Arian Nik has found himself at the centre of one very complicated family. In , he plays Kav Kishan, the youngest of an affluent South Asian family whose loyalties, ambitions and relationships are constantly colliding. “He is the youngest of the three and has grown up very much in the shadows of his sisters,” Nik explains, as Kav tries to carve out his own place in the family and the legal world. Alongside the BBC One drama, the actor is enjoying a packed year that has also taken him to . Here, Nik talks to Attitude about finding a sibling dynamic with Ritu Arya and Aysha Kala, working with and why “the queer – global majority experience” is so often forgotten or represented poorly in mainstream television.

Attitude: You’re having a pretty major year, with , and now your cameo. Does it feel like your career is reaching a new level at the moment?

It’s all been a little bit mad. I haven’t really thought about it, to be honest, but I have warned friends to avoid the telly till the end of the year if they don’t wanna see my mug.

What was it about and Kav that made you want to be part of it?

I was really excited by the premise of the series. A high-flying, affluent Asian family that is messy, loveable, nuanced and complicated. Ursula’s scripts broke out of so many tropes we are used to seeing. The show and the family are informed by their culture, not defined by it. It felt like something I’d never seen before.

Kav is one of three siblings at the heart of the Kishan family. How would you describe his place within that family dynamic?

He is the youngest of the three and has grown up very much in the shadows of his sisters. He is often treated as an afterthought. When we meet him at the start of the series, it’s not long since his mum’s death and he is struggling to pass his final exams at law school. He is on a journey of carving his place in the family and in the legal world.

The series is about a family whose personal relationships and professional lives are completely intertwined. What makes Kav particularly complicated when it comes to his loyalties?

Kav is a peacemaker at heart. He is caught between the heartbreak of one sister, the ambition of another and the steel of his father. He is fiercely loyal to his family, which can sometimes get in the way of him living life on his own terms.

There’s clearly a lot of sibling tension in . What was it like building that dynamic with Ritu Arya and Aysha Kala?

I’m obsessed with the pair of them. They are so incredibly talented and from day one we got on like siblings. Being pissed off at each other or holding animosity didn’t come easy. Having said that, I grew up by myself as an only kid, so it was cool to have some sisters around to wind up and piss about with.

Another key character in Kav’s story particularly is Ashok, played by Mawaan Rizwan. Without giving too much away, can you talk a bit about that relationship, and what it was like working with Mawaan?

Mawaan’s character, Ashok, embodies everything Kav fears about himself. They are both out queer men but exist and work in very different arenas. Ultimately, Ashok forces Kav to look inward and helps him with his journey of acceptance. Their relationship forces him to reflect, not on how the world sees him but how he sees himself.

The date scene Mawaan and I shared in episode two was actually the very first scene we shot on the entire production, so we were both thrown straight into the deep end. We were bricking it, but we immediately reassured each other and held each other through it. It was a lovely way to start the shoot, and I think it set the tone for our relationship on-screen.

You’ve just appeared on . What can you tell us about it – and how did that come about?

They reached out to my team inviting me on. It was that straightforward. Honestly, I read the email about 12 times before I could really fathom what was going on. I thought I was tripping balls. Excuse the pun.

Were you a fan before you got the call, and what was it like walking onto that set?

HUGE fan. I started on Season 6 of US. BenDeLaCreme’s Maggie Smith and Bianca Del Rio’s cutting comedy had me hooked. Walking onto the set was a complete fever dream. Still doesn’t really feel real. The first time I met Ru was stepping out when the cameras were rolling. You can see on my face how gassed I am to be there.

If you could compete on , what would your drag name be?

This has to be the hardest of all the questions. I have a couple to offer, along with my workroom taglines.

Dripping in liquid gold – it’s Lady Saffron.

A sweet and sticky treat – it’s Bakhlavar Baby.

What will you wish for? – It’s Rob Milamp.

Alex Kingston, who I’m working with at the moment, says it should be – Madge Carpet.

Gotta stain? Give Madge a call.

All of the above are now trademarked. So back off.

You’ve spoken previously about representation and identity in your work. How important is it to you that British South Asian and Middle Eastern stories are being given space in mainstream television?

Honestly, it’s the thing that keeps me plodding on when work is dry. More so, it’s not just SWANA stories that matter to me but the queer – global majority experience. It’s that intersectionality in particular that I feel is so often forgotten or represented poorly in mainstream television. It’s rare to see our faces and lived experiences in seminal queer shows as it is and with the cancellation of reality entertainment shows like , and , it feels like visibility of queer life, love and how it connects to our culture is becoming more and more sparse. We need our stories on screen and in the mainstream, be it in the reality genre or fictional. For many, it’s an education. Without it, there will be pockets of communities stuck in cycles of denial and generations that will feel forgotten and underrepresented.

I grew up with some of that and will always take the opportunity to redress that balance where I can.

And finally, with so much happening at once, what would you say is the dream next step for you?

I don’t want to look too far ahead, to be honest. I’m filming a new Prime Video series at the moment which is bringing me a lot of joy and creative fulfilment.

is available to stream on and BBC One.