{{Cite web|url=http://www.identityschoolofacting.com/portfolio/varada-sethu/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518044223/https://www.identityschoolofacting.com/alumni/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2021-05-18 |title=Portfolio: Varada Sethu|website=identityschoolofacting.com |date=2021}}</ref> ''[[Now You See Me 2]]'' and ''[[New Blood (TV series)|New Blood]]''.<ref name="tv"/>

In 2017, Sethu appeared as Aisha in two episodes of ''[[Doctor Foster (TV series)|Doctor Foster]]''.<ref name="tv"/> In 2018, Sethu starred as DS Mishal Ali for six episodes in the BBC apocalyptic TV crime series ''[[Hard Sun]]''.<ref name="rad">{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2018-01-13/meet-the-cast-of-bbc1s-hard-sun/ |title=Meet the cast of BBC1's Hard Sun |publisher= radiotimes.com |year=2018 |access-date=18 January 2018}}</ref>

In 2019, Sethu performed as a series regular in season seven of ''[[Strike Back: Revolution]]'' as Lance Corporal Manisha Chetri of the British Army.<ref name="nerd">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nerdophiles.com/2020/02/28/strike-backs-varada-sethu-it-really-is-a-season-unlike-any-other/ |title=Strike Back's Varada Sethu: 'It Really Is A Season Unlike Any Other'|website=nerdophiles.com |date=February 28, 2020}}</ref><ref name="strike">{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/strike-back-best-character-deaths-philip-locke/|title=Strike Back: 10 Best Characters Killed Off Prematurely In The Show|website=Screen Rant|date=24 April 2020}}</ref> In 2022, She played rebel Cinta Kaz in both seasons of [[Andor (TV series)|''Andor'']].<ref name="andor">{{Cite web |last=Speicher |first=Jeffrey |date=2022-10-30 |title=Vel and Cinta's Relationship Shows Nothing Comes Before the Rebellion |url=https://collider.com/andor-vel-and-cinta-episode-7/ |access-date=2022-11-01 |website=Collider |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2025, Sethu portrayed the [[companion (Doctor Who)|companion]] [[Belinda Chandra]] in ''[[Doctor Who]]'' alongside [[Ncuti Gatwa]] as the [[Fifteenth Doctor]] in [[Doctor Who series 15|series 15]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Doctor Who - First Look at Ncuti Gatwa with Varada Sethu and Millie Gibson ahead of season two |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2024/doctor-who-ncuti-gatwa-varada-sethu-millie-gibson/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref name='RTBC'>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-varada-sethu-character-newsupdate/|title=Doctor Who reveals who Varada Sethu will be playing|website=[[Radio Times]]|author=James Hibbs|date=27 July 2024|accessdate=28 July 2024}}</ref> Prior to this, she played Mundy Flynn in the [[Doctor Who series 14|series 14]] episode "[[Boom (Doctor Who)|Boom]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/doctor-who-boom-review-steven-moffat-classic-3060813|title=Steven Moffat has written another Doctor Who classic|website=inew.co.uk|author=Stephen Kelly|date=15 May 2024|accessdate=15 May 2024}}</ref>

== Filmography==
=== Film ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
| 2010
| ''Impressions''
| Sameena
| [[Short film]]<ref name="imp"/>
|-
| 2011
| ''[[Sket]]''
| Kiran
| <ref name="chron"/>
|-
| 2013
| ''[[English (2013 film)|English]]''
| Meghana Scariah
| [[Cinema of India|Indian film]]
|-
| rowspan=2| 2016
| ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream (2016 film)|A Midsummer Night's Dream]]''
| [[Peaseblossom]]
| <ref name="ver">{{cite web|url= https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/tv/miss-newcastle-tv-star-north-14178705 |title=From Miss Newcastle to TV star and the other North East female stars making it big |publisher= chroniclelive.co.uk |year=2018 }}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Now You See Me 2]]''
| Tressler Assistant
| <ref name="ver" />
|-
| 2018
| ''Special Delivery''
| Parminder
| rowspan="2" | Short film
|-
| 2020
| ''Bad News''
| Mindi
|-
| rowspan=2| 2022
| ''[[Jurassic World Dominion]]''
| Shira
|
|-
| ''[[I Came By]]''
| Naserine 'Naz' Raheem
|
|-
| 2025
| ''[[100 Nights of Hero]]''
| Esa
|
|}

=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Doctors (2000 TV series)|Doctors]]''
| PC Kylie Green
| 1 episode
|-
| 2016
|''[[New Blood (TV series)|New Blood]]''
| Indian Nurse
| 3 episodes<ref name="ver" />
|-
| 2017
|''[[Doctor Foster (TV series)|Doctor Foster]]''
| Aisha
| 2 episodes<ref name="rad"/><ref name="ver" />
|-
| 2018
| ''[[Hard Sun]]''
| DS Mishal Ali
| 6 episodes<ref name="rad"/>
|-
| rowspan=2| 2019
| ''[[Strike Back: Revolution]]''
| Lance Corporal Manisha Chetri, British Army
| 10 episodes<ref name="strike"/>
|-
| ''[[Hanna (TV series)|Hanna]]''
| CIA Analyst McArthur
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Strike Back: Vendetta]]''
| Lance Corporal Manisha Chetri, British Army
| 9 episodes
|-
| 2023
|''[[Annika (2021 TV series)|Annika]]''
| DS Harper Weston
| 4 episodes
|-
| 2022–2025
|''[[Andor (TV series)|Andor]]''
| Cinta Kaz
| 10 episodes
|-
| 2024
| rowspan="2" |''[[Doctor Who]]''
| Mundy Flynn
| [[Doctor Who series 14|Series 14]]: "[[Boom (Doctor Who)|Boom]]" (guest role)
|-
| 2025
| [[Belinda Chandra]]
| [[Doctor Who series 15|Series 15]] (main cast)
|-
|2026
|''[[The Other Bennet Sister]]''
|Ann Baxter
|3 episodes
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160411210603/http://www.identityschoolofacting.com/portfolio/varada-sethu/ 2016 Portfolio - Varada Sethu]
*{{IMDb name| 4215324}}
*[https://vimeo.com/120310688 Vimeo showreel 2015]
*[https://vimeo.com/300713157 Vimeo spotlight 2018]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sethu, Varada}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1992 births]]
[[Category:21st-century English actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses from Newcastle upon Tyne]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Identity School of Acting]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Bristol]]
[[Category:British people of Malayali descent]]
[[Category:English film actresses]]
[[Category:English people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:English television actresses]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to England]]
[[Category:National Youth Theatre members]]
[[Category:People educated at Dame Allan's School]]
[[Category:People from the Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside]]

Varada Sethu - Revision history

Robbub: Added