Madhav Sharma

Early life

He was born in Calcutta, where his father K. S. Sitaram Iyer had lived for 35 years. He is the uncle of travel writer Pico Iyer. He studied at the Scottish Church College in Calcutta, India and later, at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in Bloomsbury, London.

Following his mother’s death soon after he was born, Madhav was first raised in Bangalore by his grandfather Shri S.S.Iyer and aunt, widow of R G Iyer (who was an ardent freedom fighter and social activist on behalf of Dalit children. He took pains to bring up the economically weaker sections of society regardless of their caste, creed or religion and there is a suburb of Bangalore named after him called Gopalapura).

Madhav’s education includes Bishop Cotton Boys School Bangalore (kindergarden), Bangalore High School (Cambridge Matriculation & SSLC), St Joseph’s College Bangalore (Intermediate), the Scottish Church College Calcutta where he read for B.Sc (Physics Hons) and Fergusson College Poona where he read for B.A.(English Hons.)

A Merit Scholarship to the RADA was the start of his professional life – for just over half a century so far - in the UK.

Madhav was formerly married to the British actress, Jenny Seagrove.

Television

After graduating from RADA, he decided to pursue a career in theatre and changed his stage surname to Sharma.

He played the role of Patel, a lunar penal colony prisoner in the third episode of the 1973 Doctor Who story Frontier in Space.

He played Siddique in the 2002 theatrical production Calcutta Kosher.

He would next enact the role of Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, in the West End.

He played the part of Prem Mandal in Coronation Street.

Personal life

He was formerly married to the British actress Jenny Seagrove.