A first glimpse has been revealed of The Split Up, a new six-part legal drama from BBC iPlayer and BBC One, created by Ursula Rani Sarma and based on The Split by Abi Morgan. Produced by SISTER in association with Little Chick, the series opens the door to a powerful family navigating love, legacy and ambition within Manchester’s elite legal world.
Set against the charged backdrop of Manchester’s high-net-worth divorce circuit, the story centres on the formidable Kishan Law family, a British-South Asian firm trusted by the city’s wealthiest clients. At the heart of the family is Aria Kishan, played by Ritu Arya, a fast-rising legal star preparing to inherit the mantle from her father Dhruv, portrayed by Sanjeev Bhaskar. Alongside her are her siblings Maya and Kav, and her partner Neal, forming a tightly bound yet complex family unit.
The death of Aria’s mother casts a shadow over the future of the firm and raises difficult questions about succession. Dhruv begins to wonder whether his daughter can or should shoulder the responsibility alone. At the same time, Aria’s personal life grows increasingly complicated. With her wedding to long-term partner Neal approaching, the lines between work and home begin to blur, placing their relationship under mounting strain, pressure intensified by the unexpected arrival of a former secret flame.
As Aria navigates the demands of family, career and love, her siblings Maya and Kav face struggles of their own, where loyalties and relationships prove anything but straightforward. Together, they confront the fractures that run through family life, forcing Aria to ask a defining question: who should you live your life for?
The series features an ensemble cast including Aysha Kala, Arian Nik, Danny Ashok, Dimitri Leonidas, Mawaan Rizwan, Sindhu Vee, Shalini Peiris and Tom Forbes, with guest appearances from Lenny Henry, Jane Horrocks and Jameela Jamil.
Executive produced by Abi Morgan, Jane Featherstone, Bryony Arnold and Ursula Rani Sarma, alongside Nawfal Faizullah for the BBC, the series is co-executive produced by Shamim Sarif. Additional episodes are written by Sumerah Srivastav, Kaamil Shah and Sonali Bhattacharyya. Direction comes from Shamim Sarif and Khurrum M Sultan, with Natasha Romaniuk serving as producer and Kasheina Vencatasawmy as associate producer. Global sales are handled by BBC Studios.
Through power, pressure and deeply personal choices, The Split Up tells a story of family, ambition and the ties that both bind and divide.