EE: Preeya Kalidas

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Preeya Kalidas quits soap for pop career
Exclusive By Lara Gould
24/01/2010

Eastenders star Preeya Kalidas has dramatically quit the show after starring in one of its most explosive storylines ever. The 28-year-old actress, who plays new bride Amira Masood, plans to launch a pop career when she leaves the BBC soap in the summer.

Preeya's character Amira has just wed Syed in a traditional Muslim ceremony - after Syed's gay fling with Christian Clarke (John Partridge). Show bosses are now deciding whether Amira leaves in another sensational storyline, after discovering her husband's secret.

Last night a spokesman for the actress, who joined EastEnders in 2008, said: "The BBC and Preeya agreed to extend her contract for a short period because of her prominent storyline. She is at present recording her first record due to be released in the summer."

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She's got a good voice and is probably the best looking woman who's ever been on the show... good luck to her!

[eefanincan]

She does have a nice voice - hope her new career works out for her.

[SpursFan1902]

Too bad she is leaving, I like her, but good luck to her in her new career!

[pirtybirdy]

Gosh, I haven't heard her stuff yet. She has a nice voice from what I heard her sing on Eastenders, but is it worth tossing away a nice cushy spot on Eastenders?

[SpursFan1902]

That is what I was thinking, Pirty, but I guess it is always a gamble when an actor wants to sing or a singer wants to act. It is a brave thing to do for sure. I was just really getting to like her character, too. I didn't like her at first, although I don't think you were supposed to...

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Preeya Kalidas glitters in pink at It's A Wonderful Afterlife premiere
By Chris Johnson
13th April 2010

She may not have a role in the film, but it was stunning EastEnders star Preeya Kalidas who turned the most heads as she arrived at the London premiere of British comedy, It's A Wonderful Afterlife. The 28-year-old actress lent her support to the launch night and wore a sparkling pink Indian dress teamed with glittery 'tattoos' over her right eye and shoulder.

Preeya, who has starred in movies including Bend It Like Beckham and East Is East, is currently captivating viewers in a juicy EastEnders love triangle storyline. She plays Amira Shah in the BBC1 soap and recently married Syed Masood (played by Marc Elliott) who is having a secret gay fling with Christian Clarke (John Partridge).

It's A Wonderful Afterlife is a 2010 British comedy film directed by Gurinder Chadha. It tells the tale of an Indian mother who takes her obsession with the marriage of her daughter into the world of serial murder. It was filmed primarily in English, with some Hindi and Punjabi dialogue. The premiere was held at the Odeon West End in London's Leicester Square last night.

[SpursFan1902]

Wow, I didn't even recognize her from Bend it...

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Preeya Kalidas swaps Eastenders for a pop career
By Alun Palmer
May 21, 2010
mirror.co.uk

Until recently she was Amira, the exotic princess of Albert Square who was shortlisted as one of the four sexiest females at the British Soap Awards, televised on Wednesday. But Preeya Kalidas has her sights set on a bigger prize.

The Ticket can reveal that the former EastEnders actress - controversially embroiled on screen in a love triangle with her gay husband Syed and his secret lover Christian - has signed a multi-million pound, five album deal with Mercury as a singer. Her first single, Shimmy, is out in July followed by an album later in the year. Preeya, 29, says the record deal was the culmination of a childhood dream and something she could not turn down.

"EastEnders wanted me to continue the story for longer," she says, sipping coffee in a private members' club in London. "At the end of last year we talked about extending it, but by then I had got my recording contract. There was a time when I was doing both and it really took it out of me. At some point you have to make a decision. They were a disappointed as they wanted to keep the storyline going for a little longer."

Preeya is no stranger to the Top 40. She starred in the original production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Bombay Dreams and a single from the show, Shakalaka Baby, gave her a taste of things to come in 2002.

But Preeya, from West London, is not set to outrage her family by stripping off and turning into a British Lady Gaga. "No," she laughs. "But you are limited on the Square as to what you can wear so now I can go a bit crazy."

The album sees Preeya working with a host of talent from both sides of the Atlantic and new single Shimmy sees her singing with rising Asian star Mumzy Stranger. "I got to work with a lot of great people," she smiles. "I call it triple-S pop - sexy, sassy, soulful pop. I want to create music that makes you want to dance."

Shimmy is released on July 26.

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