EastEnders viewers have been astonished after discovering a former star's completely different career path following her departure from Walford. Actress Preeya Kalidas arrived on the BBC One soap in 2009 portraying Amira.
Amira was brought in as Syed Masood's (Marc Elliot) girlfriend and rapidly won over audiences. The character wasted little time becoming embroiled in major storylines, either. This included discovering her husband Syed's affair with Christian Clarke (John Partridge). A devastated Amira subsequently departed Walford in 2010, though she made a brief return in 2011.
A Return to Music
Amira bid her final farewell a year afterwards, having been unsuccessful in rekindling things with Syed, and the character hasn't appeared since. As for Preeya, alongside her acting work, she also launched a music career in 2010 after leaving the soap to chase that ambition.
"It's important in your career to take risks. I would hate to get to a point in my life where I've had a certain opportunity and I regret not taking it. That would be the worst thing for me," Preeya told the BBC at the time, reports the Daily Star.
Chart Success and Fan Reactions
Preeya secured a recording contract with Universal Records and dropped the track Shimmy featuring Mumzy Stranger in 2010, which reached number 85 in the UK Official Charts. It was also revealed that Preeya was developing her debut album at the time, collaborating with producers including Naughty Boy and Labrinth.
And lately, admirers were left astonished upon discovering Preeya featured on a chart-performing hip-hop and grime track in 2010. She contributed her vocals to the Skepta number Cross My Heart, which climbed to 31 in the UK Official Charts.
Responding to a clip of the music video, followers expressed their surprise, with one person writing: "I thought it was her!" A second added: "What a throwback."
A third chimed in: "All this time and I didn't know it was her from EastEnders." Another also wrote: "Throwback or what! ! ! Unlocked some mad core memories."
Album Plans and Acting Career
Regrettably, owing to the disappointing sales of Preeya's single Shimmy in 2010, her debut album with Universal Records was abandoned. She subsequently released a series of singles that failed to register on the charts.
Preeya's additional acting work includes a part in 2002's Bend It Like Beckham, BBC's Doctors, Casualty and New Blood. She also portrayed Pinky in the 2015 stage musical of Bend It Like Beckham. EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One.
