Puneet Sira

Puneet Sira is a British and Bollywood feature film director and producer who formed The Foundry which is actively developing and producing feature films and a slate of highly anticipated original IP premium content for OTT platforms..

Puneet Sira
Born (1967-12-03) 3 December 1967
London, England
OccupationFilm Director, Producer
Spouse(s)Vekeana Dhillon 2010–present
ChildrenShaan Sira, Simran Sira
Awards2009 SAFF Director Award: Kisaan

His tenure at BBC Films provided the building blocks that launched his extensive career as director, writer and producer. Since then, he’s been the Executive Producer of Channel [V] for the Star TV Network. He’s produced and directed several dramas for television and feature films including the cult classic I - Proud To Be An Indian (2004), Jai Veeru (2009) and critically acclaimed Kisaan',[1] (2009) for which he received a Best Director honor. Virat Kohli’s Super V (2019), a Superhero animation series, directed by Puneet for Disney, Marvel HQ, Star TV Network, Hotstar and Baweja Movies is the highest rated show in the animation bracket in India..

Biography

Early career

Sira started his career as an actor in the UK at the age of nine where he worked with Rosemary Leach and Ben Kingsley as a beggar boy in Annie Besant, The Warrior's Return[2](1977) as part of The Velvet Glove series for the BBC, directed by Philip Saville. Puneet went on to star alongside Christopher Lee, Mickey Rooney, Oliver Tobias, Emma Samms and Peter Cushing in the feature film Arabian Adventure[3] (1979). He played the lead role of Majeed, directed by Kevin Connor. In the same year Puneet played Kasava Minor in the BBC series To Serve Them All My Days[4] (1979).

In 1980 Sira was the youngest member to participate in Comex 10, a commonwealth expedition sponsored by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.[5] Founded by Lieutenant Colonel Lionel Gregory, OBE, Comex 10 was an expedition where 40 artistes from all commonwealth countries toured India performing variety acts in every city visited.

More acting work followed from How We Used to Live[6] (Yorkshire Television), Why Couples Break Up (Yorkshire Television), London's Burning (London Weekend Television), The Moneymen (London Weekend Television), The Park (Regent Productions), The Betrothed (LIFS) and the highly acclaimed Walkers Poppadoms Commercial, The Rocking Sikh directed by Paul Weiland.

Film-making career

Sira became an assistant director at BBC Films Department on films such as Hallelujah Anyhow[7] (1991) (Screen Two) starring Keith David, Sweet Nothing[8] (1990) (Screen One) and Can You Hear Me Thinking?[9] (1991) starring Judi Dench. He freelanced on Flying Colors (1993), Memsahib Rita (1994), Blue Baby (1994) before venturing into directing his own films like Strings (1996) which he also wrote and produced.

Sira was the director of the London Academy of Acting (a school founded by his father, Gurdial Sira in 1970), where he would teach acting for film. He set up an actors' agency, Talent Introduction Centre (T.I.C.), where he provided work for Asian actors in the UK.

Casting director was another title to Sira's credit: films such as Jinnah (1998) starring Christoper Lee, Flight[10] (1992) (BBC Screen One), directed by Alex Pillai, Immaculate Conception (1992) directed by Jamil Dehlavi, Memsahib Rita[11] (1994) and Frantz Fanon – Black Skin, White Mask (1996) directed by Isaac Julien. On the American feature film Passion in the Desert (1997) Sira worked on production.

Sira lectured on basic film making at Middlesex University and Italia Conti Acting Academy as a visiting lecturer.

In 1998, Sira became the executive producer for Rupert Murdoch's Channel V, (STAR TV), producing more than 22 television shows for the channel in Mumbai. He went on to produce and direct drama for television The Steal (2000) STAR TV, followed by Sanatta (2001) and Jataka Tales (2002) for Japanese television which Sira directed and produced with his partner Vikram Dhillon. Sira went on to direct the feature films I - Proud To Be An Indian (2004), Jai Veeru (2009) and Kisaan (2009).

As a screenwriter Sira wrote I - Proud To Be An Indian with Vekeana Dhillon. Together they have written the screenplay for the feature film Kurbani for Feroz Khan (FK International) and Spiceboy for Miracle Films. Sira had written The Steal and Sanatta.

Sira and Vikram Dhillon are partners in The Foundry, a production company which has developed several feature films as well as several IP for the major OTT platforms globally

Personal life

Sira married Vekeana Dhillon in 2010, an accomplished screenwriter and actress. Vekeana wrote Sira's I - Proud To Be An Indian, Jai Veeru, Kisaan and Super V.

Sira has two children Shaan Sira and Simran Sira.

He is the son of actor Mr. Gurdial Sira (1940–2013) and Asha Sira.

Filmography
Title Year Designation Genre Company Note
Virat Kohli's Super V 2019- Series Director Superhero Animation Series Disney, Marvel HQ, Star TV Network, Hotstar, Baweja Movies
The Great Punjabi Luv Shuv Story Under Production Director / Producer Web Series Altbalaji / Eyeline Entettainment
Ji Karda Under Production Producer / Story Feature Film Eyeline Entertainment Dir: Vikram Dhillon
Pinky Moge Wali 2012 Special Thanks Feature Film Kapil Batra Productions DIr: Vikram Dhillon
Kisaan 2009 Director Feature Film Sohail Khan Productions SAFF L.A. Award: Director
Jai Veeru 2009 Director Feature Film Venus / Siddhi Vinayak Movies
Kurbani 2008 Writer Feature Film F.K. International DIr: Feroz Khan
MTV Arabia 2006 Director Commercials MTV Arabia / Raj Taru (Dubai)
I-Proud To Be An Indian 2004 Director Feature Film Sohail Khan Productions
Jataka Tales 2003 Director / Producer Television Kavya Films / Miracle Films
Spiceboy 2003 Writer Feature Film Miracle Films
Sanatta 2002 Director / Producer / Writer Television Miracle Films
The Steal 2000 Director / Producer / Writer Television Star TV India
[V] Dares You 1999 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Challenge 1999 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
The Juice 1999 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Cool Maal 1999 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Sophia's Choice 1999 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Patli Galli 1999 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Fashion Police 1999 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Late Night [V] 1999 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
[V] People 1999 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
The Chair 1999 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
First Day First Show 1998 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Maang Ta Hai 1998 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
By Demand 1998 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Flashback 1998 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
OYE 1998 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
House Arrest 1998 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Rewind 1998 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Speak Easy 1998 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
The Ticket 1998 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
House of Noise 1998 Executive Producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Jinnah 1998 Casting Director Feature Film Petra Films (UK) Dir: Jamil Dehlavi
Entertainment Tonight 1988 Self Television Talk Show
Night Network 1988 Self Television London Weekend Television
Strings 1997 Director / Producer / Writer Film Global Pictures (UK)
Passion In The Desert 1997 Production Secretary Feature Film Roland Films (UK) Dir: Lavinia Currier
Last Cloud on Margalla Hils 1996 Director Theatre Oval House Theatre (UK)
Franz Fannon – Black Skin White Mask 1996 Casting Director Television BBC / Normal Films Dir: Issac Julien
Flight 1996 Casting Director Feature Film BBC Films / Hindi Pictures Dir: Alex Pillai
Memsahib Rita 1994 Assistant Director Film BBC Films / Leda Serene Films Dir: Pratibha Parmar
Flying Colours 1993 Casting Director / Assistant DIrector Film N.F.T.S. Dir: Alex Pillai
Blue Baby 1993 Assistant Director Film N.F.T.S.
Immaculate Conception 1992 Casting Director Feature Film Dehlavi Films (UK) Dir: Jamil Dehlavi
Hallelujah Anyhow 1991 Assistant Director Feature Film BBC Films Dir: Matthew Jacobs
Can You Hear Me Thinking? 1990 Assistant Director Feature Film BBC Films Dir: Christopher Morahan
Sweet Nothing 1990 Assistant Director Feature Film BBC Films Dir: Tony Smith
The Betrothed 1990 "Arjun" Actor Film L.I.F.S.
The Paradise Club 1989 "Elvis" Actor Television Zenith Entertainment Dir: Murray Smith
Why Couples Break Up 1989 "Lover" Actor Television Yorkshire Television
The Rocking Sikh 1988 "Rocking Sikh" Actor Commercial The Weiland Company Dir: Paul Weiland
London's Burning 1988 "Indian Waiter" Actor Television London Weekend Television Dir: John Reardon
The Money Men 1987 "Dealer" Actor TV Movie London Weekend Television Dir: John Bruce
How We Used To Live 1987 "Sanjay" Actor Television Yorkshire Television
Comex 10 1980 Variety Act Theatre Commonwealth Expedition Dir: Colonel Lionel Gregory

Sponsored by: The Duke of Edinburgh - Prince Philip

To Serve Them All My Days 1980 "Kasava Minor" Actor Television BBC Series Dir: Ronald Wilson
Arabian Adventure 1979 "Majeed" Actor Feature Film EMI / Badger Films Dir: Kevin Connor
The Four Feathers 1978 "Arab Boy" Voice (Uncredited) Feature Film Trident Films Dir: Don Sharp
The Velvet Glove – Warriors Return 1977 "Indian Boy" Actor Television BBC Series Dir: Philip Saville

Awards

SAFF Awards:

  • 2009: SAFF Award for Direction (Kisaan)

References
  1. "Kissan (April 2009) – Under Production". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
  2. "The Warrior's Return".
  3. "Arabian Adventure".
  4. "To Serve Them All My Days".
  5. "Duke gives expedition royal finale". The Sunday Times. 21 December 1980.
  6. "How We Used to Live".
  7. "Hallelujah Anyhow".
  8. "Sweet Nothing".
  9. "Can You Hear Me Thinking?".
  10. "Flight".
  11. "Memsahib Rita". Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
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