Vekeana Dhillon
Encyclopedia
Vekeana Dhillon, is a Canadian screenwriter, television presenter and actress.
, Canada and went on to graduate with a Bachelors of Science
from Simon Fraser University
in British Columbia.
/ Rugged Media and a horror feature film titled Crashed for Telefilm Canada
.
She has had three feature films produced and released internationally among them being I - Proud To Be An Indian (2004) Produced by Sohail Khan
and Directed by Puneet Sira
, Jai Veeru
(2009) Produced by Siddi Vinayak Movies, and Kisaan (2009) again Produced by Sohail Khan
and Directed by Puneet Sira
. Dhillon as several scripts under production included among them Dooriyan
(Eyeline Entertainment), Kurbani (FK International) and Hoshiyar Havaldar (Mirchi Movies)
Dhillons association with the entertainment industry was initially as an actor. Snip
(2000) was her first feature film in which she played the tenacious gossip driven Delnaz Readymoney, followed by shorts for MTV in leading roles in Love Ke Liye and One Tight Slap which led to Bollywood Bound, a Canadian National Film Board documentary-feature following the lives of Vekeana Dhillon, Vikram Dhillon
, Neeru Bajwa
and Ruby Bhatia
as transplanted Canadians in the world of Bollywood. Vekeana was hired by Rupert Murdoch
’s Channel V
where she became the face and personality of several shows that she hosted including the channel’s prime-time slotted [V] Dares U with co-host Yudi Urs and [V] Challenge with brother Vikram Dhillon
.
Vekeana parleyed her Bollywood experiences as a contributor and reporter for the BBC Asian Network
where she did a two year stint with her own weekly half-hour slot on the Nikki Bedi
Show
, in addition to reporting for regional BBC
stations in the UK. Vekeana shared her voice and news with the BBC World Service
and BBC General News Service.
, and currently lives in Vancouver, BC with her husband, noted director/producer Puneet Sira
whom she married in 2010.
Early life and education
She was born in New Delhi, India on July 13, 1970, but two years later her family migrated to Toronto, Canada. She grew up in AlbertaAlberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada and went on to graduate with a Bachelors of Science
Bachelors Of Science
Bachelors of Science is the stage name of Phil "Rene", Chris and Lukeino. They met in California and formed a successful act, quickly becoming one of the top drum and bass producers in the electronic music scene...
from Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
in British Columbia.
Career
Vekeana Dhillon‘s screenplay Foot It, a family/dance feature film, is in development with Corus EntertainmentCorus Entertainment
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a publicly traded Canadian media and entertainment conglomerate.Corus is a leading Canadian specialty television and radio producer, with additional assets in pay television, advertising services, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's...
/ Rugged Media and a horror feature film titled Crashed for Telefilm Canada
Telefilm Canada
Telefilm Canada or Téléfilm Canada is a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Canada.It is the primary federal cultural agency dedicated to the development and promotion of the Canadian audiovisual industry....
.
She has had three feature films produced and released internationally among them being I - Proud To Be An Indian (2004) Produced by Sohail Khan
Sohail Khan
Sohail Khan is an Indian director, writer, producer and actor working in the Hindi cinema. He is the younger brother of actors Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan...
and Directed by Puneet Sira
Puneet Sira
Puneet Sira , is a well known British and Bollywood film director, producer, screenwriter and actor.Sira's directorial career consists of several feature films. Two feature films released in 2009, Kisaan for Sohail Khan Production, starring Jackie Shroff, Sohail Khan, Arbaaz Khan and Dia Mirza...
, Jai Veeru
Jai Veeru
Jai Veeru is a Hindi action film directed by Puneet Sira, and starring Fardeen Khan, Kunal Khemu, Dia Mirza, Arbaaz Khan and Anjana Sukhani. The film was released on 13 March 2009. It is a remake of the 1996 action, Bulletproof.-Plot:...
(2009) Produced by Siddi Vinayak Movies, and Kisaan (2009) again Produced by Sohail Khan
Sohail Khan
Sohail Khan is an Indian director, writer, producer and actor working in the Hindi cinema. He is the younger brother of actors Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan...
and Directed by Puneet Sira
Puneet Sira
Puneet Sira , is a well known British and Bollywood film director, producer, screenwriter and actor.Sira's directorial career consists of several feature films. Two feature films released in 2009, Kisaan for Sohail Khan Production, starring Jackie Shroff, Sohail Khan, Arbaaz Khan and Dia Mirza...
. Dhillon as several scripts under production included among them Dooriyan
Dooriyan
-Awards:Dooriyan was nominated for several awards at the 2010 Punjabi Music Awards. These awards are:...
(Eyeline Entertainment), Kurbani (FK International) and Hoshiyar Havaldar (Mirchi Movies)
Dhillons association with the entertainment industry was initially as an actor. Snip
Snip
Snip may refer to:* SNIP, a fictional robot in the television series Snorks* Snip , a Dutch aircraft made in the 1930's* Snip , a fictional character in the television series Ace Lightning...
(2000) was her first feature film in which she played the tenacious gossip driven Delnaz Readymoney, followed by shorts for MTV in leading roles in Love Ke Liye and One Tight Slap which led to Bollywood Bound, a Canadian National Film Board documentary-feature following the lives of Vekeana Dhillon, Vikram Dhillon
Vikram Dhillon
Vikram Dhillon born on September 5, 1973 in Toronto, Ontario. Dhillon is a Canadian Producer, Director, Actor and a former VJ.-Career:Vikram Dhillon began his career as a VJ for Rupert Murdoch’s Channel V where he hosted the shows V Challenge, Cool Maal and Late Night V...
, Neeru Bajwa
Neeru Bajwa
Neeru Bajwa is an Indian model turned actress who first started with roles in Indian soaps on Star Plus and Zee TV and now appears in Bollywood films. The real name of Neeru Bajwa is Arshvir Bajwa. She is engaged to television actor Amit Sadh.-Early life:...
and Ruby Bhatia
Ruby Bhatia
-Introduction:Ruby Bhatia is a popular Indian television personality from Ajax, ON. She won the Miss India Canada contest in 1993. Ruby was a VJ in for Channel [V] and hosted BPL Oye! and was known for her hilarious pranks she played on unsuspecting commoners...
as transplanted Canadians in the world of Bollywood. Vekeana was hired by Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
’s Channel V
Channel V
Channel [V] is the brand name for multiple international music television networks owned by STAR TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation.-Channel [V] International:...
where she became the face and personality of several shows that she hosted including the channel’s prime-time slotted [V] Dares U with co-host Yudi Urs and [V] Challenge with brother Vikram Dhillon
Vikram Dhillon
Vikram Dhillon born on September 5, 1973 in Toronto, Ontario. Dhillon is a Canadian Producer, Director, Actor and a former VJ.-Career:Vikram Dhillon began his career as a VJ for Rupert Murdoch’s Channel V where he hosted the shows V Challenge, Cool Maal and Late Night V...
.
Vekeana parleyed her Bollywood experiences as a contributor and reporter for the BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network is a British radio station serving those originating from and around the Indian subcontinent. The music and news comes out of the main urban areas where there are significant communities with these backgrounds. The station has production centres in Birmingham, Leicester and London...
where she did a two year stint with her own weekly half-hour slot on the Nikki Bedi
Nikki Bedi
Nikki Bedi is a television and radio presenter, born Nikki Moolgaoker in Aylesbury to an Indian father of Maharashtrian origin and an English mother. Famously married to Kabir Bedi from 1992 to 2005, retaining her married name after an amicable divorce, her first marriage was to food stylist...
Show
Show
Show may refer to:* Show , 1993* Show , 2003* Show , 1994* Show , an Australian fair* Show , a judged event in the hobby of animal fancy** Conformation dog show...
, in addition to reporting for regional BBC
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...
stations in the UK. Vekeana shared her voice and news with the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
and BBC General News Service.
Personal life
She is the daughter of Lyricist Harcharan Dhillon and retired Environmental Health Officer Dyal Singh Dhillon. She’s worked extensively with her producer/director brother, Vikram DhillonVikram Dhillon
Vikram Dhillon born on September 5, 1973 in Toronto, Ontario. Dhillon is a Canadian Producer, Director, Actor and a former VJ.-Career:Vikram Dhillon began his career as a VJ for Rupert Murdoch’s Channel V where he hosted the shows V Challenge, Cool Maal and Late Night V...
, and currently lives in Vancouver, BC with her husband, noted director/producer Puneet Sira
Puneet Sira
Puneet Sira , is a well known British and Bollywood film director, producer, screenwriter and actor.Sira's directorial career consists of several feature films. Two feature films released in 2009, Kisaan for Sohail Khan Production, starring Jackie Shroff, Sohail Khan, Arbaaz Khan and Dia Mirza...
whom she married in 2010.
Filmography – Writer
| Title | Language | Genre | Release Date | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foot It | English | Feature Film (Family/Dance) | In Development | Corus Entertainment Corus Entertainment Corus Entertainment Inc. is a publicly traded Canadian media and entertainment conglomerate.Corus is a leading Canadian specialty television and radio producer, with additional assets in pay television, advertising services, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's... /Rugged Media |
| Crashed | English | Feature Film (Horror) | In Development | Telefilm Canada Telefilm Canada Telefilm Canada or Téléfilm Canada is a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Canada.It is the primary federal cultural agency dedicated to the development and promotion of the Canadian audiovisual industry.... |
| Dooriyan Dooriyan -Awards:Dooriyan was nominated for several awards at the 2010 Punjabi Music Awards. These awards are:... |
Punjabi | Feature Film | Pre-Production | Eyeline Entertainment |
| Kisaan | Hindi | Feature Film | 2009 | Sohail Khan Sohail Khan Sohail Khan is an Indian director, writer, producer and actor working in the Hindi cinema. He is the younger brother of actors Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan... Productions |
| Jai Veeru Jai Veeru Jai Veeru is a Hindi action film directed by Puneet Sira, and starring Fardeen Khan, Kunal Khemu, Dia Mirza, Arbaaz Khan and Anjana Sukhani. The film was released on 13 March 2009. It is a remake of the 1996 action, Bulletproof.-Plot:... |
Hindi | Feature Film | 2009 | Siddhi Vinayak Movies |
| Hoshiyar Havaldar | Hindi | Feature Film | In Development | Mirchi Movies Ltd. (Times Group) |
| Kurbani | Hindi | Feature Film | In Development | F.K. International Pvt. Ltd. |
| I - Proud To Be An Indian | Hindi | Feature Film | 2004 | Sohail Khan Sohail Khan Sohail Khan is an Indian director, writer, producer and actor working in the Hindi cinema. He is the younger brother of actors Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan... Productions |
Presenter
- Nikki BediNikki BediNikki Bedi is a television and radio presenter, born Nikki Moolgaoker in Aylesbury to an Indian father of Maharashtrian origin and an English mother. Famously married to Kabir Bedi from 1992 to 2005, retaining her married name after an amicable divorce, her first marriage was to food stylist...
ShowShowShow may refer to:* Show , 1993* Show , 2003* Show , 1994* Show , an Australian fair* Show , a judged event in the hobby of animal fancy** Conformation dog show...
– BBC Asian NetworkBBC Asian NetworkBBC Asian Network is a British radio station serving those originating from and around the Indian subcontinent. The music and news comes out of the main urban areas where there are significant communities with these backgrounds. The station has production centres in Birmingham, Leicester and London...
(Radio) - [V] Dares U – Channel VChannel VChannel [V] is the brand name for multiple international music television networks owned by STAR TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation.-Channel [V] International:...
(Television) - [V] Challenge – Channel VChannel VChannel [V] is the brand name for multiple international music television networks owned by STAR TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation.-Channel [V] International:...
(Television) - Style Police – Channel VChannel VChannel [V] is the brand name for multiple international music television networks owned by STAR TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation.-Channel [V] International:...
(Television) - Tea With [V] – Channel VChannel VChannel [V] is the brand name for multiple international music television networks owned by STAR TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation.-Channel [V] International:...
(Television) - Live [V]ideo Request – Channel VChannel VChannel [V] is the brand name for multiple international music television networks owned by STAR TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation.-Channel [V] International:...
(Television) - BPL Oye – Channel VChannel VChannel [V] is the brand name for multiple international music television networks owned by STAR TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation.-Channel [V] International:...
– Television - Red Alert – Channel VChannel VChannel [V] is the brand name for multiple international music television networks owned by STAR TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation.-Channel [V] International:...
Hong Kong (Television) - MTV By Demand – MTV IndiaMTV IndiaMTV India is the Indian version of MTV , a channel specialising in music and youth culture programming. It was launched in 1996 and is now part of the Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd based in Mumbai. . "MTV India" is one of the oldest Music Television Networks in Asia...
(Television)
Actor
- Bollywood Bound – (Herself) Feature Film – Canadian National Film Board. Dir Nisha Pajuha
- Mogaveera – (Narrator) Short Film – Visualeyes. Dir Vikram Dhillon
- One Tight Slap – (Starlet) Television – MTV. Dir Cyrus Oshidhar
- Love Ke Liya – (Beloved Woman) Television – MTV. Dir Cyrus Oshidhar
- SnipSnipSnip may refer to:* SNIP, a fictional robot in the television series Snorks* Snip , a Dutch aircraft made in the 1930's* Snip , a fictional character in the television series Ace Lightning...
– (Delnawaz Moneyready) Feature Film – Mercury Films. Dir Sunil Sippy - Tata Coffee (Lead Talent) Commercial – Far Productions. Dir Kailash Sundernath
- Pepsi Cola (Lead Talent) Commercial – Genesis Film Production Pvt. Ltd. Dir Prahlad KakkarPrahlad KakkarPrahlad Kakar is a leading Indian ad film director, best known for his work on the famous Pepsi TV commercial with Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar. He is the founder and main director for Genesis Film Productions, one of India’s leading production houses, established in 1977 He is renowned...
- Holy River (Maya) Theatre – Work In Progress Productions. Dir Etienne Coutinho
- Vasvadata (Vasvadata) Theatre – The Creators. Janak Thoprani