The third season of “Industry” elevated the HBO drama series to new heights in creative ambition and audience awareness. A standalone episode focused on Rishi Ramdani, played by star Sagar Radia, is a prime example of the show’s evolution.
Episode 4, titled “White Mischief,” follows a day in the chaotic life of the Pierpoint associate — kicking off with the reveal that Rishi is deep in debt with loan sharks hot on his tail. The hour, written by series creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, shows how Rishi gambles and cheats his way out of the impossible situation as his personal life also begins to fall apart.
“It’s a crazy mindset to be in,” Sagar Radia told TheWrap in a new installment of How I Did It, presented by HBO. “The interesting thing about the gambling scenes was that it was my day one of shooting [this episode.] It was actually a really tough place to start. It picks up where Rishi is arguably at his worst in terms of the addiction and the illness he’s suffering.”
During an office Christmas party, Rishi collects £8,000 from several employees after some horse race betting and gambles it in a casino. He initially wins big and uses it to party, leading to a fist fight with another patron. Then he keeps gambling and loses everything, even pondering using his wedding ring to keep going.
Upon his return home, his wife Diana (Brittany Ashworth) admonishes Rishi for his infidelity and gambling addiction, especially for it putting their family’s lives at risk. The argument brings out that she too has been cheating on Rishi, with a family friend whose cricket pavilion he has been renovating in his off-time. Radia praised the show’s creative team for giving him the platform to showcase a range of emotions through the wild episode.
“I played Rishi for three years at this point, so I kind of know who he is. But when you have an episode like I do, I kind of just need someone to emotionally tell me where I am on that graph on any given day,” Radia said. “Our wonderful director Zoé Wittock was great at guiding me emotionally [throughout shooting].”
When hope seems lost, Pierpoint learns that the UK chancellor is approving a rumored tax cut that raises the value of the pound and leaves Rishi £18 million richer — a lifeline to settle his debts with the loan sharks and at work.
To celebrate, Rishi destroys the pavilion the next day and calls his loan shark to say he’s recovered the money. Then he takes out one more loan.
“The cycle starts again,” Radia said. “I think everyone’s left thinking, ‘Oh crap. Nothing’s changed here. Same old Rishi.”
“Industry” Seasons 1-3 are now streaming on Max.
