Doctor Who season 15 will introduce a new companion for The Doctor, played by Varada Sethu, who may have a connection to another RTD character from 16 years ago based on information shared at San Diego Comic-Con. The Doctor Who panel in Hall H at SDCC 2024 was a highly anticipated panel, and Screen Rant was onsite to provide readers with exciting details shared by Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, and Russell T. Davies (RTD).
One of the biggest Doctor Who reveals from SDCC 2024 was the name of the Doctor’s next companion. Fans have been anxiously awaiting this information as the companion played by Sethu was announced back in April. Sethu appeared in the Doctor Who season 14 episode “Boom,” showing viewers just how skilled she is as an actor. The SDCC 2024 TV show reveal might technically just be a name, but it hints at a possible connection to a fan-favorite Doctor Who spinoff character.
Doctor Who Season 15’s New Companion May Be Related To Rani Chandra
Varada Sethu Shares A Last Name With A Beloved Character From The Sarah Jane Adventures
At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, RTD revealed that the name of Varada Sethu’s companion in Doctor Who season 15 is Belinda Chandra, refusing to include any other details except that she’s “strong and wonderful.” The way that he spoke it seemed like he was holding back a secret. This could simply be him trying to avoid spoiling anything, but another explanation is her having a connection to another character within the Doctor Who Universe who shares a last name – Rani Chandra.
Doctor Who could establish Belinda as Rani Chandra’s child or grandchild, which seems especially likely since RTD also created the showrunner.
Rani Chandra, played by Anjli Mohindra, was a young journalist introduced to The Sarah Jane Adventures in season 2, episode 3, “The Day of the Clown.” She continued as a series regular until the end of the show. Doctor Who could establish Belinda as Rani Chandra’s child or grandchild, which seems especially likely since RTD also created the showrunner.
The only knowledge about Rani’s future family comes from the episodes of The Sarah Jane Adventures, “The Mad Woman in the Attic (Part 1 & 2),” and the Big Finish audio stories. However, the TV episodes include these details in an alternate universe, and the Big Finish audio stories aren’t considered canon. As such, the main show isn’t bound to follow this projected future.
Varada Sethu’s Belinda Can Bring Rani Chandra Back Into Doctor Who
Doctor Who Could Add Anjli Mohindra To The Cast
If Varada Sethu’s Belinda is indeed related to Rani Chandra, this could potentially pave the way for the character from The Sarah Jane Adventures to make a triumphant return to the Doctor Who TV franchise. The prospect of Rani Chandra’s return is exciting to think about, and it could be a heartwarming nod to the beloved spinoff and Sarah Jane, one of the Doctor’s longest-running companions in Doctor Who.
Sadly, Sarah Jane Smith can’t return because actress Elisabeth Sladen tragically passed away from cancer in 2011. Additionally, it would be interesting to see how Rani Chandra’s inquisitive, feisty, and analytical personality bounces off that of the Fifteenth Doctor. This could be an entertaining dynamic to watch in Doctor Who season 15 or 16.