The comedian, 60, talks about growing up wild in the Black Country, marrying her on-screen grandson and finally being able to be a grumpy old woman
My childhood was unusual, an Indian family plonked in the middle of the Black Country. I was a Midlands wench outside the house – climbing trees, running wild – and a good Indian girl at home. The duality was great for my spirit, a common story for the children of Indian immigrants. Always swapping masks – both inside and out of the experience – gave us this third eye, a perfect preparation for creative life.
Dad lived through the partition of India and Pakistan. At 13, he saw appalling things no child should see. His life was ripped apart with a random line drawn by a lawyer in London. He fled to a refugee camp with only the clothes on his back. This might have made some people bitter, but my father was empathic, loving and wise. Seeing the worst of humanity made him want to be the best of it instead.