| Preeya Kalidas Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 0¾ in |
| Weight | 53 kg |
| Date of Birth | June 21, 1980 |
| Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
| Eye Color |
Dark Brown |
Preeya Kalidas is a British singer and actor known for playing Amira Masood in the soap opera EastEnders from 2009 to 2012 as well as for having been cast as Monica in the 2002 romantic comedy sports film Bend It Like Beckham. She has also appeared in many other shows and movies like Doctors, It’s a Wonderful Afterlife, Casualty, My Family, Bombay Dreams, The Bill, East Is East, England Expects, Bollywood Queen, Bodies, Broken News, Hotel Babylon, New Blood, Mister Eleven, and Four Lions.
Born Name
Preeya Kalidas
Nick Name
Preeya
Sun Sign
Cancer
Born Place
Isleworth, Greater London, England, United Kingdom
Residence
London, England, United Kingdom
Nationality
Education
To hone her acting and stage performance skills, Preeya Kalidas got enrolled at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London. Later, she also took training from the Songtime Theatre Arts (which has been renamed The British Theatre Academy).
Occupation
Actor, Singer
Family
- Father – He works as an independent financial advisor.
- Mother – Worked with the British Airways
Manager
Preeya Kalidas has been represented by –
- London based Cole Kitchenn Personal Management Ltd
- The Artists Partnership, Talent Agency, London, England, United Kingdom
Genre
World Music, dance, pop
Instruments
Vocals
Labels
Sony Classical, Mercury Records
Build
Slim
Height
5 ft 0¾ in or 154 cm
Weight
53 kg or 117 pounds
Boyfriend / Spouse
Preeya Kalidas has dated –
- Marc Elliot (2009-Present) – Preeya Kalidas started going out with actor Marc Elliot in 2009. They had first met on the sets of the TV series, EastEnders. While shooting for the TV series, they eventually became affectionate with each other. Marc made their relationship public in June 2009 in an interview with Female First, in which he confessed that his new girlfriend was even picking clothes for him. They have opted to keep their relationship relatively low-key and have rarely appeared together at public events. It was even reported that they had got engaged, which proved to be false. There also have been false rumors of them having got married.
- Conor Maynard (2013) – In 2013, YouTuber Conor Maynard and Preeya Kalidas were rumored to be dating each other. They were seen leaving Brit Awards together in February 2013. But, Conor disproved these rumors and only claimed to be good friends.
Race / Ethnicity
Asian (Indian)
She has Gujarati ancestry.
Hair Color
Dark Brown
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Short stature
- Curvaceous figure
- Prominent nose
Measurements
33-26-32 in or 84-66-81 cm
Dress Size
4 (US) or 36 (EU) or 8 (UK)
Bra Size
30B
Shoe Size
8.5 (US) or 6 (UK) or 39 (EU)
Best Known For
- Being cast in the role of Amira Masood in the popular and long-running BBC soap opera, EastEnders
- Having appeared in a host of movies such as Bend It Like Beckham, Bollywood Queen, and East is East
As a Singer
In 2002, she performed her single, Shakalaka Baby. The song was composed by Oscar-winning music producer A. R. Rahman and was featured in the musical Bombay Dreams.
First Film
In 1999, she made her theatrical film debut in a supporting role in the sci-fi movie, Virtual Sexuality.
First TV Show
In 2001, Preeya Kalidas made her first TV show appearance in the comedy-drama series, Metrosexuality.
Preeya Kalidas Facts
- She started taking lessons for Ballet dancing at the age of 3. She gave up ballet lessons by the time she reached the age of 8.
- Preeya was enrolled in classes to learn tap dancing at the age of 5.
- In 2011, her record contract with Universal Records was scrapped due to the poor sales of her single, Shimmy.
- At 17, she auditioned for a role in the classical musical, Miss Saigon. However, she was turned down.
- She didn’t do very well in the initial auditions for Bombay Dreams. However, she did well on the second try, which involved an impressive rendition of Nobody Does It Better by Carly Simon.
- At the age of 10, she became a part of the West London theatre group, Song Time.
- She had first auditioned for work in EastEnders at 17 years of age. However, she didn’t manage to impress enough.
- She eventually found herself in the cast of EastEnders after having impressed casting director Julia Crampsie due to her performance in the Bombay Dreams.
- She brought to life the character of Sofia, Omar’s wife and a nurse in a local hospital, in the 2010 political satire black comedy film Four Lions.
- In 2010, she appeared as Karishma in the comedy film It’s a Wonderful Afterlife.
- In September 2023, Preeya injured her right index finger after she trapped her finger in the door following an early-morning workout session.
Featured Image by Preeya Kalidas / Instagram
