In this year’s release of The Beaker Girls – Series 2, Tarun Sivakanesh joined the cast as new regular character Ajay Rajani-Martin, working alongside cast members including Dani Harmer (Tracy Beaker) and Emma Maggie Davies (Jess Beaker). The most recent, and final, series of The Beaker Girls premiered on CBBC in January, with all episodes currently streaming on BBC iPlayer, and the show is based on the book series by Jacqueline Wilson. Previously, Tarun has worked on the 2022 feature film Pinocchio, for which he was directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson and filmed with Luke Evans, and had his first screen role in the BBC series Black Narcissus in 2020. We caught up with Tarun about joining Series 2 of The Beaker Girls, filming as regular character Ajay Rajani-Martin and his time on set of feature film Pinocchio.

You joined the cast of The Beaker Girls for Series 2, what do you remember from your first day on set?

I remember being taken in a very nice car into this big studio. We went straight to hair and makeup and then taken to the set immediately, which was quite overwhelming. I never forget the moment when I first saw my green room.

Can you tell us about your character Ajay Rajani-Martin and what was he like to play?

Ajay is a very playful and a curious character. Always down for a laugh. Playing Ajay was very fun as I got to learn new things, such as magic tricks and cat language.

How did you feel finding out you’d booked the role for your first regular character?

I felt so excited that I felt like running around the world three times!

How was it filming with the rest of the cast and what did you enjoy most about working on the series?

It felt very unusual working with everyone because normally I get plopped on set, have a few takes and not really talk to anybody. However, this time I felt included. I enjoyed travelling to places that I have never been before such as outdoor shooting on the beach and day trips to Bath on my days off. Living in Bristol was fun. Most evenings after filming, we went for meals and ice cream sundaes. Filming with the others was fun because they took me under their wings and looked after me like a little brother. Also, we had a personal tutor who helped me so much to keep up with my schoolwork.

Had you seen any of the Tracy Beaker series before auditioning and how was it being part of a Jacqueline Wilson screen adaptation?

When I was offered the role, I binge-watched the whole series. I also got the book. I feel really privileged to be part of this popular series.

What was it like seeing the completed episodes when they were released on CBBC and how was it hearing the viewers’ response?

I had a viewing party at home with my friends. It was a special moment to see all the hard work we did behind the scenes had been transformed into episodes. So far the response has been great. It’s great to be part of The Beaker Girls family.

What do you feel you’ve learnt from your time involved with The Beaker Girls and CBBC?

I’ve learnt a lot about working as a big team on a daily basis. I’ve also learnt many more acting skills that will be very useful in the future. I had the opportunity to work with two amazing directors in this series, Suri Krishnamma and Meghan Campbell, I’ve learnt a lot from them.

We understand you’ve previously filmed for a project directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson, how was this?

It was for the Pinocchio musical by Warner Bros. I played a role of a coach child. For part of the filming, we had a few training sessions and I had to learn this song, which was part of the scene where Luke Evans was the coachman. We filmed at Bovingdon Airfield during the pandemic, so we had to go through daily COVID tests. The most memorable experience was they took pictures of me using hundreds of 3D cameras and created an animated version of me.

Can you tell us about filming for Black Narcissus for BBC as your first screen role?

I was only six years old. We filmed at Pinewood Studios, it was really fun. I didn’t know much about acting but I shared the screen with some well-known actors. They custom-made my own costume and shoes, I’ll never forget that. The whole experience certainly boosted my confidence.

How did you get into acting and was it something you always wanted to do?

My mom enrolled me in drama lessons when I was six. According to her, she saw some performance talent in me. Then I got the invitation to audition for the Black Narcissus TV series.

What are some of your favourite films and TV shows to watch?

My favourite film is The Hobbit and my favourite TV show is Lost in Space.

How do you like to spend your time away from acting?

I love playing tennis, golf, karate and cricket. Also, I spend time playing the piano and Xbox games with my dad.

Have you been given any advice as an actor so far that has stuck with you?

No matter what goes wrong in a take just continue with it.

Do you have any upcoming plans that you can tell us about and what are you hoping 2023 brings for you?

I’ll be starting secondary school in September. I’m quite excited about that. I’ve auditioned for some exciting projects, just waiting to hear from them. Hoping to be back on set by the end of this year.

Follow Tarun on:

Instagram