Pooja Shah

Pooja Shah (born 8 August 1979 in London, England) is a British asian actress and model [ [http://www.poojashah.com/pooja_shah_model.html Pooja Shah Modeling] ] of Kenyan-Asian descent. Her Grandparents migrated to Kenya from Gujarat in Western India and so her ancestral roots are there. [ [http://www.poojashah.com/pooja_shah_biography.html Pooja Pants Biography] ]

Shah has trained as an Indian Classical Dancer. She attended the University of Brighton, graduating in 2001 with a BA Hons Degree in Theatre With Visual Practice. [ [http://www.poojashah.com/pooja_shah_biography.html Pooja Shah Biography] ]

She began her acting career in the theatre and went on to play the lead role of Mary Magdelene in a small budget film named "Jesus The Curry King". The film was produced by the Aylesbury Film Company and was one of the first Digital films to be shown in cinemas in the UKfact.

In 2002 Shah played Meena in the film "Bend It Like Beckham" and later that year she played one of the lead roles, Sinjata, in the Sky One's series "Is Harry On The Boat?"; based on the best selling book and film. The story is about holiday reps in Ibiza and was filmed in Almunecar in Southern Spain.

Other credits include roles in the BBC hospital drama "Holby City" (2002), and the American series "Adventure Inc." (2003).

In 2003 Shah was cast in her most notable role to date. She played Kareena Ferreira in the popular BBC soap opera "EastEnders". The Ferreira family were not well received by critics or viewers and were dismissed as unrealistic by the Asian community in the UK. [ [http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/3560 'Unrealistic' Ferreira family dismissed by Asian viewers] ] In 2004 the new executive producer, Kathleen Hutchison, made the decision to axe the entire family in a bid to improve the show, which had suffered from a vast ratings decline. [ [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds16691.html EastEnder accuses BBC of discrimination] ] Shah subsequently left the show in 2005.

After leaving "Eastenders" Shah has appeared in a short film entitled "CryBaby", was a celebrity sponsor on the show "Strictly Dance Fever" and in September 2005 she acted in a feature film called "Weekend Lovers".

In 2005 she played the lead role, Sona Virdi, in the play "Deranged Marriage", which toured the UK.

In 2006, she took on a lead role in the Britflick "Cash and Curry".

In 2007 she played the role of Reshna Dewan in the ITV police drama "The Bill". [ [http://www.eastenders-west.com/Content/Where%20Are%20They%20Now/Where%20Are%20They%20Now.htm POOJA COPS IT] ] She is also set to star in the upcoming film "Cash and Curry", which is set for release in 2007. The film aso stars Ameet Chana, the actor who played her on-screen brother Adi Ferreira in "EastEnders".

Pooja will next be seen starring alongside Lee Latchford Evans in the Modern Life? feature film Ten dead men produced by Phil Hobden and directed by Ross Boyask.

References

External links

*
* [http://www.poojashah.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.tendeadmen.co.uk/ 'Ten Dead Men' - Official site]
* [http://www.unleashedpr.com/ Pooja's Agent]