Balvinder Sopal

Last updated

Balvinder Sopal
Balvinder Sopal.jpg
Sopal in 2021
Born (1978-12-04) 4 December 1978 (age 45)
Chatham, Kent, England
Education University of Huddersfield
OccupationActress
Years active2001–present
Notable work EastEnders (2020–present)

Balvinder Sopal (born 4 December 1978) is an English actress, whose acting career has spanned over two decades. She rose to prominence for her portrayal as Suki Panesar in the BBC soap opera EastEnders since January 2020. Her most notable storyline includes her on-off affair with Eve Unwin. Sopal has also appeared in other British soap operas including Emmerdale , Coronation Street , Doctors and Hollyoaks .

Contents

Early life

Balvinder Sopal was born on 4 December 1978 in Chatham, Medway. [1] [2] She is the eldest of four children and was brought up in Gillingham, Medway. [3]

She attended the University of Huddersfield. [3]

Career

Sopal made her professional acting debut as Bhelua in The Beautiful Violin at Oldham Coliseum Theatre in 2001. [4] She then went on to appear in stage productions such as Absent Friends , Relatively Speaking and The Tales of the Harrow. [5] [6] Sopal made her onscreen debut in a 2001 episode of the BBC series Kidhaar! as Reena directed by Kate Rowland. [5] In 2008, she appeared in the BBC film White Girl as Fatima. [6]

From 2009 to 2018, Sopal made numerous appearances in four British soap operas; Emmerdale , Coronation Street , Doctors and Hollyoaks . [7] [8] In December 2019, Sopal was cast in her first regular role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Suki Panesar. [9] Her first scene aired on 27 January 2020. [9]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002Kidhaar!Reena1 episode
2008 White Girl FatimaTelevision film
2009 Coming Up SofiaEpisode: "Adha Cup"
2009, 2014, 2017–2018 Emmerdale Legal Aid Solicitor / DC Graves / DC Khan5 episodes
2010 Five Days Detainee's WifeEpisode: "Day 8"
Waterloo Road Doctor1 episode
2013, 2017 Coronation Street P.C. Marks4 episodes
2018 Call the Midwife Mumtaz Gani1 episode
Doctors Aafiyah ChoudaryEpisode: "Without and Within"
Hollyoaks Liz4 episodes
2020–present EastEnders Suki Panesar Regular role
2023EastEnders: The SixHerself2 episodes

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005Anatomy of a CrimeDr AliFilm
2012Naachle LondonLaxmi Khan
PerfumeMamShort film
2014Honeycomb LodgeJas' Girlfriend

Stage

YearTitleRole
2001 The Beautiful Violin Bhelua
2004 Absent Friends Evelyn
2006 Relatively Speaking Ginny
2008Beast MarketVarious
2008MelaMariam
2009Table MannersAnnie
2009Counted?Various
2010The House of Bilquis BibiZainab
2010The Tales of the Narrow RoadMukti
2011BehnaMasi Ji
2012–2013 The Snow Queen Snow Queen/Goddess
2013Our Glass HouseSufiya
2014, 2016StowawaySalma/Debbie
2014Home Sweet HomeDaadi
2015The Deranged MarriageLata
2015Storm in a Chai CupReet
2015The EdgeThe Edge
2016SleeplessCosima Trevison
2017Running WildMum
2017PartitionDenise
2018The Thing that Came to DinnerMrs Caldwell
2018DeleteSue
2019Black Teeth and a Brilliant SmileMo
2019 My Beautiful Laundrette Bilquis/Moose

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
2020 Inside Soap Awards Best VillainEastEndersNominated [10]
2020I Talk Telly AwardsBest Soap NewcomerEastEndersNominated [11]
2020 Digital Spy Reader Awards Best NewcomerEastEndersSecond [12]
2021 26th National Television Awards Serial Drama PerformanceEastEndersNominated [13]
2021Inside Soap AwardsBest ActressEastEndersNominated [14]
2021Inside Soap AwardsBest VillainEastEndersNominated [14]
2021Digital Spy Reader AwardsBest Actor (Female)EastEndersThird [15]
2022Asian Media AwardsBest TV CharacterEastEndersWon [16]
2022Digital Spy Reader AwardsBest Soap Couple (with Heather Peace)EastEndersSecond [17]
2023 28th National Television Awards Serial Drama PerformanceEastEndersNominated [18]
2023Inside Soap AwardsBest Partnership (with Peace)EastEndersNominated [19]
2023Digital Spy Reader AwardsBest ActorEastEndersFourth [20]
2023Digital Spy Reader AwardsBest Soap Couple (with Peace)EastEndersWon [20]
2024 RadioTimes.com Soap Awards Best ActorEastEndersWon [21]

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Suki Panesar is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Balvinder Sopal. Sopal's casting and details about Suki were announced in December 2019, with the character making her first onscreen appearance on 27 January 2020. She was portrayed as the protective mother of Kheerat, Jags, Vinny and Ash who believe that she always has the right answer. Prior to her arrival, it is confirmed that her relationship with Ash is severed due to disagreeing with her bisexuality. Her initial storyline sees her lying about having cancer to garner sympathy and get closer to her children. She was immediately well-received by viewers and critics, with Inside Soap writing that Suki had reached "soap icon status in record time". Sopal was shocked by the praise that she and Suki had received from the beginning of her tenure.

References

  1. ↑ @BalvinderSopal (6 December 2020). "@DuncanLindsay Honestly - I do think people sense kindred spirits. Mine was on the 4th! ☺️ Have a beautiful day. x" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ↑ @DominicKingBBC (21 January 2021). "The Conversation" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 January 2021– via Twitter.
  3. 1 2 Javin, Val (26 June 2008). "Bal faces up to a key role". YorkshireLive. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  4. ↑ Iain Bloomfield Archived 13 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  5. 1 2 "Spotlight: Balvinder Sopal". Spotlight. Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  6. 1 2 "Profiling: Balvinder Sopal". Dick and Lottie. Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  7. ↑ "EastEnders casts Balvinder Sopal as Suki Kaur". Radio Times . Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  8. ↑ Slade, Alison (22 December 2019). "EastEnders announces 'powerful, ruthless and Machiavellian' new character arriving in the New Year". Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  9. 1 2 Edwards, Chris (22 December 2019). "Former Coronation Street star Balvinder Sopal joins EastEnders as the Panesars' mum". Digital Spy . Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  10. ↑ "Inside Soap Awards reveals full longlist for 2020's ceremony". Digital Spy . Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  11. ↑ Gonzalez, Elliot (8 November 2020). "I TALK TELLY AWARDS 2020 Nominees". I Talk Telly.
  12. ↑ Robinson, Abby (25 December 2020). "EastEnders triumphs at Digital Spy Reader Awards 2020". Digital Spy . Archived from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  13. ↑ Lovejoy, Hannah (25 May 2021). "Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks stars land National Television Award nominations". Digital Spy . Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  14. 1 2 Alexander, Susannah (28 September 2021). "Inside Soap Awards announces 2021 longlist as voting opens – here's who's up for prizes". Digital Spy . Archived from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  15. ↑ Draper, Joe (21 December 2021). "The Digital Spy Reader Awards 2021 full results". Digital Spy . Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  16. ↑ "Tenth Asian Media Awards Winners Announced In Manchester". Asian Media Awards. 28 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  17. ↑ Rowan, Iona (27 December 2022). "EastEnders wins big at the Digital Spy Reader Awards 2022". Digital Spy .
  18. ↑ Cormack, Morgan (23 May 2023). "NTAs 2023 longlist revealed – SAS Rogue Heroes, Call the Midwife and more". Radio Times . Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  19. ↑ Alexander, Susannah (19 September 2023). "Inside Soap Awards 2023 announces final shortlist for 2023 ceremony". Digital Spy . Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  20. 1 2 Zammitt, Erin. "EastEnders sweeps the board at the Digital Spy Reader Awards 2023". Digital Spy . Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  21. ↑ Daly, Helen (9 May 2024). "RadioTimes.com Soap Awards 2024 nominations revealed". Radio Times . Retrieved 29 May 2024.
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