>Helper201 at 02:25, 23 June 2021

2021-06-23T02:25:21Z

New page

{{short description|British actor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Kulvinder Ghir
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1965|8|10}}
|birth_place = [[Nairobi]], [[Kenya]]
|nationality = [[British people|British]]
|occupation = Actor, comedian, writer
|years_active = 1985–present
|partner = Blandine Martin
|children = 2
}}
'''Kulvinder Ghir''' (born 10 August 1965) is a [[United Kingdom|British]] actor, comedian and writer. He is best known as one of the cast members in the BBC [[sketch show]] ''[[Goodness Gracious Me (TV series)|Goodness Gracious Me]]''. He is also known for playing Aslam in the 1987 Yorkshire-based film ''[[Rita, Sue and Bob Too!]]'', alongside [[Michelle Holmes]], [[Siobhan Finneran]] and [[George Costigan]].

==Early life==
Born in Nairobi, Kenya to [[Kenyan Asian|Indian-born]] parents.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theasianworld.co.uk/index.php/kulvinder-ghir-on-drug-abuse-life-and-films-2/ |title=Kulvinder Ghir on drug abuse, life and films |author=Emb Hashmi |work=Asian World |date=11 December 2012 |access-date=15 December 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202105152/http://www.theasianworld.co.uk/index.php/kulvinder-ghir-on-drug-abuse-life-and-films-2/ |archive-date=2 February 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Ghir grew up in the [[Chapeltown, Leeds|Chapeltown]] suburb of [[Leeds]], [[England]].<ref name="yorkshirepost.co.uk">{{cite news|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/yorkshire-living/arts/cinema/kulvinder-ghir-from-rita-sue-to-the-rivalry-of-jadoo-1-6022508|title=Kulvinder Ghir: From Rita, Sue to the rivalry of Jadoo|newspaper=Yorkshire Post|access-date=19 February 2017}}</ref> He is of Sikh origin. Ghir first began performing on stage aged 13, going on to play comedy clubs between 15 and 17,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/theatre/2003/05/mc_kulvinder_ghir_interview.shtml|title=Beds, Herts and Bucks Theatre - Midnight's Children - Interview with Kulvinder Ghir|publisher=BBC|access-date=19 February 2017}}</ref> thereafter enrolling in a [[London]] drama school.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whatsonlive.co.uk/shropshire/Interview/kulvinder-ghir/kulvinder-ghir-from-goodness-gracious-to-shakespeare/ |title=Kulvinder Ghir: from Goodness Gracious... to Shakespeare...|work=What's On |date=August 2012 |access-date=15 December 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201205332/http://www.whatsonlive.co.uk/shropshire/Interview/kulvinder-ghir/kulvinder-ghir-from-goodness-gracious-to-shakespeare/ |archive-date= 1 February 2014 }}</ref>

==Career==
{{more sources|section|date=September 2020}}
Ghir made his first television appearance in 1985, in the recurring role of Davy Malik in the BBC drama ''[[Howards Way|Howards' Way]]''.<ref name="screenonline.org.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/521430/|title=BFI Screenonline: Ghir, Kulvinder Biography|access-date=19 February 2017}}</ref> His breakthrough role<ref name="yorkshirepost.co.uk"/> came in 1987, in the controversial British film ''[[Rita, Sue and Bob Too!]]''. Since then, he has worked extensively in film, television and theatre.

He is best known as being one of four regular cast members in the BBC sketch comedy ''Goodness Gracious Me'', in both its radio and TV incarnation. Amongst the many characters Ghir played were "Chunky Lafunga", a sexy [[Bollywood]] "hero", the superhero [[Bhangra Man]], and as one half of the "Bhangramuffins" duo (alongside series co-writer [[Sanjeev Bhaskar]]).

He is also known for providing the voice of Ajay Bains in ''[[Postman Pat]]''.

His play ''Dusky Warriors'' premiered at the [[Theatre Royal Stratford East|Theatre Royal]], [[Stratford, London]] in 1995.

He also lent his voice to a few animated series aside from ''[[Postman Pat]]'' including ''[[Chop Socky Chooks]]'' and the 2015 reboot of ''[[Bob the Builder]]''.

In 2009 he was in the film ''[[31 North 62 East]]'' as Tariq.

From September 2009 to May 2011, Ghir was part of the cast of [[BBC Three]] comedy series ''[[Lunch Monkeys]]'', playing Mohammed Khan, father of [[Abdullah Afzal]]'s character.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/05_may/19/lunch_monkeys.shtml |publisher=BBC |title= Press Office - Lunch Monkeys starts shooting second series|access-date= 18 August 2011}}</ref> The show lasted two series.

In 2013 he appeared as one of the feuding brothers in the UK film, ''[[Jadoo (UK film)|Jadoo]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/10288659/Jadoo-review.html |title=Jadoo, review|newspaper=The Telegraph|location= London|date= 5 September 2013}}</ref> He also appeared in the final episode of British sitcom ''[[Big School (TV series)|Big School]]'', as Mr Rupesh the school bus driver.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03bfqzd|title=Episode 6, Series 1, Big School - BBC One|publisher=BBC|access-date=19 February 2017}}</ref> He also hosted the 2013 [[Brit Asia TV Music Awards]].<ref name=BAMA2013>{{cite news |last1=Farooq |first1=Aisha |title=Brit Asia Music Awards 2013 Winners |url=https://www.desiblitz.com/content/brit-asia-music-awards-2013-winners |access-date=21 August 2020 |work=DESIblitz |date=14 October 2013 |language=en}}</ref> Since 2013, he has played Cyril in ''[[Still Open All Hours]]''.

In 2019, he played the protagonist’s father in ''[[Blinded by the Light (2019 film)|Blinded by the Light]]''.

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
| 1987
| ''[[Rita, Sue and Bob Too]]''
| Aslam
|
|-
| 1993
| ''It's Your Choice: Interviewee Preparation''
| Interviewee #3
| Short film<br>Direct-to-video
|-
| 1993
| ''Meetings Bloody Meetings''
|
| Short film
|-
| 1995
| ''Brothers in Trouble''
| Agent
|
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Bend It Like Beckham]]''
| Teetu
|
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Tomorrow La Scala!]]''
| Rajiv
|
|-
| 2003
| ''Ice Cream Dream''
| Dad
| Short film
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Lighthouse Hill (film)|Lighthouse Hill]]''
| Raymonburr
|
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Dead Cool]]''
| Doctor
|
|-
| 2006
| ''Halal Harry''
| Ghoni
|
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Nina's Heavenly Delights]]''
| TV Presenter
|
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj]]''
| Taj's Father
|
|-
| 2007
| ''Send in the Clowns''
| Dr. Homayon
| Short film
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Ealing Comedy (film)|Ealing Comedy]]''
| Alfie Singh
|
|-
| 2008
| ''A Distant Mirage''
| Katar Singh
|
|-
| 2009
| ''[[31 North 62 East]]''
| Tariq Malim
|
|-
| 2009
| ''Peter Kay's Animated All-Star Band''
| Ajay (voice)
| Short film<br>Direct-to-video
|-
| 2009
| ''King Jeff''
| Mr. Zaheer
| Short film
|-
| 2010
| ''The Arbor''
| Rafee
| Documentary film
|-
| 2011
| ''[[Up There]]''
| Ali
|
|-
| 2011
| ''Mumbai Charlie''
| The Doctor
| Short film
|-
| 2019
| ''[[The Queen's Corgi]]''
| Sanjay (voice)
| UK version
|-
| 2019
| ''[[Blinded by the Light (2019 film)|Blinded by the Light]]''
| Malik
|
|-
|}
===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
| 1985
| ''[[Tucker's Luck]]''
| Sumil
| Episodes: "Bookends/Vanished" and "Phased Out & Washed Up"
|-
| 1985–1986
| ''[[Howards' Way]]''
| Davy Malik
| 18 episodes
|-
| 1988
| ''[[Screen Two]]''
| Sunil
| Episode: "Lucky Sunil"
|-
| 1990
| ''[[Casualty (TV series)|Casualty]]''
| Jeevan
| Episode: "Remembrance"
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Waterfront Beat]]''
| PC Ashir Malek
| 4 episodes
|-
| 1991
| ''[[G.B.H. (TV series)|G.B.H.]]''
| Ravi
| Television miniseries<br>Episodes: "Message Received" and "Over and Out"
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Crimewatch File]]''
| Idris Ali
| Episode: "A Party to Murder"
|-
| 1992
| ''Northern Crescent''
|
| Television movie
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Crime Story (British TV series)|Crime Story]]''
| Nizam Hosein
| Episode: "Gone Too Far: The Mystery of Mrs. Muriel McKay"
|-
| 1998–2015
| ''[[Goodness Gracious Me (TV series)|Goodness Gracious Me]]''
| Various roles
| 21 episodes
|-
| 2000
| ''[[At Home with the Braithwaites]]''
| Manjit Mathura
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2000–2002
| ''[[Holby City]]''
| Anil Banerjee
| 10 episodes
|-
| 2000
| ''[[The Strangerers]]''
| Keith
| Episode: "Angels"
|-
| 2007–2008
| ''[[Chop Socky Chooks]]''
| Additional Voices
| 17 episodes
|-
| 2008–2011
| ''[[Lunch Monkeys]]''
| Mohammed Khan
| 3 episodes
|-
| 2011
| ''[[Psychoville]]''
| Mr. Kakkar
| Episode: "Hancock"
|-
| 2011
| ''[[Comedy Lab]]''
| Latte aka The Daddy
| Episode: "Kabadasses"
|-
| 2013–present
|'' [[Still Open All Hours]]''
| Cyril
| Series Regular
|-
| 2015–2017
| ''[[Bob the Builder (2015 TV series)|Bob the Builder]]''
| Anish Bose (voice)
| UK/US versions<br>6 episodes
|-
| 2018–2020
| ''[[Thomas & Friends]]''
| Various Indian Voices (voice)
| UK/US versions
|-
| 2019
| ''[[Delicious (TV series)|Delicious]]''
| Mohan
| Episode: "Do What Feels Right"
|-
| 2019
| ''[[Beecham House]]''
| Mool Chand
| 6 episodes
|-
| 2019
| ''Lala's Ladiez''
| Lala
| Unknown episodes
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Black Narcissus (TV series)|Black Narcissus]]''
| General Toda Rai
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Hilda (TV series)|Hilda]]''
| Additional Voices (voice)
| 13 episodes
|}

== See also ==
* [[List of British Sikhs]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{IMDb name|id=0315792|name=Kulvinder Ghir}}
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/theatre/2003/05/mc_kulvinder_ghir_interview.shtml BBC interview]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghir, Kulvinder}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Writers from Nairobi]]
[[Category:British male actors of Indian descent]]
[[Category:British Sikhs]]
[[Category:British people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:British male television actors]]
[[Category:British male stage actors]]
[[Category:British male film actors]]
[[Category:British male voice actors]]
[[Category:British male musical theatre actors]]
[[Category:British male Shakespearean actors]]
[[Category:Royal Shakespeare Company members]]
[[Category:Kenyan emigrants to the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:20th-century British comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century British comedians]]

Kulvinder Ghir - Revision history

>Helper201 at 02:25, 23 June 2021