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Sam Dastor | |
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| Nationality | British |
| Education | University of Cambridge Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Website | samdastor |
Sam Dastor is an Indian-born British actor best known for his appearances in British television series.
Dastor was born in India and raised in a Parsi family of Zoroastrian faith, though he later converted to Christianity. [1] He graduated from the University of Cambridge. [2] [3] He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and joined the National Theatre, where he was under the direction of Sir Laurence Olivier. [3]
Dastor has acted in the West End, including playing Ariel in a production of The Tempest while Paul Scofield played Prospero. Dastor also appeared in three of Simon Gray's plays: Melon, Hidden Laughter , and Cell Mates . [3]
Dastor is best known for his many appearances on British television, often playing characters of exotic origin. His most notable roles include Cassius Chaerea in the 1976 BBC adaptation of I, Claudius and Gandhi in both Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy and the film Jinnah . [4] Other credits include Coronation Street (as Jimmy, a Weatherfield Market trader in October 1981), Softly, Softly , Space: 1999 , Blake's 7 , Shoestring , Yes Minister , Fortunes of War , A Touch of Frost and Spooks . [5]
He has also narrated and voice-acted for a number of audiobooks and radio dramas. [3]
Zoroastrianism, also known as Mazdayasna and Behdin, is an Iranian religion. Among the world's oldest organized faiths, it is based on the teachings of Iranian prophet Zarathustra — commonly known by his Greek name Zoroaster — as set forth in the primary religious text called the Avesta. Zoroastrians exalt an uncreated and benevolent deity of wisdom as the universe's supreme being, commonly referred to as Ahura Mazda. Opposed to Ahura Mazda is Angra Mainyu, who is personified as a destructive spirit and the adversary of all things good. Zoroastrianism combines a dualistic cosmology of good and evil with an eschatology that predicts the ultimate triumph of Ahura Mazda over evil. Opinions vary among scholars as to whether the religion is monotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistic, or a combination of all three. Zoroastrianism shaped Iranian culture and history, while scholars differ on whether it significantly influenced ancient Western philosophy and the Abrahamic religions, or gradually reconciled with other religions and traditions, such as Christianity and Islam.
The Parsis or Parsees are a Zoroastrian community in the Indian subcontinent. They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, when Zoroastrians were persecuted by the early Muslims. Representing the eldest of the Indian subcontinent's two Zoroastrian communities, the Parsi people are culturally, linguistically, and socially distinct from the Iranis, whose Zoroastrian ancestors migrated to British-ruled India from Qajar-era Iran. The word Parsi is derived from the Persian language, and literally translates to Persian.
Dadabhai Naoroji, also known as the "Grand Old Man of India" and "Unofficial Ambassador of India", was an Indian Independence activist, political leader, merchant, scholar and writer who served as 2nd, 9th, and 22nd President of the Indian National Congress from 1886 to 1887, 1893 to 1894 and 1906 to 1907.
Rattanbai Jinnah or Maryam Jinnah (legally)(néePetit; 20 February 1900 – 20 February 1929), also known as Ruttie Petit, was the wife of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, an important figure in the creation of Pakistan and the country's founder.
Gandhi is a 1982 epic biographical film based on the life of Mahatma Gandhi, a major leader in the Indian independence movement against the British Empire during the 20th century. A co-production between India and the United Kingdom, the film was directed and produced by Richard Attenborough from a screenplay written by John Briley. It stars Ben Kingsley in the title role. The biographical film covers Gandhi's life from a defining moment in 1893, as he is thrown off a South African train for being in a whites-only compartment and concludes with his assassination and funeral in 1948. Although a practising Hindu, Gandhi's embracing of other faiths, particularly Christianity and Islam, is also depicted.
The North-West Frontier Province was a province of British India from 1901 to 1947, of the Dominion of Pakistan from 1947 to 1955, and of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan from 1970 to 2010. It was established on 9 November 1901 from the north-western districts of the British Punjab, during the British Raj. Following the referendum in 1947 to join either Pakistan or India, the province voted hugely in favour of joining Pakistan and it acceded accordingly on 14 August 1947. It was dissolved to form a unified province of West Pakistan in 1955 upon promulgation of One Unit Scheme and was reestablished in 1970. It was known by this name until 19 April 2010, when it was dissolved and redesignated as the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the passing of the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan, by President Asif Ali Zardari.
Abul Kalam Ghulam Muhiyuddin Ahmed bin Khairuddin Al-Hussaini Azad ; 11 November 1888 – 22 February 1958) was an Indian independence activist, writer and a senior leader of the Indian National Congress. Following India's independence, he became the First Minister of Education in the Indian government. He is commonly remembered as Maulana Azad; the word Maulana is an honorific meaning 'Our Master' and he had adopted Azad (Free) as his pen name. His contribution to establishing the education foundation in India is recognised by celebrating his birthday as National Education Day across India.
The Wadia family is a Parsi family from Surat, India, currently based in Mumbai, India. The family rose to wealth in the mid-1700s as shipbuilders serving the British East India Company as the latter established its sway over India.
The Reverend James Hope Moulton was a British non-conformist divine. He was also a philologist and made a special study of Zoroastrianism.
Sir Dinshaw Maneckji Petit, 1st Baronet was an Indian baronet, entrepreneur, businessman and founder of the first textile mills in India, as well as a great philanthropist. He was part of the Petit family and became the first Petit baronet.
Jinnah is a 1998 Pakistani–British epic biographical film which follows the life of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It was directed by Jamil Dehlavi, and written by Akbar S. Ahmed and Jamil Dehlavi. It stars Christopher Lee in the lead role as Jinnah.
John Richard Rolfe was a British actor. He was named after the colonist who married Pocahontas in Jamestown, Virginia.
Neville Ness Wadia was an Indian businessman, philanthropist and a member of the Wadia family, an old Parsi family which, by the 1840s, was one of the leading forces in the Indian shipbuilding industry. Wadia was the last of India's aristocratic taipans, who expanded his family textile concern into one of India's largest and donated lavishly for the welfare of the Parsee community to which he belonged.
Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy is a British television series which first aired on ITV in 1986. It depicts Lord Mountbatten's time as Supreme Commander, South-East Asia in the Second World War, and then as Viceroy of India shortly after the war in the days leading up to Indian independence. The Film was shot in India. Originally it was planned few parts will be shot in Sri Lanka. But due to civil War there it was revised
Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the inception of Pakistan on 14 August 1947 and then as the Republic of Pakistan's first governor-general until his death.
SirJamshedji Nusserwanji Tata was an Indian industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Tata Group, India's biggest conglomerate company. He established the city of Jamshedpur.
Rustomjee Jivanji Ghorkhodu, commonly known as Parsee Rustomjee, and by various orthographic variations including Parsi Rustomji and affectionately referred to as Kakaji, was an Indian-South African philanthropist and businessman, well known for his close mentorship, guidance and financial sponsorship of Mahatma Gandhi during his time in South Africa from 1893 to 1914.
By coincidence, Sam [Dastor] is Parsi and comes from the very part of India where the Zoroastrians, descendants of the ancient Magi, sought refuge. Sam was born and brought up as a Zoroastrian, before converting to Christianity. The Magi – one of whom he is playing – are his distant ancestors.
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