Vekeana Dhillon is a screenwriter, series creator, playwright, television presenter, radio presenter and actress.

Vekeana Dhillon
Born
Delhi, India
Occupation(s)Screenwriter, series creator, playwright, actor, television and radio presenter
Spouse
(m. 2010)
RelativesVikram Dhillon (brother)

Early life and education

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She was born in New Delhi, India and later her family migrated to Toronto, Canada. Raised in Alberta, Canada and went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Science from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.

Career

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Uncovidable[1] is the latest series Vekeana Dhillon has created and written based on her humorous and semi biographical account of her experiences during the COVID-19 lock-down. Season One of 21 episodes in English voiced by Mahira Kakkar[2] released on 23 June 2020 on the Amazon's Audible platform worldwide. Upon its success, the Hindi version of the series voiced by Rasika Dugal[3] released on 24 September 2020 on Audible.in and Audible Suno.[4]

Vekeana Dhillon has written the Virat Kohli animation superhero series Super V (2019-2020) for Disney+ Hotstar, Marvel HQ, Star TV Network, and Baweja Movies. It was directed by Puneet Sira and Season 1 premiered in over 70 countries on 5 November 2019 and went on to become the highest rated show in the animation bracket in India.

As a Series Creator she is writing several premium content shows that have secured placements on several major OTT platforms.

Vekeana is the creator and writer of The Great Punjabi Luv Shuv Story (2017) a series for Ekta Kapoor's digital channel Alt Balaji produced by Eyeline Entertainment.

Vekeana Dhillon has written the high end musical play Balle Balle (2017-2018) for Wizcraft International Entertainment, Directed by Viraf Sarkari.

She has had five feature films produced and released internationally among them being I - Proud To Be An Indian[5][6] (2004) Produced by Sohail Khan and Directed by Puneet Sira, Jai Veeru[7][8] (2009) Produced by Siddi Vinayak Movies, and Kisaan [9][10][11] (2009) again Produced by Sohail Khan and Directed by Puneet Sira, and Pinky Moge Wali (2012) Directed by Vikram Dhillon.

Additional feature film scripts include Ji Karda (Eyeline Entertainment) Director Vikram Dhillon. The remake of Kurbani[12][13][14] (FK International) and Hoshiyar Havaldar[15] (Mirchi Movies). Her screenplay Foot It,[16][17][18] a family/dance feature film, with Corus Entertainment / Rugged Media and a horror feature film for Telefilm Canada.

Dhillon's association with the entertainment industry was initially as an actor. Snip[19][20] (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[21] which led to Bollywood Bound,[22][23][24][25] a National Film Board of Canada 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[26] with co-host Yudi Urs and [V] Challenge[27][28] with brother Vikram Dhillon.

Vekeana parlayed her Bollywood experiences as a contributor and reporter for the BBC Asian Network (U.K.) where she did a two-year stint with her own weekly half-hour slot on the Nikki Bedi Show,[29] 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.

Personal life

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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 Dhillon, and currently lives in India with her husband, noted director/producer Puneet Sira whom she married in 2010.

Filmography

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Year Title Language Genre Designation Producer
2023 Pride and Prejudice[30] Hindi Audio Series Executive Producer The Foundry / Audible

Winner of "Best Audiobook Narration" Golden Mikes Radio & Audio Awards (2023).

2022 Sherlock Holmes Ki Romanchak Kahaniyan[30] Hindi Audio Series Executive Producer The Foundry / Audible

Winner of "Best Audiobook Narration" Golden Mikes Radio & Audio Awards (2023).

Winner of "The Best Narration based on a Book" e4m Play Streaming Media Awards (2023)

2022 Kama Sutra[30] Hindi Audiobook Executive Producer The Foundry / Audible

Winner of "Audio Book of the Year" India Audio Summit & Awards (2022)

2022 Munshi Premchand's Karmabhoomi[30] Hindi Audiobook Executive Producer The Foundry / Audible
2022 Raat Hone Ko Hai Hindi Limited Animation Series Created and Written by The Foundry / Ishara TV
2020 Uncovidable - Hindi Hindi Original Audio Series (21 episodes)

(Literature Fiction)

Created and Written by Audible Suno
2020 Uncovidable English Original Audio Series (21 episodes)

(Literature Fiction)

Created and Written by Audible
2019-2020 Super V Hindi/English TV series (12 episodes)

(Superhero Animation)

Screenplay and Dialogues Disney+Hotstar, Marvel HQ, Star TV, Baweja Movies.
2017-2018 Balle Balle English Musical Play (Comedy) Playwright Wizcraft International Entertainment
2018 The Tape Hindi Feature Film (Horror) Written by Pentacles Cinevision Pvt. Ltd.
2017 The Great Punjabi Luv Shuv Story Punjabi Series (Comedy) (13 episodes) Created and Written by AltBalaji / Eyeline Entertainment
2013 Ji Karda Punjabi Feature Film (Drama) Written by Eyeline Entertainment

(Commission Script)

2012 Pinky Moge Wali Punjabi Feature Film (Comedy) Screenplay Batra Showbiz Productions
2011 Foot It English Feature Film (Family/Dance) Written by Jericho Beach Entertainment

(Commissioned Script)

2009 Kisaan[9][10][11] Hindi Feature Film (Drama) Screenplay and Dialogues Sohail Khan Productions
2009 Jai Veeru[7][8] Hindi Feature Film (Action) Screenplay Siddhi Vinayak Movies
2007 Go! Miss India Hindi Feature Film (Rom-com) Written by Mirchi Movies Ltd (Times Group)

(Commissioned Script)

2006-2008 Nikki Bedi Show English Radio (Weekly Bollywood Segment) Host / Writer BBC Asian Network (UK)
2006 Hoshiyar Hindi Feature Film (Comedy) Written by Mirchi Movies Ltd. (Times Group)

(Commissioned Script)

2006-2008 BBC World Service English Radio (News Contributor) Reporter BBC Radio (UK)
2006 Kurbani[12][13][14] Hindi Feature Film (Action) Screenplay F.K. International Pvt. Ltd.

(Commissioned Script)

2006 Mogaveera English Documentary Film Narrator Visual-Eyes Entertainment
2005 Hit Hindi Feature Film (Action Comedy) Written by UTV Motion Pictures / Prakash Jha Productions

(Commissioned Script)

2004 Maidaan Hindi Feature Film (Drama) Written by Neha Arts

(Commissioned Script)

2004 Havaldar Hans Hindi Feature Film (Action Comedy) Written by Miracle Movies

(Commissioned Script)

2004 I - Proud To Be An Indian[5][6] Hindi Feature Film (Drama) Screenplay and Dialogues Sohail Khan Productions
2003 Spiceboy English Feature Film (Comedy) Screenplay Miracle Movies

(Commissioned Script)

2003 Great India Hindi Feature Film (Action) Written by M.D. Productions

(Commissioned Script)

2002 Bollywood Bound English Feature Film (Documentary) Herself National Film Board of Canada

Director: Nisha Pahuja

2002 One Tight Slap English Short Film Diva MTV India - Director: Cyrus Oshidhar
2002 Love Ke Liya English Short Film Queen MTV India - Director: Cyrus Oshidhar
2000 Snip! English Feature Film Delnaz Readymoney Mercury Films - Director: Sunil Sippy
1999-2000 [V] Dares U English TV series Host / Writer Channel [V] Star TV Network
1999-2000 [V] Challenge English TV series Host / Writer Channel [V] Star TV Network
1999-2001 Live [V] Requests English TV series Host Channel [V] Star TV Network
1999-2000 Style Police English TV series Guest Host Channel [V] Star TV Network
1999-2000 Tea With [V] English TV series Guest Host Channel [V] Star TV Network
1998 BPL Oye! English TV series Guest Host Channel [V] Star TV Network
1998 Red Alert English TV series Guest Host Channel [V] Star TV Network (Hong Kong)
1998 By Demand English TV series Guest Host MTV India
1998 Tata Coffee English TV Commercial Lead (Actor) Far Productions - Director: Kailash Sundernath
1998 Pepsi Cola English TV Commercial Lead (Actor) Genesis Film Production - Director: Prahlad Kakkar
1997 Holy River English Theatre Maya (Actor) Work In Progress Productions. Director: Etienne Coutinho
1997 Vasvadata English Theatre Vasvadata (Actor) The Creators - Director: Janak Thoprani

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Uncovidable.
  2. ^ "Mahira Kakkar |". Mahira Kakkar. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  3. ^ "Rasika Dugal: Movies, Photos, Videos, News, Biography & Birthday | eTimes". The Times of India. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  4. ^ Jo bhi karo Audible Suno.
  5. ^ a b "I – Proud To Be An Indian : Complete Cast and Crew details". Bollywood Hungama. February 13, 2004. Archived from the original on June 30, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  6. ^ a b "I - Proud to be an Indian". IMDb.
  7. ^ a b "Jai Veeru : Complete Cast and Crew details". Bollywood Hungama. March 13, 2009. Archived from the original on September 20, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  8. ^ a b "Jai Veeru: Friends Forever (2009) - IMDb". IMDb.
  9. ^ a b "Kisaan – Cast, Crew, Director and Awards". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2012. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  10. ^ a b "Kisaan : Complete Cast and Crew details". Bollywood Hungama. August 28, 2009. Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  11. ^ a b "Kisaan (2009) - IMDb". IMDb.
  12. ^ a b "Fardeen – Kurbani – AsianOutlook Forum". Asianoutlook.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  13. ^ a b "Feroz Khan's to start shooting for Kurbani by year-end". News.webindia123.com. June 15, 2006. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  14. ^ a b Super Admin (June 16, 2006). "Qurbani remake announced at IIFA". Entertainment.oneindia.in. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  15. ^ "Mirchi Movies to roll seven films, enters South". Businessofcinema.com. December 27, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  16. ^ "Rugged Media". Rugged Media. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  17. ^ "Press Release – CORUS ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR 19 CANADIAN FILMS". Corusent.com. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  18. ^ Your Name (this will appear with your post) (July 8, 2009). "Corus Announces Recipients of Corus Made with Pay Fund | Broadcaster – Canada's Communications Magazine". Broadcastermagazine.com. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  19. ^ "Snip!". IMDb.
  20. ^ "Snip – Starring Archana Puransingh, Makrand Deshpande, Nadira, Nikhil Chinappa, Noor Mohammed, Saurabh Shukla, Shiv Subramaniam, Sohrab Ardeshir, Sophiya Haque, Vekeana Dhillon. Snip's box office, news, reviews, video, pictures, and music soundtrack". Ibosnetwork.com. December 8, 2000. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  21. ^ MTV Desi (August 11, 2006). "One Tight Slap – Actress | MTV Desi | Latest Updates and Videos | Exclusives, Music, Film & Bollywood, Celebs and Fashion". MTV Desi. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  22. ^ "Vekeana Dhillon - Actor - Cornerhouse". www.cornerhouse.org. Archived from the original on August 8, 2007. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  23. ^ "Les asiatiques dans les médias | Mag, news, actu, jeux, let's play en folie avec notre amie l'asiatique !".
  24. ^ "Documentary Highlights Bollywood-Bound South Asian Canadians" (PDF).
  25. ^ "Bollywood Bound (2002) - IMDb". IMDb.
  26. ^ "[V] Dares U". IMDb.
  27. ^ "[V] Challenge". IMDb.
  28. ^ "Metrofeature". Archives.digitaltoday.in. September 13, 1999. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  29. ^ "Asian Network Programmes – Nikki Bedi, 14/07/2008". BBC. July 14, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  30. ^ a b c d Audible.com | Try Audible Free Today.
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