Himesh Patel says Two Dosas was the only other project he worked on during his nine years on EastEnders. The 2014 short fit into a three-to-four-day bank-holiday break, letting him take a separate film role while the soap remained his main job.
He described the exception while talking with the short’s co-writer, Nikesh Shukla:
“It was the only thing I did in the nine years of doing EastEnders.” — Himesh Patel
Shukla recalled watching EastEnders with his mother and talking about the characters in Albert Square. When he wanted to make a romantic comedy with a brown lead, Patel’s role as Tamwar Masood came to mind. Shukla suggested Patel for the film, and said the actor was surprised he meant Tamwar.
A rare break in a nine-year role
Patel described the short’s shoot as three or four days over a bank holiday. Shukla added that filming ran across a weekend, keeping the production within the short window EastEnders had allowed. That brief schedule let Patel take another part without leaving the soap.
Shukla’s casting idea came from watching Patel as Tamwar. The short schedule then made it possible for the actor to take a separate lead role without a long break from EastEnders.
The short film behind the casting story
Two Dosas is a 2014 comedy-drama short, about 15 minutes long. Patel plays Pavan opposite Eleanor Wyld as Chloe. Shukla co-wrote it with Sarmad Masud, who also directed.
Shukla’s memory of Tamwar explains why Patel came to mind, but Two Dosas gave him a role outside Albert Square.
From EastEnders to The Odyssey
Patel’s later film work includes Eurylochus in The Odyssey. That 2026 release is a much larger production than the short he made during his EastEnders years. The two roles show different points in his film work: Pavan was a rare outside part during the soap, while The Odyssey brought him into a large-scale feature.
