Appointed an MBE in 1997.

Her book, Bombay Dreams, was adapted into a London West End Musical at the Apollo Theatre and was nominated for a 2003 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for The Hilton Award for Best New Musical of 2002.

Has a daughter, Chameli, with husband, journalist Shekhar Bhatia.

Her former husband is a journalist.

Grew up in a Punjabi family in the mining village of Essington in England.

Her parents moved to England from New Delhi before she was born; they eloped in order to be together as one was Sikh and the other Hindu.

Is an accomplished writer and actress.

Attended Manchester University, where she read English and Drama. In her final year there, she won the National Student Drama Award.

Gave birth to son Shaan at Portland Hospital at the beginning of December 2005

The film "Anita and Me" which she wrote and had a role in was very much an autobiography of her own adolescence in the Midlands