Prepare to lose eight and a half hours to addictive new drama The Night Of. Actress Amara Karan reveals all...

It’s a bold claim but new crime drama The Night Of is Making A Murderer meets The Wire. Inspired by the 2008 British series Criminal Justice, the opening episode sees sweet (or so he appears) well-behaved Naz (Riz Ahmed) wake up as prime suspect in a bloody murder scene. As the investigation unfolds, you’ll theorise, turn detective (if he didn’t do it, who did?) and immerse yourself in a very real depiction of the American justice system. The eight-part HBO series, which has had US critics fawning over it, was set to star the late James Gandolfini as Naz’s defence lawyer but after his death the part went to John Turturro. But it is 32-year-old, Wimbledon-born Amara Karan, who plays thoughtful, principled lawyer Chandra from the third episode, who really intrigued Stylist. So we grilled Karan about this ambitious new series.

Why do you think The Night Of is such compulsive viewing?
I think the writers have created a very pure, authentic story. We’re watching an event unravel almost in real time but we also all have a sense of mystery and that justice must be carried out.

Amara Karan: Meet the Brit fronting a US TV sensation