--- name: "Sanjeev Bhaskar" canonical: "https://film.one/person/sanjeev-bhaskar" roles: ["Actor"] born: "31 October 1963" reviewed_on_fi1m: 5 average_fi1m_score: 69 average_as: "actor" average_over: 5 updated: "2026-09-17T15:19:47.063272+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Sanjeev Bhaskar Actor. Born 31 October 1963 in Ealing, London, England, UK. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 31 October 1963, Ealing, London, England, UK - **Active:** 1999–present - **Also known as:** Sanjeev Bhaskar O.B.E., Sanjeev Bhaskar OBE, San Jeev Bhaskar, Sanjeev Bhasker, 산지브 바스카르 - **Average Fi1m score:** 69, as actor, over 5 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 78 (1), 2010s 78 (2), 2020s 57 (2) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 71 to 70 across 4 titles - **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 1 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 1 of 1 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Adventure 3, Comedy 3, Family 2, Action 1, Crime 1, Drama 1 - **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $1,136m across 4 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanjeev_Bhaskar, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3472307, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0080276/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/145997 ## Coming up - *The Split Up* (2026-09-20), as Dhruv Kishan - *Bollywoof* (2027-01-22), as (voice) ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Unforgotten*](https://film.one/tv/unforgotten.md) (64) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Sanjeev Bhaskar > Sanjeev Bhaskar makes information-heavy dialogue worth listening to, especially alongside Nicola Walker. We value the steadiness he brings to drama, but *Unforgotten* asks more of its actors than they can reasonably put right. In *Unforgotten* (2015), Sanjeev Bhaskar gives us a reason to listen even when the dialogue is busy explaining the case. His DS Sunil ‘Sunny’ Khan brings a steadiness to the police scenes that the rest of the programme struggles to match. Working alongside Nicola Walker’s DCI Cassie Stuart, he makes us want to spend time with the detectives. We were frustrated when the story left them, because the other strands kept interrupting that interest. That is a recommendation for the performances, with reservations about the series. His earlier television work drew on a different skill: finding comedy in British Asian stereotypes and family life. The Secret Asians, his mid-1990s comedy partnership with Nitin Sawhney, led towards *Goodness Gracious Me* (1998). He co-created that sketch series and the spoof chat show *The Kumars at No. 42* (2001), in which he played Sanjeev Kumar. Those programmes established him as a comic performer before the move towards leading dramatic roles. With *The Indian Doctor* (2010), he took the lead as Dr Prem Sharma in a period comedy-drama set in 1960s Wales. A supporting role as Jed Malik in Danny Boyle’s *Yesterday* (2019) belongs to another continuing part of his work, taking smaller parts in films alongside his television leads. But *Unforgotten* gives us the clearest reason to value the move into drama. His partnership with Walker makes scenes burdened with information worth watching, without making the strain in the writing disappear. The writing is the reason for our caution. The first series spreads itself across too many characters, and some of their emotional stories remain unfinished; Bhaskar cannot repair that within his own scenes. He remains watchable when our interest in the case wanders, which is useful for the programme and less satisfying for us. Try *Unforgotten* for the partnership, but expect to spend longer away from it than we would have liked. ## Biography Sanjeev Bhaskar OBE is a British actor, comedian and television presenter. Born on 31 October 1963 in Ealing, London, he is known for his work in sketch comedy, notably the BBC series *Goodness Gracious Me*, and as the star of the sitcom *The Kumars at No. 42* (2001–2006). He presented the documentary series *India with Sanjeev Bhaskar*. Bhaskar has taken dramatic roles including Dr Prem Sharma in *The Indian Doctor* and DI Sunny Khan in the ITV series *Unforgotten* (2015–). His film credits include *Notting Hill* (1999), *Yesterday* (2019) and *Paddington 2* (2017). He was appointed an OBE in 2006 and has served as chancellor of the University of Sussex since 2009. He is married to actress Meera Syal. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (5) - *Paddington in Peru* (2024), Fi1m 64, as Dr. Jafri — [page](https://film.one/film/paddington-in-peru.md) - *The Flash* (2023), Fi1m 50, as David Singh — [page](https://film.one/film/the-flash.md) - *Paddington 2* (2017), Fi1m 91, as Dr. Jafri — [page](https://film.one/film/paddington-2.md) - *Unforgotten* (2015), Fi1m 64, as DS Sunil 'Sunny' Khan — [page](https://film.one/tv/unforgotten.md) - *Notting Hill* (1999), Fi1m 78, as Loud Man in Restaurant — [page](https://film.one/film/notting-hill.md) ## Complete filmography (76) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Bollywoof* (2027), as (voice) - *The Split Up* (2026), series, as Dhruv Kishan - *The Family Plan 2* (2025), as Vikram - *Paddington in Peru* (2024), as Dr. Jafri — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/paddington-in-peru.md) - *Apocalypse Slough: A Murder, They Hope Mystery* (2024), as Gwyn - *The Hound of the Baskervilles* (2023), as Dr Watson - *The Flash* (2023), as David Singh — Fi1m 50, [page](https://film.one/film/the-flash.md) - *The Sandman* (2022), series, as Cain - *Inside Classical* (2022), series, as Dr Watson - *Letters Live from the Archive: Freemasons’ Hall* (2021), Acting - *Thomas and Friends: The Super Engine* (2021), as Shankar / Announcer / Judge (voice) - *Dragon Rider* (2020), as Mad Doc (voice) - *Thomas and Friends: The Royal Engine* (2020), as Shankar (voice) - *Hitmen* (2020), series, as Robin Sharma - *Sandylands* (2020), series, as Les Vegas - *Thomas & Friends: Steam Team to the Rescue* (2020), as Shankar (voice) - *Thomas & Friends: A Colourful World* (2019), as Shankar / Actor (voice) - *Horrible Histories: The Movie — Rotten Romans* (2019), as Mr Felix - *Yesterday* (2019), as Jed Malik - *Good Omens* (2019), series, as Giles Baddicombe - *Thomas & Friends: Here Comes the Steam Team!* (2018), as Shankar (voice) - *Paddington 2* (2017), as Dr. Jafri — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/paddington-2.md) - *Celebration of the Tercentenary of the Founding of The Premier Grand Lodge* (2017), Acting - *Porters* (2017), series, as Mr. Pradeep - *Unforgotten* (2015), series, as DS Sunil 'Sunny' Khan — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/tv/unforgotten.md) - *Bollywood and Beyond: A Century of Indian Cinema* (2015), Presenter, Writer - *Absolutely Anything* (2015), as Ray - *Doctor Who: Dark Water / Death in Heaven* (2014), as Colonel Ahmed - *Duck Quacks Don't Echo* (2014), series, Acting - *The Zero Theorem* (2013), as Doctor 1 - *The Sick Party* (2012), as Ray - *Gadget Man* (2012), series, Acting - *BBC Comedy Feeds* (2012), series, as Paul - *Arthur Christmas* (2011), as Lead Elf (voice) - *The Itch of the Golden Nit* (2011), as Ten Heart Hero (voice) - *Little Crackers* (2010), series, as Papa - *The Indian Doctor* (2010), series, as Dr. Prem Sharma - *Rewind The 60s* (2010), series, Acting - *London Boulevard* (2010), as Dr. Raju - *Jackboots on Whitehall* (2010), as Rupee/Old Gil/King (voice) - *Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)* (2010), as Mountie - *Mumbai Calling* (2009), series, Acting - *Horrible Histories* (2009), series, Acting - *India with Sanjeev Bhaskar* (2007), series, Writer - *Jhoom Barabar Jhoom* (2007), as Shopkeeper - *Lewis* (2007), series, as Kanan Dutta - *Scoop* (2006), as Poker Player - *The Children's Party at the Palace* (2006), as Robin Hood (Robin Hood) - *L'Entente cordiale* (2006), as Commandant Bashir - *Chopratown* (2005), series, Acting - *Chopratown* (2005), as Vik Chopra - *Must See TV* (2005), series, Acting - *Love Soup* (2005), series, Acting - *Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee* (2005), series, Acting - *Doctor Who* (2005), series, as Colonel Ahmed - *Lion Battlefield* (2004), as Narrator (voice) - *Anita and Me* (2002), as Mr. Kumar - *Inferno* (2002), as Jaz - *The Guru* (2002), as Rasphal the Cook - *Dick Whittington: The ITV Pantomime* (2002), as The Mayor - *The Kumars at No. 42* (2001), series, Writer - *The Mystic Masseur* (2001), as Beharry - *Small Potatoes* (1999), series, as Rick Roy - *Notting Hill* (1999), as Loud Man in Restaurant — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/notting-hill.md) - *The Dance of Shiva* (1998), as Sergeant Bakshi - *Goodness Gracious Me* (1998), series, as Creator - *Keeping Mum* (1997), series, as Ahmed - *We Know Where You Live* (1997), series, as Various Characters - *Midsomer Murders* (1997), series, as Armand Stone - *Captain Butler* (1997), series, Acting - *Dalziel and Pascoe* (1996), series, as Graham Shah - *Porkpie* (1995), series, as Sanjay - *The Real McCoy* (1991), series, Acting - *Natural World* (1983), series, as Presenter - *Omnibus* (1967), series, Acting - *Tuk Tuk!*, as Sudhakaran ## Gallery - ![Sanjeev Bhaskar](https://film.one/media/person/290093/gallery-e22cd9c25bf5.jpg) Sanjeev Bhaskar — TheAsianAwards, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Sanjeev_Bhaskar_Asian_Awards_2015.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Sanjeev Bhaskar introduces Subahi who lost her daughter Anila to measles following devastating floods in 2022.](https://film.one/media/person/290093/gallery-1b13527625f5.png) Sanjeev Bhaskar introduces Subahi who lost her daughter Anila to measles following devastating floods in 2022. — Soccer Aid for UNICEF, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Soccer_Aid_for_Unicef_-_Sanjeev_Bhaskar.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/sanjeev-bhaskar