Born in Lucknow, India, Waris Hussein moved to England at age nine with
his parents. He later attended Cambridge and at 21 started as a trainee
director with BBC, where his mother, the late Attia Hussein, worked. In
addition to reading news in Hindi, she was also the station's dramatic
star--translating
William Shakespeare in Urdu
and Hindi--as well as an author. Young Hussein, too, was influenced by
his mother's artistic abilities and knew very early on that he wanted
to be a director. After starting in television with work on
Doctor Who (1963) (including
directing the very first episode,
An Unearthly Child (1963)),
Hussein moved on to film, directing such legends as Lord
Laurence Olivier,
Bette Davis and
Joan Plowright.
While considering himself a British filmmaker, Hussein has worked both
sides of the Atlantic, as well as in the country of his birth, India.
Her Best Friend's Husband(2002)
Life of the Party: The Pamela Harriman Story(1998)
Supply & Demand(1998)
Sixth Happiness(1997)
A Child's Wish(1997)
BBC Play of the Month(1965)
The Wednesday Play(1964)
Tale of a Timelord(2016)as The Narrator
Mr. Nice(2010)as Mohammed Durrani
Mrs. Henderson Presents(2005)as Maharajah
She Woke Up(1992)
Suspense(1962)
An Adventure in Space and Time(2013)
Master When(2015)
When Bette Met Mae(2014)
Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont(2005)
Remembers...(2022)as Self
How the BBC Began(2022)as Self
Breakfast(2000)as Self
Cult People(1989)as Self