Fagun Thakrar

Fagun was born in Leicester, Leicestershire, England.{{cite web |url=http://www.moviescopemag.com/24-fps/one-to-watch/actor/fagun-thakrar-one-to-watch/ |title=Fagun Thakrar – One To Watch – movieScope Magazine | movieScope Magazine |publisher=Moviescopemag.com |date=14 August 2010 |accessdate=19 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111227141402/http://www.moviescopemag.com/24-fps/one-to-watch/actor/fagun-thakrar-one-to-watch/ |archive-date=27 December 2011 |url-status=dead }} She studied at Beauchamp College in Oadby.

Fagun has studied five degrees at internationally renowned universities. Initially Fagun moved to London to study medicine at University College London.{{Cite web|title=Fagun Thakrar {{!}} HuffPost|url=https://www.huffpost.com/author/fagun-thakrar|access-date=2021-06-28|website=www.huffpost.com|language=en}} Later, she diversified her education by training in classical acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (RCSSD) and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London and pursued film directing studies in the US. She also holds a master's degree from the London College of Fashion.{{Cite web|last=Arif-Fear|first=Elizabeth|date=2019-02-05|title=Empowering women through the arts: Meet women's NGO the Fagun Foundation, led by actress and activist Fagun Thakrar|url=https://voiceofsalam.com/2019/02/05/empowering-women-through-the-arts-meet-the-fagun-foundation/|access-date=2021-06-28|website=Voice of Salam|language=en}} Subsequently, Fagun acquired an MBA to broaden her scope in the business sector. She has further advanced her academic qualifications by earning a fifth degree from the University of Cambridge.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-19|title=Fagun Thakrar expands creativity focused not-for-profit - News & insight|url=https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/insight/2021/fagun-thakrar-expands-creativity-focused-not-for-profit/|access-date=2021-06-28|website=Cambridge Judge Business School|language=en-GB}}

Fagun's educational achievements was chronicled in a special segment for ITV News for maintaining her "straight A" record under a particularly challenging course load in high school and college.{{cite web|url=http://www.anglotopia.net/british-entertainment/celebrities/interview-with-brit-star-fagun-thakrar/ |title=Interview With Brit Star Fagun Thakrar – Anglotopia.net | Anglotopia – For People That Love Britain |date=28 September 2010 |accessdate=19 June 2012}}

Whilst studying, Fagun competed against thousands of contestants and won BBC's Bolly Idol, an adoption of Pop and America idol after which she was offered her first lead stage role.{{Cite web |title=Notable Alumni - Beauchamp College |url=https://www.beauchamp.org.uk/alumni/alumni-network/notable-alumni/ |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=www.beauchamp.org.uk}}

For her first cinematic role, Fagun starred as Nabeela in the film, Brick Lane,{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconeer.com/past_issues/2010/september-2010/sep10-cinema-hollywood-chat-with-fagun-thakrar.html |title=CINEMA: Hollywood Beckons: Chat with Fagun Thakrar | SEPTEMBER 2010 | Celebrating 11 Years |publisher=Siliconeer |accessdate=19 June 2012}} shot on location in London. She then played Mandy Edge for the long running BBC hospital TV series, Holby City.{{cite web|url=http://newindianexpress.com/entertainment/fashion/article432206.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307180550/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/fashion/article432206.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 March 2014 |title=New Indian Express |publisher=The New Indian Express |accessdate=19 June 2012}} Her acting roles include the title part of Zohra and the lead part of Deepa Verma, in the thriller Blood and Curry.{{cite web|url=http://www.whereandnow.com/index.php?section=where-to-travel-to-now&article=celebrity-travel-fagun-thakrar |title=Celebrity Travel: Fagun Thakrar |publisher=Whereandnow.com |access-date=2012-06-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117020311/http://www.whereandnow.com/index.php?section=where-to-travel-to-now&article=celebrity-travel-fagun-thakrar |archive-date=17 November 2015}} Fagun portrayed Rekha opposite Martin Sheen and Kal Penn in the American film Bhopal: Prayer for Rain.

She attended the Cannes Film Festival in 2011.{{cite web |title=Hindustan Times - Archive News |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tabloid/shekhar-and-i-are-good-friends/article1-707572.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313025258/http://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tabloid/shekhar-and-i-are-good-friends/article1-707572.aspx |archive-date=13 March 2014 |work=Hindustan Times |df=dmy}} She was hand-picked by internationally acclaimed film director Shekhar Kapur for the premiere of the movie Bollywood, The Greatest Love Story Ever Told.

In addition to her acting credits on film, Fagun has performed in several Shakespeare plays, including as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. She has also appeared in commercials representing L'Oréal, IBM and Vodafone.

As a writer and director Fagun intends to focus on films about social issues.{{cite web | url=https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/2021/fagun-thakrar-expands-creativity-focused-not-for-profit/ | title=Fagun Thakrar expands creativity focused not-for-profit - News & insight | date=19 April 2021 }}

Fagun is currently directing a documentary How Our Brains Are Affected by Meditation.{{Citation|title=How Our Brains Are Affected by Meditation|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6230018/|access-date=2019-06-18}}

Fagun was appointed as the Global Ambassador for The International Forum Advocating for Women's Brain and Health, which holds an annual meeting in Zurich, Switzerland. The organization unites experts and representatives from various scientific disciplines and practice fields, with the aim of advancing the study and enhancement of brain and mental health.{{Cite web |last=forum-wbp |title=Fagun Thakrar – International Forum on Woman's Brain & Mental Health |url=https://www.forum-wbp.com/fagun-thakrar/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609105356/https://www.forum-wbp.com/fagun-thakrar/ |archive-date=2023-06-09 |access-date=2019-06-18 |language=en-US}}

Fagun founded The Creatively Inspired Life Foundation, a non-profit organization to help young people to overcome barriers through the power of creativity.{{cite web|title=Fagun Thakrar at Women in Film Oscar event|url=http://entertainment.chennaipatrika.com/post/2017/03/02/Fagun-Thakrar-at-Women-in-Film-Oscar-event.aspx|website=ChennaiPatrika|accessdate=12 March 2017}}

Fagun served as the international spokeswoman for SAHARA (South Asian Helpline And Referral Agency), a culturally sensitive organization that supports women in Southern California through personal crisis.

Fagun continues to work with The United Nations and Amnesty International, among other global organizations{{cite web | url=https://justcelebritymag.com/2010/09/04/introducing-fagun-thakrar/ | title=Introducing Fagun Thakrar | date=4 September 2010 }}

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) honored Fagun on their selective Newcomers Program, awarded to international rising stars.{{Cite web |last=Wiseman |first=Andreas |date=2018-07-24 |title=Coming To America: BAFTA LA Expands Newcomers Program To International Talent & Biz |url=https://deadline.com/2018/07/bafta-la-expands-newcomers-program-1202432482/ |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2017-07-28 |title=BAFTA Los Angeles Announces the 2017-18 Newcomers Program Participants |url=https://www.bafta.org/media-centre/press-releases/bafta-los-angeles-announces-the-2017-18-newcomers-program-participants |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=www.bafta.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Wyche2017-07-28T19:08:00+01:00 |first=Elbert |title=BAFTA LA announces Newcomer Programme participants |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/-bafta-la-announces-newcomer-programme-participants/5120411.article |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=Screen |language=en}}

Fagun was awarded the Leicester Arts Achievement Award for her contribution and supporting young people in the arts.{{Cite web |title=Fagun Thakrar Becomes First Actor that Leicester Honors with Prestigious Award for Artistic Achievement |url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/fagun_thakrar_becomes_first_actor_that_leicester_honors_with_prestigious_award_for_artistic_achievement/prweb14252284.htm |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=PRWeb}}

Fagun's career achievements were featured alongside those of actors, including Dame Judi Dench, in a historical book on British actors on stage and cinema over the past eight decades.{{cite web | url=https://www.indiablooms.com/showbiz-details/B/5064/fagun-thakrar-chosen-to-be-in-the-book-of-the-history-of-british-actors.html | title=Fagun Thakrar chosen to be in the book of the history of British actors | Indiablooms - First Portal on Digital News Management }}

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb name|2169811|Fagun Thakrar}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110228181432/http://www.moviescopemag.com/2010/10/fagun-thakrar-actor/ Interview with MovieScope]
• [http://www.anglotopia.net/british-entertainment/celebrities/interview-with-brit-star-fagun-thakrar/ Anglotopia Profile]

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Category:English film actresses

Category:English television actresses

Category:Living people

Category:Actresses from Leicester

Category:Alumni of University College London

Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art

Category:English people of Indian descent

Category:English people of Gujarati descent

Category:1983 births