Tikaram is the son of Pramod Tikaram, an Indo-Fijian officer of the British Army, and Fatimah Rohani, a SarawakianMalay mother. His younger sister is singer-songwriter Tanita Tikaram. The family moved frequently during Tikaram's youth due to his father's military service with the British army. When not living abroad, Tikaram grew up in Basingstoke. He went to the Duke of York's Royal Military School before studying English at the University of Kent, where he discovered acting.[3][4]
Career
Music and musical theatre
In 1992, Tikaram had a recording contract and released two singles followed by the album Chill and Kiss, the latter with musicians including brothers Bill and Ian Nelson on guitar and sax respectively.[citation needed]
Tikaram starred as Judas in the West End production of Jesus Christ Superstar from 1997 to 1998.[5]
Tikaram performed the role of the King of Siam in a UK tour of the musical The King and I, ending in May 2012.[6]
Television and film
In 1996–97, he played the recurring character of Ferdy Garcia in the BBC TV series This Life. A 10th-anniversary return of the show in 2006 was based on Ferdy's funeral, and Tikaram therefore did not appear.[7]
In 1997, Tikaram was offered a role in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, but refused because it required that he cut his hair.[8]
In October 2009, it was announced that Tikaram would appear in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. He played the part of Qadim Shah, father of the established character Amira Shah.[9] He appeared on-screen in the role from 17 December 2009 to 29 April 2010 in two stints, then returned on 6 September 2011 and 6 January 2012 for short appearances.[citation needed]
He appeared as Prendahl in Game of Thrones in 2013.[10]
In 2013-2015, Tikaram played the part of Dom in Channel 4 sitcom Man Down. Tikaram also appeared as Inspector Victor Aziz in Pennyworth since it premiered in 2019.[11]
Tikaram also appeared as The Baker in Simon Davison's 2023 adaptation of Lewis Carroll's 'The Hunting of the Snark'.[12]
Voice acting and narration
Tikaram provided voice acting for the character of Gabe Weller in the 2009 video game Dead Space: Extraction.[citation needed]
In November 2012, he also provided the voice of World Eaters Captain Macer Varren for the Black Library audio drama Garro: Sword of Truth, part of the long-running Horus Heresy series.[citation needed]
He lent his voice for Dorian in Dragon Age: Inquisition, Gein in the cancelled Legacy of Kain: Dead Sun,[13] and Ravindra 'Rav' Chaudhry in Need for Speed Payback.[14]
He voiced the roles of Ozzy, Danby, and Second Officer Keen, characters in the 2018 video game Subnautica.
In 2018, he took on the role of voicing Aatrox in the video game League of Legends as well as its auto battler counter part Teamfight Tactics. Tikaram continued this role when Aatrox was released in the card game Legends of Runeterra.
Tikaram also voiced the role of Godrick The Grafted in the 2022 video game Elden Ring.[15] Tikaram has also narrated a number of audiobooks.[16][17]
Tikaram voices the character Ramattra from the 2022 video game Overwatch 2. He had also narrated a number of Sleep Stories for the Calm app.
Discography
Singles
Johnny's Coming Home (1992) German release DSB (Deutsche Schallplatten GmbH Berlin)
Hey! (1992) German release DSB (Deutsche Schallplatten GmbH Berlin)
Album
Chill and KissBill Nelson guitar, Ian Nelson sax on some tracks (1992) German release DSB (Deutsche Schallplatten GmbH Berlin)