# Raza Jaffrey
**Raza Jaffrey** (born 1975) is a British actor and former musical theater performer known for television roles including Zaf Younis in *Spooks*, Dev Sundaram in *Smash*, and Aasar Khan in *[Homeland](https://www.edgepedia.org/homeland-tv-series)*, and for stage leads in *Bombay Dreams* and *Mamma Mia!* in London's West End.[1](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/) • [2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/440943-raza-jaffrey)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975, Liverpool; moved to London as an infant[2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/440943-raza-jaffrey) • [3](https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/homeland-boy-raza-jaffrey-on-working-on-the-hit-us-tv-series-and-planning-his-christmas-wedding-to-lara-pulver-9860780.html) |
| Training | English and Drama at Manchester University, then the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School[4](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/client/raza-jaffrey/cv/acting/?token=6c79cde92343) |
| Breakthrough TV role | Zaf Younis in *Spooks* (MI5), 22 episodes[1](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/) • [2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/440943-raza-jaffrey) |
| US series regular roles | Dev Sundaram in *Smash* (15 episodes), Aasar Khan in *Homeland*, Dr Neal Hudson in *Code Black*, Victor Dhar in *Lost in Space*[1](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/) • [2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/440943-raza-jaffrey) |
| West End musicals | Akaash in *Bombay Dreams*, Sky in *Mamma Mia!*, Billy Flynn in *Chicago*[1](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/) |
| Marriage | Married actress Lara Pulver in the UK at Christmas 2014; previously married to *Spooks* co-star Miranda Raison[3](https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/homeland-boy-raza-jaffrey-on-working-on-the-hit-us-tv-series-and-planning-his-christmas-wedding-to-lara-pulver-9860780.html) |
## Early life and training
Jaffrey is the youngest of four children born to an Indian sea captain and a Liverpool-born mother, whom he described in a 2014 interview as a "blonde-haired, blue-eyed Scouser"; the family moved to London when he was a few weeks old, and he was educated at [Dulwich College](https://www.edgepedia.org/dulwich-college).[3](https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/homeland-boy-raza-jaffrey-on-working-on-the-hit-us-tv-series-and-planning-his-christmas-wedding-to-lara-pulver-9860780.html) He has spoken of being proud of his mixed-race heritage and has resisted being labeled an "Asian" actor, saying that being "a product of those two cultures" is itself worth discussing.[3](https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/homeland-boy-raza-jaffrey-on-working-on-the-hit-us-tv-series-and-planning-his-christmas-wedding-to-lara-pulver-9860780.html)
He studied English and Drama at Manchester University and then trained as an actor at the [Bristol Old Vic Theatre School](https://www.edgepedia.org/bristol-old-vic-theatre-school).[4](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/client/raza-jaffrey/cv/acting/?token=6c79cde92343)
## Stage career
Jaffrey's early career was rooted in theater. His credits include Orsino in *Twelfth Night* at the Albery Theatre, Sky in *Mamma Mia!* at the Prince Edward Theatre, Akaash in *Bombay Dreams* at the Apollo Victoria, and Billy Flynn in *Chicago* at the Garrick Theatre, along with roles in *East Is East* at the Oldham Coliseum and *Romeo and Juliet* at the Leicester Haymarket.[1](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/) *Bombay Dreams*, the [A. R. Rahman](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-r-rahman)-produced musical, gave him a leading role on a West End stage early in his career.[1](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/)
## Television
**British television.** Jaffrey's screen work began with British series including *Brookside*, *Casualty*, and *EastEnders*, followed by *Dirty War* (BBC/HBO) and *Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee*.[1](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/) His profile rose with the role of Zaf Younis in the BBC spy series *Spooks* (MI5), in which he appeared in 22 episodes.[1](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/) • [2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/440943-raza-jaffrey) He then played Harry in the BBC1 drama *Mistresses*.[1](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/)
**American television.** In the United States he played Dev Sundaram, the boyfriend of [Katharine McPhee](https://www.edgepedia.org/katharine-mcphee)'s character, in 15 episodes of the NBC musical drama *Smash*.[1](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/) • [2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/440943-raza-jaffrey) In 2014 he joined the fourth season of Showtime's *Homeland* as Aasar Khan, an officer in Pakistan's intelligence service, the ISI, whose role grew over the course of the season; the series relocated its action to Pakistan that year.[3](https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/homeland-boy-raza-jaffrey-on-working-on-the-hit-us-tv-series-and-planning-his-christmas-wedding-to-lara-pulver-9860780.html) He described his character as representing "the English-educated, more northern European philosophy of the old guard" of the ISI, in contrast to a more hardline colleague played by [Nimrat Kaur](https://www.edgepedia.org/nimrat-kaur).[3](https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/homeland-boy-raza-jaffrey-on-working-on-the-hit-us-tv-series-and-planning-his-christmas-wedding-to-lara-pulver-9860780.html) The *Homeland* ensemble, shared with [Claire Danes](https://www.edgepedia.org/claire-danes), Mandy Patinkin, Rupert Friend, and others, received a 2015 nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1203005/awards/)
Later American roles include Dr Neal Hudson in the CBS medical drama *Code Black*, Agent Daniel Zain in NBC's *The Enemy Within*, Victor Dhar in Netflix's *Lost in Space*, Chandra in AMC's animated *[Pantheon](https://www.edgepedia.org/pantheon-tv-series)*, and François de Guise in both seasons of the Starz drama *[The Serpent Queen](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-serpent-queen)*.[1](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/) His most recent listed television credit is Craig in *The Agency: Central Intelligence*, season 2, for Paramount+.[1](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/)
## Film
Jaffrey's film credits include Dr Aziz in [David Cronenberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-cronenberg)'s *Eastern Promises* (2007), Father Bracken in *[Harry Brown](https://www.edgepedia.org/harry-brown-film)* (2009), Gaurav in *Sex and the City 2* (2010), Jake Al-Shadi in *The Rendezvous* (2016), Proctor in *[The Rhythm Section](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-rhythm-section)* (2020), and Vinod Shah in Netflix's *Sweet Girl* (2021).[1](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/)
## Personal life
In a November 2014 interview Jaffrey said he and the *Sherlock* actress [Lara Pulver](https://www.edgepedia.org/lara-pulver) were to marry in the UK at Christmas that year, having both previously been married to fellow actors, she to [Josh Dallas](https://www.edgepedia.org/josh-dallas) and he to his *Spooks* co-star [Miranda Raison](https://www.edgepedia.org/miranda-raison); the couple were living in Los Angeles at the time.[3](https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/homeland-boy-raza-jaffrey-on-working-on-the-hit-us-tv-series-and-planning-his-christmas-wedding-to-lara-pulver-9860780.html)
## References
1. [Raza Jaffrey - United Agents](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/raza-jaffrey/)
2. [Raza Jaffrey, The Movie Database](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/440943-raza-jaffrey)
3. [Homeland boy: Raza Jaffrey on working on the hit US TV series and planning his Christmas wedding to Lara Pulver, London Evening Standard, 14 November 2014](https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/homeland-boy-raza-jaffrey-on-working-on-the-hit-us-tv-series-and-planning-his-christmas-wedding-to-lara-pulver-9860780.html)
4. [Raza Jaffrey, acting CV, United Agents](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/client/raza-jaffrey/cv/acting/?token=6c79cde92343)
5. [Raza Jaffrey, Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1203005/awards/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames I to K*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license