IT IS summer 1947. Around 16 million people are on the move between India and the newly-formed Pakistan.

Amid the violent political upheaval, young Pali’s fingers slip from his father’s hand, and his destiny changes forever.

Part of the 70th anniversary programme of events marking Partition and Indian Independence, Child of the Divide tells the story of a boy pulled away from his family and left alone and dispossessed. He is saved by a Muslim family, given a new name, new faith and new life.

Performed by five young actors, the play was written by actor/playwright Sudha Bhuchar, who has carved out a career in which she has appeared in film and television as well as founding and running a ground-breaking and widely respected theatre company Tamasha.

Sudha was one of the first Asian actors to appear in Eastenders playing Meena Mckenzie from 1993 and last year, featured in Coronation Street as the character Sonia Rahman. She also formerly played the role of Usha Gupta in The Archers and has just finished filming the eagerly awaited Disney feature Mary Poppins Returns which is due to be released next year.

She came to acting by chance, after watching a company perform near the family’s London home, to celebrate Diwali. “I went with my sister and we watched young Asians talking about things we felt no-one else understood.”

She joined the troupe. “I was shy and had never acted before,” she says.

Sudha founded Tamasha in 1989 and ran it along with her fellow co-founder and friend Kristine Landon-Smith. Tamasha became the foremost touring company in the UK, delivering new work inspired by diversity in a globalised world.

Last year Sudha enjoyed playing Sonia in Coronation Street. “To play a middle-aged, feisty women like her was good fun.”

And described her experience in Mary Poppins Returns as “Wonderful.”

The debut work of Sudha’s recently formed company Bhuchar Boulevard, Child of the Divide is a play to captivate both children and adults. It was originally staged 11 years by Tamasha, at London’s Polka Theatre to great acclaim. It was named by Time Out magazine as that year’s number one show for children and families.

“It is a universal story about growing up, the love of parents, first love, friendship, identity and belonging.”

In a fictionalised account of real experiences, Child of the Divide weaves through the lives of Pali and four other children. Families are torn apart, stolen pasts and friendship found in unexpected places.

The role of Pali will be played by Karan Gill, accompanied by cast members Halema Hussain, Devesh Kishore, Nyla Levy and Diljohn Singh.

Sudhar is hoping that her work will raise the profile of this much overlooked period of history, in education.

“I am collaborating with a movement called The Partition History Project which is about trying to champion this part of history in schools.”

Sudhar is currently in Cardiff working on another collaborative project called ‘Sisters’, about Asian women in the UK and in India.

Child of The Divide playing at Mind The Gap in Bradford on Friday November 3 and Saturday 4th. For tickets ring 01274 487390; mindthegap.org.uk