In just two episodes, Sacha Dhawan has cemented himself as one of the most exciting actors to play Doctor Who’s evil Time Lord: The Master. Dhawan’s performance in “Spyfall Part 1 and 2” was equally surprising and electric.
But no one should be surprised to learn that Sacha Dhawan is no stranger to powerful performances. This British actor has been giving incredible performances over the course of his varied and exciting career. If you loved his role as The Master, you’ll need to see these other roles of his.
Dr. Sharma - Dracula (2020)
Just as recent as his appearance in Doctor Who was his short stint on former showrunner Steven Moffat’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. This BBC and Netflix partnership was a three-episode miniseries in the same vein as Sherlock.
Dhawan played Dr. Sharma, a physician with a mysterious past confronting the undead, and a mute and deaf daughter he has to protect at all costs. Dhawan is a fairly young performer, but he was able to cement himself as a believable older father figure, one who is one of the most sympathetic characters in the series.
Akhtar - The History Boys (2006)
This coming-of-age comedy/drama not only stars Dhawan but a slew of other well-known British performers as well. Russell Tovey, James Corden, Dominic Cooper, and more make up this cast of grammar school students pursuing their dreams of attending Oxford or Cambridge in the 1980s.
Dhawan might not be center stage in this feature, but you can see the beginnings of what would become a fantastic long-term acting career. Dhawan plays Akthar, one of the only Muslim and Southeast Asian students in the group of friends.
Jimmy - Mr. Selfridge (2014)
The period drama Mr. Selfridge would be a great alternative programming for any fan of Downton Abbey. This series focuses on Harry Gordon Selfridge, the man who established the Selfridge & Co. Department Store in London.
In the series, Dhawan fits in among high society, playing a suave and charming playboy figure named Jimmy Dillon. Alongside his equally charming castmates such as Jeremy Piven, Amanda Abbington, and more, Dhawan charms the hell out of this glitzy show.
Paul - Last Tango In Halifax (2012)
Last Tango in Halifax is a romantic comedy series focused mainly on 70-year-old childhood sweethearts who meet up again after years and fall in love. It’s a sweet series, but one that certainly isn’t without its more dramatic moments.
In the series, Dhawan plays a young man who has an affair with one of the daughters of the couple, resulting in a ton of interpersonal strife, and even physical fights among the characters. Once again, Dhawan might not be the lead, but his addition only makes the series that much better.
Sathnam - The Boy With The Topknot (2017)
The Boy With The Top Knot was a TV movie adaptation of British journalist Sathnam Sanghera’s life and the struggles of being raised under the Sikh faith in Wolverhampton, England. Dhawan, of course, played the writer himself.
The film is a powerful tale that not only details the obstacles and successes of Sanghera, but also the gigantic obstacles that his mother faced when raising him. Though filled with a lot of hard-hitting emotional drama, Dhawan assists in delicately bringing the memoirs to life.
Karim - Bradford Riots (2006)
It is easy to get typecast into roles based on your race, but Dhawan seems to only choose roles that either subvert stereotypes about Indian actors or embraces their complicated roles in Western society. Bradford Riots is a perfect example of the latter.
Dhawan plays Karim, a young man living in Bradford,West Yorkshire, and his involvement in the race riots that occurred there. This challenging drama shows exactly how far individuals will go when they are confronted by extreme hate and prejudice.
Mr. Garrett - The Tractate Middoth (2013)
Dracula wasn’t the first project that Dhawan worked on for Mark Gatiss. He also appeared in Gatiss’ first adaption for A Ghost Story for Christmas in his version of M. R. James’ The Tractate Middoth. In the special, Dhawan plays Mr. Garrett, a young man working at a university library.
Garrett is confronted by the vengeful spirit of a haunted book, one which will lead its reader to immense wealth. This complicated tale of curses and family inheritance is a great atmospheric ghost story, and Dhawan carries the entire thing perfectly to the spooky final note.
Ajay - Sherlock (2017)
Dhawan has played multiple roles in projects helmed by both Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, from short specials, full series, and TV Movies. This short stint on the BBC drama Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, saw Dhawan take the role of a master assassin.
Though a smaller role, Dhawan was majorly impactful. As Ajay, Dhawan was a fellow assassin trained alongside John Watson’s wife, Mary. Ajay is tortured and convinced by terrorists that Mary must be killed, as she is the one who gave him over to them. His intense performance was kinetic alongside Amanda Abbington’s.
Waris Hussein - An Adventure In Space And Time (2013)
As The Master, Dhawan joined the long history of British sci-fi crown jewels. But this wasn’t his first introduction to the history of Doctor Who. Dhawan appeared in a 50th anniversary special TV Movie about the creation of the beloved series.
Dhawan played Waris Hussein, the first-ever director for the series on the pilot episode “An Unearthly Child.” Dhawan helped shed light on the contributions that Hussein gave to the series and how impactful his role was alongside others in 1963.
Davos/Steel Serpent - Iron Fist (2017-2018)
Some might not know due to the poor reception of the series, but Dhawan held a pretty substantial role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Before its cancellation, Dhawan played the evil half to Netflix’s Iron Fist.
In the series, he plays Davos, who was second in line to take on the mantle of the Iron Fist before Danny Reid was given the honor. Out of jealousy, he turned against his friend and the order and turned to evil. If you’re looking for more genre fare or just more Sacha Dhawan in general, you should attempt to finish the series and look past its faults.
