Feryna Wazheir

Feryna Wazheir
Feryna Wazheir in special screening of Kill Dil

Feryna Wazheir is a British Asian actress. She voted amongst most popular^[1] Bollywood actresses in 2010s. She began her acting career in amateur theatre and made her break in the industry after she was discovered by photographer Farock Chotia.^[2]

Feryna has been a part of two Bollywood films; Ketan Mehta's Rang Rasiya/Colours of Passion with Randeep Hooda, Raj Kanwar’s Sadiyaan opposite Shatrugan Sinha’s son Luv Sinha and Rekha, Rishi Kapoor and Hema Malini. Wazheir was also the brand ambassador of Kolkata’s biggest jewellery brand, P.C. Chandra Jewellers,^[3] for two years.

Early life

Feryna took part in amateur theatre^[4] and voice-overs and also performed in the play ‘The Vagina Monologues’ The Vagina Monologues^[5] by award-winning playwright Eve Ensler. At university, Feryna studied film communication and cultural studies. During a vacation to India, Feryna was spotted by top photographer Farookh Chotia and this kick started her career, launching her with shoots for Elle India, Seventeen and L’Officiel. Feryna has since trained and worked under theatre stalwarts^[6]Satyadev Dubey and Alque Padamsee, as well as at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts [RADA]^[6] in London.

Career

Feryna started her career in lead roles in music videos by^[7]A.R. Rehman and Hariharan. Soon after in 2010 she made her Bollywood debut in ‘Sadiyaan’. She was also voted amongst most popular^[1] Bollywood actresses for this film under 2010s. The late Yash Chopra, India’s top filmmaker once said that she is^[8]‘beauty, innocence and vulnerability personified’. Feryna then acted in Ketan Mehta's Rang Rasiya, which won the Audience Award at^[9] London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) in 2011. In the movie, which is based on 19th century Indian painter, Raja Ravi Varma’s life, Feryna plays a journalist and the third woman in his life. Following her festival accolade, Feryna was appointed official^[10] Brand Ambassador for the London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) 2012. She reprised her role as the face of LIFF in 2013. In 2012, Feryna also did a short film^[11]‘Khaana’ directed by LIFF’s creative director Cary Sawhney. The film explores the boundaries between home and the outside world and Feryna plays a young orthodox Muslim woman who loves the British dish of fish and chips. The film, which has toured the festival circuit in the US, won the^[12]'Future Filmmaker Award 2012' at the Palm Springs Short Film Festival 2012 and ‘best short film’ at The New York film festival 2013.

Media attention

Wazheir has featured in Marie Claire, Hello, ^[2]Elle, Seventeen, L’Officiel,Filmfare, FHM, Femina and Verve.

Charity

Feryna went to East Africa for three months to work with the Maasai people. That summer she shot and presented a documentary on the^[13] Maasai tribe of East Africa to highlight their cause. It was aired on primetime KTN and KBC. In 2008 Wazheir walked the ramp at the Graffiti Bal^[14] l charity show in London to raise money for street children. In 2009 Wazheir appeared with Hurman Baweja in a two-minute United Nations film directed by^[15]Pan Nalin to raise awareness of global warming.

Upcoming Projects

Feryna has recently signed a two-film deal with the youth-focused Indian studio^[16] iRock films, which produces high concept, genre specific films. The films are due to go into production from August 2014.