Indira Varma, the actress known for playing villain Mayra Cavendish in the BBC spy thriller The Night Manager, has announced the death of her mother at the age of 93. The 52-year-old shared the news on Instagram on Wednesday, posting several photographs of her mother alongside an emotional tribute.
Varma wrote: “My dear eccentric Mama has gone at the age of 93. Everything she lived for was Art and adventure. She created for the love of doing not for recognition just for joy.” She reflected on her parents’ interracial relationship in the 1960s, saying they “didn’t care what other people thought”. The tribute concluded with a quote from Rabindranath Tagore: “I came to your shore as a stranger, I lived in your house as a guest, I leave your door as a friend, my earth.”
Numerous co-stars and friends offered condolences, including Grey’s Anatomy star Kevin McKidd, Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies, and actors Millie Gibson, Richard Armitage, and Mark Bonnar. Countryfile presenter Anita Rani also sent her love.
The news comes days before the season two finale of The Night Manager, which airs on Sunday, 1 February at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The finale sees undercover agent Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) working with Teddy Dos Santos (Diego Calva) to bring down Gilberto Hanson, the alias of season one villain Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie), who faked his death with help from Varma’s character Mayra.
Earlier this week, Hiddleston confirmed that the series will return for a third season. The official synopsis for the finale teases: “It’s winner takes all.”
