Feryna Wazheir

Feryna Wazheir is a British Asian actress. She began her acting career in amateur theatre and made her break in the industry after she was discovered by indian photographer Farock Chotia.

Feryna has been a part of a few Bollywood films; Ketan Mehta's Rang Rasiya with Randeep Hooda, Raj Kanwar’s Sadiyaan opposite Shatrugan Sinha’s son Luv Sinha and Rekha, Rishi Kapoor and Hema Malini. Wazheir was also the brand ambassador of Kolkata’s biggest jewellery brand, P.C. Chandra Jewellers, for two years. She also played the character of 'Tasneem' in the 2016 hit movie Airlift alongside Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur set in Kuwait 1990 when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. Directed by Raja Menon and produced by Niikhil Advani, the film is based on the largest evacuation of Indians living in Kuwait during the Iraq-Kuwait war, a feat which put India in the Guinness World Records. She recently acted in a short British film titled as "A Secret Heart" by director Cary Sawhney. In this film, she is essaying the role of a British Jewish girl from World War 2.

Feryna took part in amateur theatre and voice-overs and also performed in the play ‘The Vagina Monologues’ The Vagina Monologues by award-winning playwright Eve Ensler. At university, Feryna studied film communication and cultural studies. During a vacation to India, Feryna was spotted by top photographer Farookh Chotia and this kick started her career, launching her with shoots for Elle India, Seventeen and L’Officiel.

Feryna has since trained and worked under theatre stalwarts Satyadev Dubey and Alque Padamsee, as well as at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts [RADA] in London.

Feryna started her career in lead roles in music videos byA.R. Rehman and Hariharan. Soon after in 2010 she made her Bollywood debut in ‘Sadiyaan’. She was also voted amongst most popular Bollywood actresses for this film under 2010s. The late Yash Chopra, India’s top filmmaker once said that she is‘beauty, innocence and vulnerability personified’. Feryna then acted in Ketan Mehta's Rang Rasiya, which won the Audience Award at London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) in 2011 before it was released in 2014. In the movie, which is based on 19th century Indian painter, Raja Ravi Varma’s life, Feryna plays a journalist and the third woman in his life. Feryna received great reviews for her performance in this film. Following her festival accolade, Feryna was appointed official Brand Ambassador for the London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) 2012. She reprised her role as the face of LIFF in 2013.

In 2012, Feryna also did a short british film ‘Khaana’ directed by LIFF’s creative director Cary Sawhney. The film explores the boundaries between home and the outside world and Feryna plays a young orthodox Muslim woman who loves the British dish of fish and chips. The film, which has toured the festival circuit in the US, won the 'Future Filmmaker Award 2012' at the Palm Springs Short Film Festival 2012 and ‘best short film’ at The New York film festival 2013.

In 2016 Feryna appeared in film Airlift as Tasneem alongside Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur set in Kuwait 1990 when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. Directed by Raja Menon and produced by Nikhil Advani, the film is based on the largest evacuation of Indians living in Kuwait during the Iraq-Kuwait war, a feat which put India in the Guinness World Records. The film was released on 22nd Jan 2016. Feryna bagged a lot of appreciation by critics and audience for her brilliant performance in the film. She also recently acted in a short British film titled as "A Secret Heart" by director Cary Shawney. In this film, she is seen in the role of a British Jewish girl from World War 2. The story is inspired by the great British classic "A Matter of Life & Death", by Powell and Pressburger.