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{{Short description|British actress (born 1975)}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Shivaani Ghai
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1975|04|25}}
| birth_place = [[Newcastle upon Tyne]], England
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Tyrone Keogh]]|2016}}
| children = 1
| other_names = Shivani Ghai
| occupation = Actress
| relatives = [[Danny Keogh]] (father-in-law)
}}

'''Shivaani''' (or '''Shivani''') '''Ghai''' (born 25 April 1975) is an English actress.

==Early life==
Ghai is of Indian origin and was born in [[Newcastle upon Tyne]].<ref name="asiansinmedia" /> She grew up in [[Gosforth]] and attended Gosforth High School. Later, she went to university, where she gained a BA in film and television studies.<ref name="Chronicle Live">{{cite web|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/evening-chronicle-news/2012/12/21/top-eastenders-role-for-tyneside-actress-shivani-ghai-72703-32472866/|title=Top Eastenders role for Tyneside actress Shivani Ghai|author=Sonia Sharma|publisher=Evening Chronicle|date=21 December 2012|access-date=17 January 2013}}</ref>

==Career==
Ghai began her acting career on the London stage, working for companies such as Man Mela, Rifco and Kali.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.saliltripathi.com/articles/Dec2000Tehelka.html | title=Dec2000Tehelka}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Barbara |title=Bells |url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/7671/bells |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611123506/http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/7671/bells |archive-date=2011-06-11 |date=2005-05-06 |url-status=dead}}</ref> She moved on to television with minor parts in shows such as ''[[Doctors (2000 TV series)|Doctors]]'', ''[[Spooks (TV series)|Spooks]]'' and ''[[The Bill]]''.<ref name="Chronicle Live" />

In 2003, she was cast as the guest lead in an American adventure series ''[[Adventure Inc.]]'' alongside [[Michael Biehn]]. Later the same year [[Gurinder Chadha]] picked Ghai out at a script reading and cast her as the bride and best friend of [[Ashwarya Rai]] in ''[[Bride and Prejudice]]''.<ref name="Chronicle Live"/><ref name=mainimdb>{{IMDb name|1159038}}</ref> After this, Ghai appeared in BBC shows such as ''[[My Hero (British TV series)|My Hero]]'' and ''[[Sinchronicity]]'', short films, theatre and commercials. In 2006, she was cast as Sarita Dhavi in [[Rai Uno]]'s ''[[Un medico in famiglia]]'',<ref name=mainimdb/> the popular Italian television programme, when an Indian family was added to the show. She played Sarita Dahvi, which was originally to be cast to an Italian actress of Indian descent, but one could not be found. Ghai could not speak Italian but learnt some scenes for her audition. She became part of the first Indian family on Italian television.<ref name=asiansinmedia>{{cite web |title=Interview: Shivani Ghai – on the first Indian family on Italian TV and Saddam Hussein's daughter |url=http://www.asiansinmedia.org/2008/07/28/interview-shivani-ghai-on-the-first-indian-family-on-italian-tv-and-saddam-husseins-daughter/ |website=Asians In Media |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206100642/http://www.asiansinmedia.org/2008/07/28/interview-shivani-ghai-on-the-first-indian-family-on-italian-tv-and-saddam-husseins-daughter/ |archive-date=2010-12-06 |date=2008-07-28 |url-status=dead}}</ref> After this, Ghai travelled to [[Tunisia]] to work on the HBO/BBC co-production ''[[House of Saddam]]'', where she played [[Saddam Hussein]]'s middle daughter [[Rana Hussein|Rana]]. The miniseries aired in September 2008.<ref name="Chronicle Live" /><ref name=asiansinmedia/>

In 2009, Ghai filmed a guest lead as Jamilla Sagar, in a series called ''Identity'', starring [[Aidan Gillen]] and [[Keeley Hawes]].<ref name=mainimdb/> She filmed a five-part drama called ''[[Five Days (TV series)#Series two|Five Days II]]'' (sequel to Bafta and Golden globe nominated ''Five Days''). She played Nusrat Preston, a character described as being "at the heart of the serial".<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/02_february/18/five2.shtml |title = BBC – Press Office – Five Days 2 press pack: Character synopsis}}</ref> She was also noted in the press for standing out amongst an ensemble cast that included [[Suranne Jones]], [[Anne Reid]], [[David Morrissey]], [[Bernard Hill]], and [[Steve Evets]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Watson |first1=Keith |title=Five Days is a crime drama worth the week-long commitment |url=http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/815619-five-days-is-a-crime-drama-worth-the-week-long-commitment |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912191556/http://metro.co.uk/2010/03/02/five-days-is-a-crime-drama-worth-the-week-long-commitment-140445/ |archive-date=2017-09-12 |date=2010-03-02 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/last-nights-television--why-did-you-kill-my-dad-bbc2-five-days-bbc1-1914218.html | location=London | work=The Independent | first=Brian | last=Viner | title=Last Night's Television – Why Did You Kill My Dad? BBC2; Five Days, BBC1 | date=2 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.theyorker.co.uk/news/film/4442 |title = It should have been the film for our generation – what went wrong with the Circle?|date = 20 November 2017}}</ref> She played the part of Rena in the film ''[[Cleanskin (film)|Cleanskin]]'', which starred [[Sean Bean]] and [[Charlotte Rampling]]. The film was released in 2012.<ref name=mainimdb/>

In 2012, Ghai appeared in ''[[EastEnders]]'' playing [[Ayesha Rana]], a friend of [[Zainab Masood]].<ref name="Ayesha New Face">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/eastenders/2012/11/new-face-in-the-square-ayesha.shtml|title=New face on the Square: Ayesha Rana|last=Nickie|date=16 November 2012|work=EastEnders|publisher=[[BBC]]|access-date=16 November 2012}}</ref> She first appeared on 17 December 2012. She departed from the show on 1 March 2013.<ref>{{Cite episode |title= Episode dated 17/12/2012 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pg3sv |series= EastEnders |series-link=EastEnders |credits= Director: Michael Owen Morris; Executive Producer: Lorraine Newman; Writer: Kim Revill |network=[[BBC]] |station=[[BBC One]] |airdate=17 December 2012}}</ref>

In 2013, she appeared in ''[[Ambassadors (TV series)|Ambassadors]]'' as Natalia, the head of public relations. She also played the role of [[Bithiah|Batya]] in the [[History (U.S. TV channel)|History Channel]]'s ''[[The Bible (TV miniseries)|The Bible]]''.

She was part of the main cast of the apocalyptic series ''[[Dominion (TV series)|Dominion]]''. In 2016, Shivani Ghai appeared in ABC's ''[[The Catch (TV series)|The Catch]]'' as Felicity.

In 2019, she appeared in [[Strike Back: Revolution]] as a very wealthy Hindu entrepreneur and one of the main villains of the series.

In 2021, she landed a recurring role on [[Batwoman (TV series)|Batwoman]] as the villain Safiyah Sohail in Season Two.

==Personal life==
She was married to the late British Asian playwright [[Parv Bancil]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vasani |first1=Anisha |title=Ghai Life |url=http://www.asiana.tv/entertainment/ghai-life |website=Asiana.tv |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402173735/http://www.asiana.tv/entertainment/ghai-life |archive-date=2017-04-02 |date=2012-12-05 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2014, she met the South African actor [[Tyrone Keogh]] on the set of ''[[Dominion (TV series)|Dominion]]''. They married two years later.<ref>{{Cite web | url= https://www.news24.com/you/archive/ty-keogh-is-married-see-the-gorgeous-photos-20170728 | title=Ty Keogh is married! See the gorgeous photos| date=9 December 2016}}</ref> They have a son (born 2022).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CejWpQfNQHB/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ=|title=I finally get it.|author=Shivaani Ghai|via=Instagram|date=8 June 2022|accessdate=26 March 2023}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|2002
|''Day of the Sirens''
|Amanda Barnes
|
|-
|2004
|''[[Bride & Prejudice]]''
|Bride
|
|-
|2005
|''[[Red Mercury (film)|Red Mercury]]''
|Secretary
|
|-
|2005
|''[[Goal! The Dream Begins]]''
|Ground Attendant
|
|-
|2007
|''Road''
|Jeet
|Short
|-
|2010
|''The Bounty Hunter''
|Nazia
|
|-
|2010
|''Rojin''
|Rojin
|Short
|-
|2011
|''[[Everywhere and Nowhere]]''
|Sairah Khan
|
|-
|2011
|''Spirit''
|Sara
|Short
|-
|2012
|''[[Cleanskin (film)|Cleanskin]]''
|Rena
|
|-
|2013
|''[[Fireflies (2014 film)|Fireflies]]''
|Sharmila
|
|-
|2016
|''London Life''
|Paro
|
|-
|2016
|''[[London Has Fallen]]''
|Amal Mansoor
|
|-
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|2001
|''[[Doctors (2000 TV series)|Doctors]]''
|Joythi
|1 episode
|-
|2002
|''[[The Bill]]''
|Young Asian Woman
|1 episode
|-
|2003
|''[[Adventure Inc]]''
|Zeyar
|1 episode
|-
|2005
|''[[My Hero (British TV series)|My Hero]]''
|Mother Group Attendee with Baby
|1 episode
|-
|2005
|''The Camping Trip''
|Meera
|Television short
|-
|2006
|''[[Sinchronicity]]''
|Shazney
|2 episodes
|-
|2007
|''[[Un medico in famiglia]]''
|Sarita
|26 episodes
|-
|2007
|''[[Domenica in]]''
|Herself
|1 episode
|-
|2008
|''[[House of Saddam]]''
|Rana Hussein
|Miniseries: 2 episodes
|-
|2010
|''[[Five Days (TV series)|Five Days]]''
|Nusrat Preston
|Miniseries: 5 episodes
|-
|2010
|''[[Identity (TV series)|Identity]]''
|Jamilla Atwal
|1 episode
|-
|2012–13
|''[[EastEnders]]''
|Ayesha Rana
|25 episodes
|-
|2013
|''[[The Bible (miniseries)|The Bible]]''
|Batya
|Docuseries: 1 episode
|-
|2013
|''[[Ambassadors (TV series)|Ambassadors]]''
|Natalia
|Miniseries: 3 episodes
|-
|2014–15
|''[[Dominion (TV series)|Dominion]]''
|Arika
|19 episodes
|-
|2016–17
|''[[The Catch (TV series)|The Catch]]''
|Felicity
|7 episodes
|-
|2019
|''[[Strike Back: Revolution]]''
|Anjali Vartak
|2 episodes
|-
|2021
|''[[Batwoman (TV series)|Batwoman]]''
|[[Safiyah Sohail]]
|Recurring role; 8 episodes
|-
|2021
|''[[Around the World in 80 Days (2021 series)|Around the World in 80 Days]]''
|[[Aouda]]
|Recurring role
|}

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Award
! Category
! Result
! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}
|-
| 2013
| [[British Soap Awards]]
| Sexiest Female
| {{longlisted}}
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/scoop/a464745/british-soap-awards-2013-voting-opens-nominations-revealed.html|title=British Soap Awards 2013 voting opens, nominations revealed|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]|last=Kilkelly|first=Daniel|date=11 March 2013|access-date=11 March 2013|archive-date=1 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101015643/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/scoop/a464745/british-soap-awards-2013-voting-opens-nominations-revealed.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|1159038|Shivaani Ghai}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghai, Shivaani}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:Actresses from Newcastle upon Tyne]]
[[Category:British actresses of Asian descent]]
[[Category:English expatriates in South Africa]]
[[Category:English people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:English soap opera actresses]]
[[Category:English television actresses]]
[[Category:People educated at Gosforth Academy]]

Shivaani Ghai - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article