Seema Rahmani
Seema Rahmani | |
---|---|
Born | Kuwait | 3 December 1969
Nationality | Indian/American |
Occupation | Actress, event host, TV presenter, writer, director, poet, entrepreneur, humanitarian |
Years active | 2000 - present |
Website | www |
Seema Rahmani is a film actress, television presenter, writer, producer, director, singer, event host, poet, and a philanthropist.
She currently lives in India.
Early life[]
While her family background links to Pune, India, Seema was born and raised in Kuwait. Her father worked with an oil company and her mother as an English teacher in a Kuwaiti government high school. At age 15, she moved to the U.S., completed high school in Newark, New York, a Bachelor of Science with a minor in Mathematics at State University of New York at Fredonia, and an M.A. in Marketing-Advertising from Emerson College in Boston. She enjoyed a marketing-advertising and public relations corporate career for a few years before she started her acting career.[1][2]
Career[]
In 1997, Seema left a PR corporate career in Los Angeles, California and joined theater, thus beginning her acting career. She soon landed stints in two television series - Alias for ABC and Roswell for Warner Brothers 2000–2001. Rahmani moved to India in 2003 to work with choice filmmakers in films such as Vinod Pande's true-story inspired Sins in 2005, where she was noticed for her range and fluency in exploring a character's vulnerability,[3][4] Zee TV Films' Arjun Varma, and Missed Call by Mridul Toolsidas and Vinay Subrmanium, which was adjudged the Best International film at Israel's Red Sea International Film Festival.[5] Rahmani's performance received accolades in the super-hit comedy film Loins of Punjab Presents in 2007, which won the Audience Award for best feature film at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.[6] These films gave her recognition and drew the attention of independent filmmakers looking for an "effortlessly natural" actor and a "quintessential Indian face".[7][8]
In 2005, two years as an actor in the Indian film industry, and in the wake of a media sting operation that brought acts of incredulous unprofessionalism by Bollywood power-personalities to the forefront of media discussions and debates, Rahmani contributed to public awareness by authoring a politically incorrect but honest personal account of ungentlemanly behaviours she faced. The article was lauded and published by Outlook Magazine (10th anniversary edition)[9] and The Times of India. Rahmani said she felt "a sense of responsibility to help silence talks that denied the compromising of ethics in what should be an art-dedicated, safe, fair, and respectful environment for actors to work in."
Her work between 2007 and 2012 as host of the super hit TV show on animals titled Heavy Petting, NDTV Good Times, brought her recognition both as a television presenter and spokesperson for compassion towards animals and animal rights.[10][11][12][13] Her show traveled the length and breath of India, eradicating culturally induced fears regarding animals, while educating and inspiring viewers to care for them.
As a film actor, Rahmani again demonstrated her versatility in the critically acclaimed 2012 independent film Good Night Good Morning and in the lighthearted comedy Love Wrinkle-free.[14][15][16][17][18]
In 2013 Seema revisited the theater circuit after ten years, this time in Delhi, writing, directing, producing and acting. Her play Life Like Rainbow Grey -- premiered and sponsored by The American Embassy in New Delhi in celebration of Women's International Day—was very well received. Performing also at The Contemporary Arts Festival, the play is a true to life account of Rahmani's experiences with children who were wards of the state of California, rescued from abusive homes, and living in a Catholic church run group home. The play, which includes doses of original poetry and song, also delves into the subject of healthy parenting and marriages.[19][20] Rahmani authored a compilation of short-acts & monologues, and skits for children. She went on to co-write and direct several plays.
Her literary offerings include "The Journey of a Truth Seeker", a memoir; "Hold the Space of Truth", a spiritual self-help and healing handbook; and a collection of short stories for children. Her book of poetry "Euphoria, A Journey Unravels..." published through a Kolkata publishing house in 2003, was deeply appreciated by former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in a personal letter to her, listing poetry he resonated with.
She has produced the timeless music album "Rab Se...", a collection of carefully crafted empowering, loving lullabies and songs in Hindi "for children and their adults" [released January 2016]. The album features revered and respected singers from India, namely, Rekha Bhardwaj, Roop Kumar Rathod, Suresh Wadkar, ghazal maestro Sudeep Banerjee, Aditi Paul, Dilip Shankar and herself.[21][22] Its music and songs have been appreciated for their unique therapeutic effect on both children and adults.
Rahmani hosted the 21st Annual World Travel Awards Asia and Australasia Ceremony in 2014, in India, an awards event called "The Oscars of the travel industry" by The Wall Street Journal.[23][24]
Humanitarian Work[]
Rahmani's animal-rescue efforts began during her childhood in Kuwait. As an adult, since the early 90s, she has been involved in animal welfare in India, with major focus on stray canine and feline birth control, and their rescue, treatment, rehabilitation, and adoption in various pockets of Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, and Rajasthan.[25] In Panchgani and Mumbai, she spearheaded the critical and sensitive protection of abandoned and endangered animals, and the restructuring of government-run stray-dog population control procedures, respectively, transforming inhumane situations into humane ones.
In 2014, Seema adopted an underprivileged "jugghi" in South Delhi, aiming to replace the negativity, hostility, and violent behaviours she witnessed among its youth with a peaceful, positive, and productive attitude towards life and each other. She worked with the slum's children and several parents, empowering them through counselling and discussions. She brought to the children yoga, meditation, after-school education, creative arts, informative field trips, and soulful, fun outings in nature. Her goals were received wholeheartedly by over 40 children and their families. The upliftment of their morale and lives, through an empowered sense of self, was achieved over a span of three years.
Filmography[]
Films[]
Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | Arjun Verma | Sameera | Hindi | |
2005 | Banana Brothers | Reema | Hindi | |
2005 | Hum Kaun Hai? | Maria | Hindi | |
2005 | Sins | Rosemary | English | |
2005 | Missed Call | Rose/Nisha | Hindi | |
2006 | Shakalaka Boom Boom | Seema | Hindi | |
2007 | Loins of Punjab Presents | Sania | English | |
2010 | Gangor | Sheetal | English, Bengali | |
2012 | Love, Wrinkle-free | Natalie | English | |
2012 | Good Night Good Morning | Moira | English | also executive producer |
2013 | Reprise | Meena | English | |
2014 | Unfreedom | Chandra | English | |
2015 | Kahani | Memsahib | Hindi |
Television[]
Year | Title | Channel | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2007-2012 | Heavy Petting | NDTV Good Times | Travelling Show Host | Animal Show |
2007-2010 | The Big Fat Indian Wedding | NDTV-Good Times | Travelling Show Host | |
2006 | Karamchand | Sony TV | Dr. Rita Kapoor | |
2001 | Alias | ABC | Sara | |
2000 | Roswell | Warner Brothers | Nurse |
References[]
- ^ "Nudity is no Sin: Seema Rahmani". SantaBanta.com. 10 March 2005. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
- ^ "Full of Spunk". The Hindu. 6 July 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
- ^ "No squeamish apologetic sexual exploitation". India Glitz IANS. 24 February 2005. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
- ^ "I enjoy work that makes sense to me". BOLLYSPICE. 22 January 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
- ^ "Reelism Films' Missed Call wins laurels at Israel film festival". Business of Cinema. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
- ^ "Loins Of Punjab wins prestigious audiences award at The IFFLA Awards". SantaBanta.com. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
- ^ "Edible innerwear isn't too much to swallow is it". The Hindu. 27 May 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
- ^ "Not ashamed of my body, says Seema Rahmani". IBN. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
- ^ "The-Casting-'Ouch'". Outlook Magazine. 4 April 2005. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
- ^ "Seema Rahmani Is Back With Heavy Petting!!". NDTV. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ "Watch Seema Rahmani solve your pet peeves in the new season of 'Heavy Petting' only on NDTV Good Times". Indiantelevision.com. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ "Seema Rahmani Says, It's a 'Sin' to Harm Animals". PETA. 7 September 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ "Happy B'Day Bluebird!". Dog With Blog. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
- ^ "Good Morning Good Night review: Phone a friend!". Sify Movies. 22 January 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ "Review: Good Night, Good Morning is brilliant". IBN Live. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ "Love Wrinkle Free". Bollywood Hungama. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ "Love Wrinkle Free captures heart of Goa". IBN Live CNN-IBN. 24 May 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ "Love, Wrinkle-free is clean indie fun at its best". DNA. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ "Life Like Rainbow Grey". 4to40.com. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ "Life Like Rainbow Grey". allevents.in. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ "Joanne Fernandes". Goa Streets. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ "LADIES NIGHT/ FASHION NIGHT every Wednesdays at the Grand Hyatt Goa". Goa Prism. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ "Vivica A. Fox Brings Hollywood Glam To The 'World's Leading Luxury Island Destination'". Huffington Post. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
- ^ "World Travel Awards 2014". World Travel Awards. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- ^ "Puppy-love-Actor-rescues-rain-hit-canines-Wants-people-to-adopt-dogs". Times of India. 11 August 2005. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
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External links[]
- Actresses in Hindi television
- American actresses of Indian descent
- American film actresses
- Actresses in Hindi cinema
- Living people
- 21st-century Indian actresses
- American expatriates in India
- Expatriate actresses in India
- Humanitarians
- People from Kuwait City
- 1969 births
- 21st-century American women