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Mayapore
Hari Kumar
Portrayed by: Art Malik
A young, well-educated Indian journalist. Educated at Chillingborough, an elite British school. Identifies as English rather than Indian. After his father, a once-successful businessman, falls into bankrupty, he must return to India to live with his aunt.- Back for the Finale
- Decoy Protagonist: After the first three episodes, the attention shifts to Sarah Layton.
Daphne Manners
Portrayed by: Susan Wooldridge
A young British woman who becomes involved with Hari.- Death by Despair: After her [[rape and her child is born, she quickly passes away.]]
- Decoy Protagonist: She is set up as the principal character but dies offscreen.
Ronald Merrick
Portrayed by: Tim Piggot-Smith
The local Indian Police Superintendent. Holds a twisted bias towards/against Hari, one intrinsically tied to his own self-hatred.- Armoured Closet Gay
- Depraved Homosexual
- Evil Cripple
- Red Right Hand: The prosthetic arm he receives during his military service.
- Villain Protagonist:Whilst he is never the viewpoint character, the whole show seems to focus largely around him and the Manners case.
- Villainous Valour:For all his negative qualities, he is brave in battle, which causes him to lose his arm and receive terrible burns
Pankot
Sarah Layton
Portrayed by: Geraldine James
Susan Layton
Portrayed by: Wendy Morgan
Colonel John Leyton
Portrayed by: Frederick Treves
Mirat
Count Dimitri Bronovsky
Portrayed by:Eric Porter
The wily old advisor to the Sultan of Mirat, he has his hear to the ground and knows almost everything about goings on in his province.Military
Sergeant Guy Perron
Portrayed by: Charles Dance
- Deadpan Snarker
- Last Episode, New Character: Appears in the last section of the series, but also becomes one of its key protagonists.
- Mr. Fanservice: Appears without a shirt, showing off his trim physique, in several scenes.