Dramatic role for Kumars star

Kumars star Meera Syal is taking a break from comedy to appear in Bad Girls as a convicted killer.

The comic and writer will star as Janan, a Muslim woman jailed for brutally murdering a relative.

When the ITV1 show airs in April, her character will stage a rooftop protest against the severity of her sentence.

Syal, 39, said: "I grabbed the chance as it is incredibly different to previous roles that I have taken.

"It also gave me the chance to sink my teeth into some serious drama. Janan's story is sadly not unusual within many cultures."

Co-star Antonia Okonma said: "It was cool working with Meera as we got to do outside scenes for a change. We're always inside."

Published: 22 Mar 2004