Raji James
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| Raji James | |
|---|---|
| Born | Rajesh Jhanji February 24, 1970 Havant, England |
| Occupation | Film & TV Actor, Podcast Co-Host, Club Night Promotor. |
| Years active | 1988 - (Present) |
| Official website | |
Raji James was born Rajesh Jhanji on 24 February 1970 in Havant, England, and was brought up in nearby Paulsgrove. He is a British Indian actor, club night promotor and podcast co-host, best known for playing Ash Ferreira in EastEnders and Abdul Khan in the 1999 British Film East is East. As of 2007 he participates in The Ray Peacock Podcast.
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[edit] Career
[edit] Television
He has featured as a regular character, DS Vik Singh, in ITV's The Bill (2000-02). He has also had parts in Crocodile Shoes, Waking the Dead, and in the 2006 Doctor Who episodes "Army of Ghosts" and "Doomsday". He went on to appear as Prince Malik in the 2006 BBC adaptation of Robin Hood (episode 10 - Peace? Off!), and as Dr Joe Mangeshkar in Kick (2007).[1]
James is best known for playing the role of Ash Ferreira in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. James' character first appeared on-screen in 2003 as part of a new Indian family, the show's first new Asian family for 10 years.[2] However, the Ferreiras were not received well by viewers or critics, and in 2005 executive producer Kathleen Hutchison axed the entire family.[3]James has since blamed EastEnders' scriptwriters' dull plots for the Ferreira family's lack of success.[4]
[edit] Film
His film roles include
- Provoked (2007) - Anil
- Nina’s Heavenly Delights (2006) - Sanjay
- Brief Encounters (2005) - Doctor
- East Is East (1999) - Abdul Khan
[edit] Podcasts
In 2007, James began participating in "The Ray Peacock Podcast" for iTunes and the UK Comedy Website, chortle.co.uk, alongside the comedians, Ray Peacock and Ed Gamble. James is the object of many jokes in the series, mostly about his personal life.
[edit] Personal life
Raji James has a sister, and a brother. When he was two, his father kidnapped Raji and his siblings from their home in Slough, Berks.[5] He took them to India until his mother, convinced him to return to England where custody was legally settled.
His early schooling was in Portsmouth and, whilst there, his Drama Tutor suggested he apply for a place at a drama college, although up until then, Raji had seriously considered joining the RAF as he was a sergeant in the cadet corps at school. He had the nickname "Sergeant Onion".
In 1988, he enrolled in the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and graduated with a Graduate Diploma (Degree Equivalent) in 1991. While a student, he found time to run the cellar bar at The Woodville Hotel in Woodville Road, Cathays. He is currently the Actor in Residence at Portsmouth College's Media Studies and Performing Arts Department.
Since then, Raji has been involved in a number of TV, film and theatre work as well as fitting in some time as a cab driver, foreman on a building site, sandwich delivery man, barman and other non-acting jobs. Raji has two children.
