Shobna Gulati

Infobox Person


name=Shobna Gulati
dead=
birth_date=Birth date and age|1966|8|7|mf=y
birth_place=Oldham, Lancashire, England
death_date=
death_place=

Shobna Gulati (born 7 August 1966) is an English actress, writer and dancer of Indian origin, best known for playing the role of Sunita Alahan in the long-running soap opera "Coronation Street" from 2001 to 2006. She is also known for being one of very few actors to have appeared in both "Coronation Street" and its rival series "EastEnders" for the BBC (in 2000).

Gulati was born in Oldham, then Lancashire now Greater Manchester. In the late 1990s, Gulati received rave reviews for her work in Victoria Wood's BBC sitcom "dinnerladies"; in 2001, she appeared in the short film "Shadowscan", directed by Tinge Krishnan, which won a BAFTA Award; and in 2004 Gulati was nominated for a "Manchester Evening News" Theatre Award for her work in the play "Dancing within walls", which was staged at the Contact Theatre in Manchester.

Gulati has also appeared on the TV quiz shows "Call My Bluff", "Have I Got News for You", "The Weakest Link" and as Diana Ross in Celebrity "Stars in Their Eyes". In early 2006, Gulati took part in the Reality TV series "Soapstar Superstar".

Since leaving "Coronation Street" in 2006, Gulati has played a recurring role in the final series of "Where the Heart Is" and made appearances in "New Street Law" and the one-off comedy drama "Magnolia" which was written by Dave Spikey for the BBC's "Comedy Playhouse" series.

In October 2006, Gulati appeared at the Royal Albert Hall as part of a short comedy sketch featured in "The Secret Policeman's Ball". In the sketch, Gulati and co-star Nitin Ganatra play a holidaying couple who are under the mistaken belief Guantanamo Bay is a holiday resort. The sketch also starred American actors Chevy Chase and Seth Green.

Gulati has recently been seen as one of many storytellers in the CBBC revival of Jackanory and in the UK tour of the hit play "Girls Night" by Louise Roche.

In Summer 2007, she appeared in "Pretend You Have Big Buildings" at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.

In 2008 Gulati made her debut as a film maker, producing the short film "Akshay" for the motiroti's 60x60 Secs. [ [http://www.360degrees.tv/ 60x60 Secs website] ]

Personal life

Gulati is a single mother to a son Akshay, 13, who attends Hulme Grammar School in Oldham and has a degree in Arabic and Middle-Eastern Politics, speaks six languages and is a vocal supporter of Asian women's rights and various anti-Racism campaigns. Fact|date=July 2007

External links

*imdb name|id=0347666|name=Shobna Gulati
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