Virdee cast and what it's about as Bradford filming starts

Filming is well underway in Bradford, including scenes shot under the moody night-time glow of City Hall.

Internationally acclaimed composer Hans Zimmer is working on the six-part show’s title theme.

Zimmer has worked on huge films including Gladiator, Dune, Inception, The Lion King and more.

Hans Zimmer (Image: PA)

The series score is being crafted alongside LA-based James Everingham from Bleeding Fingers studio, Indian composer Shashwat Sachdev, and trainees from Screen Academy Bradford.

The show makers have also partnered with Bradford Council for a series of specific training programmes across all departments of TV production.

It gives Bradfordians the chance to learn and work in the TV industry.

Here’s who you can expect to see play roles in Virdee, produced by Dhand and Magical Society for BBC One.

Cast of Virdee announced

Staz Nair will lead the cast as Detective Harry Virdee after replacing Doctor Who’s Sacha Dhawan due to scheduling issues.

Staz Nair (Image: Waring and Mckenna)

People may recognise Nair from Rebel Moon and Game of Thrones.

Aysha Kala, of Criminal Record and Indian Summers, has been cast as Saima Virdee, Harry’s wife. 

Nina Singh (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry) plays Tara Virdee, Harry’s niece and a keen crime reporter.

Meanwhile, Vikash Bhai (Crossfire, Limbo) is Harry’s brother-in-law Riaz Hyatt. 

Kulvinder Ghir (Foundation, Blinded By The Light) and Sudha Bhuchar (Expats, Rules of the Game) will play Harry Virdee’s parents, Ranjit and Jyoti.

Elizabeth Berrington (Good Omens, The Nevers) also joins the cast as DS Clare Conway and Danyal Ismail (All the Lights Still Burning, The Outrun) will play DS Amin. 

The Virdee cast also includes Tomi May (Justice League), Andi Jashy (Gangs of London), Hussina Raja (Look at Us), Ashkay Kumar (Double Blind), Madiha Ansari (Home Sick), Jason Patel (Unicorns), Conor Lowson (The Bay), and Rupert Procter (Doctors). 

Dhand, Virdee creator, writer, and executive producer, said: “A truly diverse cast, with an abundance of talent but most importantly, real passion for this show.

AA Dhand (Image: Submitted)

"Staz Nair brings Harry Virdee authentically to life not only with a real physical presence but also an emotional depth that instantly resonated with us all.”

What is Virdee about? 

Set and filmed in Bradford, Virdee follows Detective Harry Virdee, a cop disowned by his Sikh family for marrying Saima, who is Muslim.

Harry struggles with the abandonment and now with his young son, Aaron, growing up and asking questions, thinks it might be time to attempt to reunite with his family. 

With his personal life in chaos, he must now hunt down a serial killer targeting the Asian community.

When the murderer kidnaps a local police chief’s son and holds the entire city to ransom, Harry realises that he is going to need the help of his brother-in-law Riaz, a drugs kingpin who runs the largest cartel in the county. 

Pulled together in an alliance that could ruin them both, Harry must make a choice: save himself and his family or save his city. He will not be able to do both.

On playing Virdee, Nair said: “It’s an absolute honour to be taking on this vibrant and complex story about assimilating culture and what we’re willing to do to protect who and what we love. 

"This show leads with vulnerability more than any detective drama I’ve ever seen, and it’s a privilege to be bringing AA Dhand’s hope for his city to life.”

Paul Trijbits, executive producer for Magical Society, added: “From the moment we acquired the rights to Amit’s book, we set out on a long journey with the highest hopes and ambitions of what an adaptation of his series of Harry Virdee books could deliver.

"A first mainstream British Asian-led, returning crime series for BBC One, set in the immensely culturally diverse city of Bradford with a fascinating and deeply complex hero at its heart. Amit, who knows, lives and breathes Harry Virdee’s world has brilliantly adapted his books delivering a world that is both authentic and heightened.”