Sneh Gupta(born 12 May 1957) is an actress and the executive director of Sucheta Kriplani Shiksha Niketan (SKSN), a residential school for students with physical challenges. She is known for her work on the British television showsSale of the CenturyandAngels,as well as her role as Princess Sushila in the filmThe Far Pavilions.She also founded a production company.[1]
Sneh Gupta | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sneh Lata Gupta 12 May 1957 |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1977–present |
Early life
editGupta was born in Kenya on 12 May 1957,[2]as one of five children to Indian parents. Her father was a teacher and she attended the school he taught at.[3]
She travelled as a child in order to follow her father's teaching career.[1]However, not wishing to get engaged and wanting her own independence, she left home aged 17 and spent a year studying in Germany before going to England.[3]
Acting and modelling
editWhile living inBedfordafter moving to the United Kingdom in 1974, Gupta initially studied to become a nurse.[4]Saying that she did so "for a laugh", she decided to audition for Miss Anglia TV which she won, gaining public notice in 1977.[4][5]This in turn led to her becoming a hostess on theITVgameshowSale of the CenturyalongsideNicholas Parsonsfor a year until 1978, after which she opened a fashionboutiquecalled Plumage in Bedford.[4]She then tried a modelling career but gave it up, realising she could not keep it in parallel with an acting career. Debuting inAngels,[6]Gupta proceeded to make appearances inTurtle's Progress,[7]Lingalongamax,[7]Crossroads,[8]Doctor Who(1984'sResurrection of the Daleks),[9]Kim,[2]Tandoori Nights[10]andOctopussy.[11]
In 1981, she starred inAn Arranged Marriage,an ITV drama about a Sikh who moved to theMidlandsin the 1950s, and the arranged marriages for himself and for his daughter. The storyline was based on information from interviews with more than 250 Sikhs.[12]Her character inThe Far Pavillionsengages insuttee,a scene described by Roy West inTheLiverpool Echoas "one of the dramatic highlights of this spectacular series".[2][13]She was a guest onBlankety Blankin 1987.[14]Gupta presented the seriesSwitch On To English,a quiz show for people who spoke English as a second language, in 1986,[15]and Bol Chaal, a Hindi and Urdu language-learning programme, in 1989.[11]In 1991, she co-hosted the magazine programmeOne WorldwithMike Shaft.[11]
In 1987, Gupta cut her hair short as part of an attempt to avoidtypecastingas a young, reserved woman, but was not offered the wider range of roles that she hoped.[16]She also formed her own production company.[17]
Production work
editGupta moved to India in 1996 where she worked on documentaries as a researcher, location manager, assistant producer and director for a variety of broadcasters.[18]
Executive director of SKSN
editGupta is the executive director of Sucheta Kriplani Shiksha Niketan (SKSN), a school for students with physical challenges[18]and started the Indian Mixed Ability Group Events (IMAGE) programme in 2004,[19]leading to the founding of the Indiability Foundation in 2011.
References
edit- ^abDonnell, Alison(2002).Companion to Contemporary Black British Culture.Routledge. p. 132.ISBN9780415262002– via Google Books.
- ^abc"Sneh Gupta".British Film Institute. Archived fromthe originalon 26 March 2019.Retrieved14 April2021.
- ^abGifford, Zerbanoo(2002).The Golden Thread: Asian Experiences of Post-Raj Britain.Pandora Press. p. 201.ISBN9780044406051– via Google Books.
- ^abc"Feathers will fly".Daily Mirror.23 September 1978. p. 13.
- ^"One World".Mike Shaft. 23 May 2012.
- ^Pratt, Mike (10 December 1979). "Swinger for the Angels".Daily Mirror.p. 19.
- ^abSmyllie, Patricia (14 May 1979). "Double Vision".Daily Mirror.p. 19.
- ^Pratt, Mike (16 May 1982). "By public demand".Sunday Mirror.p. 19.
- ^Cook, Benjamin(February 2021). "Starship Troopers".Doctor Who Magazine(560): 20–22.
- ^"Channel 4".Sandwell Evening Mail.16 October 1987. p. 18.
- ^abc"Change of direction".Reading Evening Post.7 October 1989. p. 13.
- ^"Wedded to tradition?".Daily Mirror.1 December 1981. p. 19.
- ^West, Roy (3 January 1984). "The Raj and the motel princess".The Liverpool Echo.pp. 6–7.
- ^"Television".Liverpool Echo.30 January 1987. p. 28.
- ^"Sunday: BBC1".Sandwell Evening Mail.31 May 1986. p. 18.
- ^Roy, Amit (7 May 1989). "Eastern promise wasted - Asian actresses".The Sunday Times.
- ^Wavell, Stuart(24 September 1989). "Turning up the voice of Asia - People".The Sunday Times.
- ^ab"Meet the Staff - Sneh Gupta - Executive Director".SKSN.
- ^"Sneh Gupta".sportanddev.