Mannu Sandhu a professional Canadian actress, model, dancer, event/political organizer and community activist born in India and raised in Vancouver, B.C. watch the latest interview Mannu done here!

At the age of 14, Mannu and her family moved from Chandigard, India and settled in Vancouver, BC where she completed her highschool studies. Throughout high school Mannu was always actively involved within her school environment---helping to organize school events and various charities. After highschool she started to model on the side and continued to be an active participant in her community by helping out at all major election campaigns with the conservative party in the lower mainland. Upon graduating highschool, Mannu, worked as an executive assistant for Member of Parliament--Nina Grewal . This led to Mannu to pursue a career as a correctional officer. She moved to Victoria, BC to finish her training and later moved back to Vancouver where she started to work as a full time Correctional Officer.

Mannu had always expressed a strong desire to get involved within the arts and through modeling was able to build a foundation and network with industry-related individuals. She was a finalist in the Miss B.C. pageant in 2009 and placed 1st Runner Up in the Miss Moella Canada Beauty Pageant in 2010. While working as a Correctional Officer, Mannu is often exposed to young men and women who were brought into the facility as a result of negative actions, such as drug and alcohol abuse, gang affiliation, weapon possession and assault. Feeling disappointed as to where the youth of her community was heading she often felt like there was something missing.

She believed her life had a stronger purpose—and that is to change and motivate the lives of those around her and her community. And for her to change that was by giving back to her community. Mannu devotes her time to various charities and non-profit organizations such as: BC Childrens Hospital, Sikh Blood Donation; Pakistan Flood Relief, Salvation Army,Operation Canada and Mannkind Charitable Society where she and her team members travel to Baru Sahib Himachal Pardes, India every year for their mission to help children born with facial deformities.

She wants to change the way women in our community and around the world are mistreated and one of the ways to get this message across is through the media of film and television. She decided to train in film and television and continues pursue acting and modeling on the side. Mannu competed in Miss Universe Canada 2011 and placed top 16 on the panel. She also won Miss Universe Canada 2011 Humanitarian Award for raising the most funds for SOS Children’s Village to build three computer centers in Nicaragua.

She completed her first Canadian feature film “Footsteps into Gangland” directed by Mani Amar last spring. Footsteps Into Gangland is adaptation of true events that have shattered the South Asian community of Vancouver. Footsteps Into Gangland gives the audience and especially parents a true and unbiased look into a single day of the lives of these characters. The Character description of Mannu Sandhu( as May in the movie) has spent most of her life in the foster care system. Shifted from one home to another, Mya now 17, has only to wait until her 18th birthday before she can take control of her own life and escape the abuse she regularly faces from her foster father. For now, Mya uses partying and drugs to escape the torments of her emotions.

Mannu just signed her second feature film in India with Vibgyor Productions called “Saadi Wakhri Hai Shaan” directed by Gurbir Grewal whos previous hit was Mannat. First part of the production took place in India and will be shooting the rest of the film in British Columbia in May.

Aspiring actress Mannu Sandhu looks up to Vidya Balan and her willingness to take on bold roles in the Indian Cinema. She looks forward to working with Directors and Producers who are willing to give her a chance with roles that demands different characters and personalities. Working as a Correctional Officer in the Canadian Prison System has opened her eye to so many different personalities, characters and also their emotions. Majority of the population in the prison suffers from mental health issue and are often neglected by their families and thrown in jail. Learning their firsthand experience with the society and their families are sometimes heartbreaking. She feels those characters never get recognized or shown on screen to showcase the real problem and how public can deal with such personalities. Mannu is hoping to work with more Canadian and Hollywood based films which reveal such characters and also open to working with Indian Cinema.

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