Roshan Seth, a native of New Delhi, India, is a renowned British character actor who has made a significant impact in both theater and film. He honed his skills at the prestigious Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in London, where he was part of the British repertory theater scene.
Seth's early career breakthrough came in 1972 when he appeared in Peter Brook's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, which toured extensively. He soon transitioned to feature films with a role in Richard Lester's Juggernaut in 1974. However, Seth's career stagnated due to the limited opportunities available to him, as filmmakers only saw him as suitable for ethnic roles.
Disheartened, Seth abandoned acting and returned to India, where he worked as an editor and journalist until the early 1980s. It was during this period that Richard Attenborough approached Seth to play the role of Pandit Nehru in the iconic film Gandhi (1982). This role marked a significant turning point in Seth's career, as it led to him being cast in other notable productions.
One of these productions was the play A Map of the World, written by David Hare, in which Seth portrayed Indian author Victor Mehta. The play toured globally, including a successful run on Broadway. Following this success, Seth's film career took off, with notable roles in Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and David Lean's A Passage to India (1984).
Seth's subsequent film credits include Mississippi Masala (1992),Street Fighter (1994),The Journey (1997),and Such A Long Journey (1998),solidifying his reputation as a versatile and talented character actor.
