British-Indian actor Arjun Mathur, 2020 International Emmy best actor nominee for Amazon Prime Video India series “Made In Heaven,” has signed with the U.K.’s United Agents for international representation.
Mathur has wrapped the U.K. schedule of Indian dark comedy “Lord Curzon Ki Haveli” and is in the process of completing season 2 of “Made in Heaven.” After that he will shift focus to his international career, where his credits include acclaimed Channel 4 series “Indian Summers.”
“They [United Agents] sat me down and spoke to me the other day, and they were like, ‘We need you to not take some work in India for some time, and we understand how that can make you insecure, and it might be hard financially.’” Mathur tells Variety. “I guess that’s what it takes, a bit of time really needs to be invested to bear the fruit. So I might do that post ‘Made in Heaven.’”
The actor is planning to spend some time in the U.K. and Los Angeles once he completes his commitments in India. He is managed in the U.S. by Stride Management.
In India, Mathur is in high demand. In “Made In Heaven,” Mathur plays the lead, a New-Delhi based gay wedding planner who battles job stress and prejudice. When the first season was being filmed, homosexuality was illegal in India. That archaic law has since been revoked, but India remains a deeply conservative society. Season 2 is likely to stream later this year.
“Legalization is one aspect of the conflict really. There’s so much more, whether it’s societal stigma or personal trauma, that one has to resolve,” says Mathur. “That’s where my character goes in this season.”
“Lord Curzon Ki Haveli” marks the directorial debut of “LSD: Love, Sex Aur Dhokha” actor Anshuman Jha. The film is set in a mansion in the U.K. belonging to Lord Curzon. While the plot is under wraps, Mathur describes it as a “black comedy thriller.” “It’s about these four characters who meet on this one fateful night, and what transpires,” says Mathur. “It’s definitely some of the darkest and most twisted shades I’ve ever gotten to play.”
Mathur is also one of the leads in Lionsgate Play original series “Jugaadistan,” which is currently streaming. The series examines the underbelly of student life, tackling themes of racism, politics and education scams. Mathur plays a journalist tracking a murder that is closely connected to the scams.
Also coming up for Mathur is season 2 of “The Gone Game,” a psychological thriller series on Viacom18’s streamer Voot.
“There is a lot that I’m in talks for, or I’m reading or saying no to,” says Mathur.