Zafar Younis
Encyclopedia
Zafar Younis is a fictional character in the popular BBC
espionage drama Spooks
, known in the United States as MI-5. The show follows the exploits of MI5
's counter-terrorism group, Section D. The character is played by British actor Raza Jaffrey
. Zafar (usually called Zaf) is introduced in the last episode of series 3, and he appears throughout series 4 and 5. The character is last seen in the first episode of series 6.
The BBC's Spooks website depicts Zaf as a loyal team member, devoted to his job and the protection of the UK. He has a quick wit, sometimes bordering on facetiousness. He enjoys being in the field rather than behind a desk and he excels in undercover work, but he can be "foolhardy, and his risk assessment [is] sometimes weak." He gets along well with section chief Adam Carter, whom he "hero worship[s]." To quote Raza Jaffrey, "Zaf is very good at his job. . . . He's hugely ambitious, but knows how much of a sacrifice a career with the intelligence service is. . . . He trusts Adam implicitly and the two have a great rapport. He doesn't always agree with [Adam] but he would lay down his life for him, just as he would for any of the team." The BBC Press Pack for series 4 attributes to Zaf a Muslim
background but notes that he is not particularly devout. He is, however, said to be sensitive to indications "that either he or his culture is being patronised or misrepresented," and he despises those who use their religion as an excuse for special pleading or facile rhetoric.
In the episode in which Zaf is introduced, "The Suffering of Strangers," MI5 officers Fiona Carter
and Danny Hunter
are being held hostage by terrorists. Zaf is an MI6 officer who had worked with Adam Carter
(played by Rupert Penry-Jones
) before Adam transferred to MI5. Zaf assists in saving Fiona's life, but Danny is killed by the terrorists. With Danny's death, Adam asks Zaf to join Section D.
Midway through series 4, the show gains another new character, the recruit Jo Portman
, played by Miranda Raison
. There is promise of a growing relationship between Jo and Zaf, but this is never fully developed.
At the start of series 6, Zaf is kidnapped by a band of mercenaries, and his colleagues are left uncertain of his ultimate fate. It is not until episode 10 that they learn that he was tortured for a paying client, then sold to terrorists in Pakistan, subjected to further torture, and killed.
After leaving the series, Raza Jaffrey became a member of the cast of the BBC drama Mistresses, playing Hari Dhillon, husband of one of the four female leads. The actor has commented, "What’s been really good about the roles of Zafar and Hari is that their story lines were nothing to do with their race."
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
espionage drama Spooks
Spooks
Spooks is a British television drama series that originally aired on BBC One from 13 May 2002 – 23 October 2011, consisting of 10 series. The title is a popular colloquialism for spies, as the series follows the work of a group of MI5 officers based at the service's Thames House headquarters, in a...
, known in the United States as MI-5. The show follows the exploits of MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
's counter-terrorism group, Section D. The character is played by British actor Raza Jaffrey
Raza Jaffrey
Raza Jaffrey is a British actor, most notable for playing the character of Zafar Younis in the BBC1 television spy drama Spooks / MI-5.-Early life:...
. Zafar (usually called Zaf) is introduced in the last episode of series 3, and he appears throughout series 4 and 5. The character is last seen in the first episode of series 6.
The BBC's Spooks website depicts Zaf as a loyal team member, devoted to his job and the protection of the UK. He has a quick wit, sometimes bordering on facetiousness. He enjoys being in the field rather than behind a desk and he excels in undercover work, but he can be "foolhardy, and his risk assessment [is] sometimes weak." He gets along well with section chief Adam Carter, whom he "hero worship[s]." To quote Raza Jaffrey, "Zaf is very good at his job. . . . He's hugely ambitious, but knows how much of a sacrifice a career with the intelligence service is. . . . He trusts Adam implicitly and the two have a great rapport. He doesn't always agree with [Adam] but he would lay down his life for him, just as he would for any of the team." The BBC Press Pack for series 4 attributes to Zaf a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
background but notes that he is not particularly devout. He is, however, said to be sensitive to indications "that either he or his culture is being patronised or misrepresented," and he despises those who use their religion as an excuse for special pleading or facile rhetoric.
In the episode in which Zaf is introduced, "The Suffering of Strangers," MI5 officers Fiona Carter
Fiona Carter
Fiona Carter, also revealed as being named Amelia, was the character portrayed by Olga Sosnovska in the BBC television series Spooks. Originally an officer of the United Kingdom Secret Intelligence Service , Fiona was seconded to the Security Service following the departure of Zoe Reynolds...
and Danny Hunter
Danny Hunter
Danny Hunter is a fictional character appearing in the first three seasons of the BBC television series Spooks, known as MI5 in the United States. The character, played by British actor David Oyelowo, is a Junior Case Officer in Section D, the counter-terrorism department of MI5...
are being held hostage by terrorists. Zaf is an MI6 officer who had worked with Adam Carter
Adam Carter
Adam Henry Carter is a fictional character from the BBC espionage television series Spooks, which follows the exploits of Section D, a counter-terrorism division of MI5. He is portrayed by British actor Rupert Penry-Jones...
(played by Rupert Penry-Jones
Rupert Penry-Jones
Rupert William Penry-Jones is an English actor, best known for his role as Adam Carter in the British television series Spooks, also broadcast under the title MI-5.-Family life:Penry-Jones was born in London on September 22, 1970...
) before Adam transferred to MI5. Zaf assists in saving Fiona's life, but Danny is killed by the terrorists. With Danny's death, Adam asks Zaf to join Section D.
Midway through series 4, the show gains another new character, the recruit Jo Portman
Jo Portman
Joanna "Jo" Portman was a fictional Field Operative in the Counter-Terrorism department at MI5, featured in the British television series, Spooks, also known as MI5 in the United States. She was played by Miranda Raison...
, played by Miranda Raison
Miranda Raison
-Early life:Born in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk, her father Nick Raison is a jazz pianist and artist, while her mother Caroline read the news for Anglia Television. She has two brothers and two sisters: Ed , Rosie, Sam and May. Her parents divorced when she was six years old, and her father remarried...
. There is promise of a growing relationship between Jo and Zaf, but this is never fully developed.
At the start of series 6, Zaf is kidnapped by a band of mercenaries, and his colleagues are left uncertain of his ultimate fate. It is not until episode 10 that they learn that he was tortured for a paying client, then sold to terrorists in Pakistan, subjected to further torture, and killed.
After leaving the series, Raza Jaffrey became a member of the cast of the BBC drama Mistresses, playing Hari Dhillon, husband of one of the four female leads. The actor has commented, "What’s been really good about the roles of Zafar and Hari is that their story lines were nothing to do with their race."