Sanjeev Bhaskar leads cast of The Split Up
Sanjeev Bhaskar will lead the cast of The Split spin-off The Split Up alongside Ritu Arya as his daughter.
Sanjeev Bhaskar will lead the cast of The Split Up.
The Unforgotten actor will play Dhruv, the head of his family firm Kishan Law in the BBC's upcoming six-part Manchester-based spin-off of The Split, with The Umbrella Academy star Ritu Arya as his daughter Aria.
Ursula Randi Sarma has created the story and characters for the show and was "honoured" to be involved.
She said in a statement: "Having admired The Split and Abi Morgan for years, I was honoured to be asked to bring The Split Up to life. As a writer passionate about representation, it’s a dream come true to place a contemporary British South Asian family centre stage.
"Diversity deepens our understanding, enriches our stories, and reflects the true fabric of our society. It’s thrilling to watch our amazing cast led by Ritu and Sanjeev bring the Kishan family to life. I can’t wait for audiences to meet them and to witness the drama as it unfolds.”
Abi Morgan, who created The Split and will be executive producer on The Split Up, added in her own statement: “The chance to take all that was loved about The Split and use it to inspire the next generation of British South Asian talent, to create a new family of dynamic lawyers spilling over with all the messiness of life, both personally and professionally, has been a brilliant challenge, beautifully realised by lead writer Ursula Rani Sama. I hope audiences will take it to their hearts.”
The Split Up will see rising star Aria poised to take over the family firm but when her mother dies, Dhruv is left questioning whether it is the right time for the handover.
The situation puts strain on Aria's engagement to Neal (Danny Ashok) and their relationship grows further complicated when a secret former lover, played by Dimitri Leonidas, turns up in the city.
Aria and her siblings Maya (Aysha Kala) and Kav (Arian Nik) need to navigate the splits dividing family and loved ones, and work out who they need to live for.
The cast also includes Mawaan Rizwan, Sindhu Vee, Shalini Peiris and Tom Forbes, and guest stars will include Lenny Henry and Jane Horrocks.
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama said: “We’re thrilled to announce this outstanding cast for The Split Up led by Ritu Arya and Sanjeev Bhaskar. Abi Morgan’s The Split is one of our most loved dramas and in The Split Up Ursula Rani Sarma has superbly created a new family of Manchester lawyers whose professional and personal lives will keep viewers hooked.”
